His creation speaks for itself

In the past several years my love for the Adirondack Mountains has grown considerably. In the northeastern region of the Adirondack State Park there are 46 high peaks, each rising at least 4,000 feet above sea level. I have made it my goal to hike to the tops of these peaks. As I continue on this journey I seek to learn more about myself, nature and the one who made these majestic lands.

I have already gone several times to this wilderness area and I have found solitude and escape from the outside world. Basic needs such as food, water, and shelter are of the importance there. Life becomes simple in the mountains and in my opinion life is better when it is simplified. The minuet details of existence fade away in the beauty of high mountains, roaring rivers and quiet valleys.

Some question why I would want to climb all 46 peaks. It is not to gain the approval of other hikers, friends or family. It is a personal goal that I would like to prove to myself that I can do. Also it is to help me better appreciate the beauty of God’s astonishing creation. As I soak in what God has made I become closer to Him and I am more apt to acknowledge His lordship in my life.

Some take it a step farther and ask why I go to the woods in the first place. In my estimation there are many great lessons to be learned in the wilds. You can learn everything from basic survival skills to finding how far your body can take you. God teaches you to depend solely on Him as you push your body to the brink of exhaustion. Also, there are very little distractions in the woods. I have found that the only distraction is my own self. I simply can choose to ignore God and to follow my own course. It is difficult to ignore the presents of God because creation cries His name. It is hard to deny that there is a God when you are standing on top of one of the high peaks on clear sunny day. As you can see for miles you begin to realize that this artwork is not of man. The hands of God crafted the very mountains, rivers and valleys that you are gazing at. At that very moment you are captivated by the sites and sounds of nature. You are brought into the sanctuary of the King. The God of creation deserves our praise and adoration. His creation speaks for itself.

"Whenever we go to the mountains we find more then we seek"
John Muir

"The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed."
New York State Constitution

Cancer

I recently found out that my close friend and mentor Paul Hogan was diagnosed with cancer. The word cancer means so many things to so many people; Most of those things are negative and rightly so. I feel great sadness today and I feel somewhat helpless because of where I am and my circumstances. A man who has helped me through the trials of life is about to face a very large one himself. How can I help? Even though his particular cancer may be curable through chemo or surgery my heart feels heavy for him and his family. Why is it that the people around me seem to be suffering? Why is it that I was handed good genes? I keep thinking that I need to do something… I need to use my somewhat healthy life to help others… I pray that God would point me to the area in which I can be used by Him to people who suffer from Cancer.

The Key

Today after lunch I saw a man with about 100 keys hanging off his belt. I thought to myself why does this man need all those keys? Perhaps it makes him feel more important. After all a man with all those keys must have more authority because he has access to more rooms… right? But what if he has no clue as to what those keys unlock? Maybe he is saving a key on that ring from an old padlock that he lost twenty years ago in hopes that he will find it someday. Chances are if I went up to him and asked him if he knew what each key could unlock he would have no idea.

I have several keys on my ring, one to our place of residence, one for each car we have, one for the storage unit that we rent out and one to my parent’s house. I have another set of keys devoted for my job as well. I use all of these keys frequently (except for the one to my parents house) and as a matter of fact I use a majority of them every day. But what is the most important key to me? I would say the key to my residence because when I walk through that door I see my wife. In my future I also see kids and a cat, God willing. If I neglect to unlock that door I neglect to be with those that I love the most. Maybe instead of using that key I decide to stay longer at work or maybe I decide to go out with friends after work. The point is that those things need to be secondary in my life to my duty as a husband and someday a father.
As some of you know I work for a church and in that church there is a lot of work to be done. It can consume you if you let it. Throughout the church this is a common problem and it has swallowed ministers whole. The key to the church becomes more important then the key to the home. The family gets pushed aside and the minister becomes a workaholic. He sacrifices his family on the alter of ministry which is sad and tragic. In my own life as I start ministry I must be aware of this common mistake, I must guard the key to my residence and use it frequency. The key is to live a life of balance.