out of the office . . .

I’ve spent much of my summer ‘away’ from my computer . . . contributing to my lack of blogging.  Most recently, I was far away from my computer enjoying an amazing family vacation exploring several national parks.

Here are a few snapshots from our Yellowstone and Grand Teton portion of the trip!

boat ride on Jackson Lake

sunrise view of the Grand Tetons . . . I hiked up a smaller hill early in the morning for this spectacular view!

not the swimming backdrop we enjoy at the pool … was a perfect afternoon for a relaxing swim in Jackson Lake

boiling mud at the ‘fountain paint pots’

hot springs … the bacteria that lives at different temperatures produces the rich orange and bright blue colors

Old Faithful Geyser and Inn from atop a nearby hill

Old Faithful . . . went off approximately every 90 minutes . . . we never grew tired of watching it the three days we were in this area of the park

grand canyon of yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Beach reading

Seems the only times I’m blogging this summer are while I’m away from my computer .. today is beach day! Not one cloud in the sky .. hot sun .. nice breeze .. perfect! I started my morning with a 6am swim in lake michigan .. it was so amazing I knew I needed to bring the girls back here for some beach time!

I’m just finishing up a great book, When People are Big and God is Small by Ed Welch. One of the best books I’ve read recently .. it’s not new, but new to me & timely. Speaks of needing people less and loving people more. He talks about a tendency to hold other people in awe, to be controlled by them, to depend on them for what God alone can give. The antidote: the fear of God . . . the believer’s response to God’s power, majesty and mercy.

He concludes the second to last chapter with some great words on community …

“… Individualism is out. From a strictly pragmatic perspective, we have found that individualism doesn’t work. As an antidote, the new buzz word is community.
The problem is that unless there is a radical change in the way we see God, ourselves, and others, community will become just another strategy for us to feel better about ourselves. It will relieve the loneliness, and we will feel more ‘connected’, but if we pursue community for self-fulfillment rather than God’s glory, the community movement will simply be a passing fad. Let’s stir each other up to establish our church community in God’s love”