Green acres is the place to be

Dad and Mom are happy to have this person lend an extra hand on the farm. I have got a farm girl as a daughter.

God's goodness is all around us

As Anne Lamott writes, " We're here to know God, to love and serve God, and to be blown away by the beauty and miracle of nature."  I was sure blown away by God's creation as found at GNP.  Now off to the farm in Illinois to have a few days with my family.

 

Last trail

Last day, last trail, and we encounter not one but two grizzly bears. You probably can't tell their sizes from these pictures. The pictures were taken from a distance but I wasn't getting closer. One bear had to be at least 800 pounds. An enormous animal to see. Fortunately they were a good 50 yards away and more interested in eating berries than us. Wow, what a way to end our stay at Glacier National Park. 

Today's Hike

Today, Christina and I hiked back to a glacier lake.  The far end the lake was still covered with icebergs.  Christina wanted to test the water to see how cold it really was.  It did not take her long to decide it was cold.

A New Hiking Partner

A new hiking partner has joined me today.  My daughter Christina arrived last night to spend some time getting her father in shape on the trail.  Trying to keep up with a fit 19 year old has made me pick up my pace on the trail.  On her first day here she had the experience of meeting, from a safe distance of course, one of the local residence.  I was going to show her where some of the mountain goats hang out but we postponed that trail due to temperatures being at the top of the mountain 38 degrees with winds 25-35 mph.  It was 48 degrees on the lower part where we were hiking.  Refreshing.

Meeting the man who wrote the Bible

Today I had the wonderful occasion and privilege to meet the man who wrote the Bible.  Well, he actually did not write the Bible.  He wrote The Message where he translated the Bible into contemporary language.  Today, I had the pleasure of meeting Eugene Peterson.  He has a wonderful lake house not far from where I am staying. Knowing I was going to be in the area, I contacted him to see if we could get together.  He graciously agreed.  Eugene is a humble man who has a warm and contagious smile. He and his wife Jan have the gift of hospitality that make you feel right at home. We talked about family, this Montana community in which Eugene grew up and the church.  Eugene was a founding pastor of Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland where he served for 29 years. After the parish he became Professor of Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia until 2006.  He is the author of over 30 books.  Eugene is rich in wisdom.  There is some much I can learn by being with a person like him.  Right before this sabbatical I read his newest book, The Pastor: A Memoir.  As the publisher states, "In an age of emphasis on church growth, Peterson was “the contemplative pastor.” As the calling of minister morphed into the job of CEO, whose main task is to “run the church,” he renounced that role and sought to maintain the pastor’s singular vocation as one who gives attention to what God is doing and witnesses to that through face to face relationships in a local faith community. While the church ran to and fro, chasing the shifting winds of “relevance,” Eugene Peterson kept walking the old paths of worship, prayer, and conversation". Below are a few quotes from his book.

• A congregation is composed of people, who, upon entering a church, leave behind what people on the street name or call them. A church can never be reduced to a place where goods and services are exchanged.  It must never be a place where a person is labeled.  It can never be a place where gossip is perpetuated.  Before anything else, it is a place where a person is named and greeted, whether implicitly or explicitly, in Jesus's name.

• The minute the church and pastors start saying what do people want and then giving it to them, we betray our calling.  We're called to have people follow Jesus.  We're called to have people learn how to forgive their enemies.

• There's nobody who doesn't have problems with the church, because there's sin in the church. But there's no other place to be a Christian except the church.

• I think pastors are the worst listeners.  We're so used to speaking, teaching, giving answers. We must learn to be quiet, quit being so verbal, learn to pay attention to what's going on, and listen.

• If you don't take a Sabbath, something is wrong.  You're doing too much, you're being to much in charge.  You've got to quit, one day a week, and just watch what God is doing when you're not doing anything. 

A Devotion: Letting Go into God

More from devotional time with Richard Rohr. Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation Letting Go Letting Go into God Tuesday, July 22, 2014

To Western or comfortable people, surrender and letting go sounds like losing. But it’s actually accessing a deeper, broader sense of the self, which is already whole, already content, already filled with abundant life. This is the part of you that has always loved God and said “Yes” to God. It’s the part of you that is Love, and all we have to do is let go and fall into it. It’s already there. Once you move your identity to that level of deep inner contentment and compassion, you realize that you’re drawing upon a Life that is larger than your own, and from a deeper Abundance. Once you learn to do that, why would you ever again settle for some scarcity model for life? But sadly, we continually do just that. The scarcity model is the way we’re trained to think: “I am not enough. This is not enough. I do not have enough.” So we try to attain more and more, and climb higher and higher. Thomas Merton said we may spend our whole life climbing the ladder of success, only to discover that when we get to the top our ladder is leaning against the wrong wall. Wow! A daily practice of contemplative prayer can help you fall into the Big Truth that we all share, the Big Truth that is God, that is Grace itself, where you are overwhelmed by more than enoughness! The spiritual journey is about living more and more in that abundant place where you don’t have to wrap yourself around your hurts, your defeats, your failures; but you can get practiced in letting go and saying “That’s not me. I don’t need that. I’ve met a better self, a truer self.”

A Devotion: Letting Go

I subscribe to a daily devotional by Richard Rohr.  Below is the meditation that I read today.  I hope it speaks to you as it did to me.

Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation Letting Go The Spirituality of Subtraction Sunday, July 20, 2014

Meister Eckhart said, “The spiritual life has much more to do with subtraction than it does with addition.” All great spirituality is about letting go. But we have grown up with a capitalist worldview, and it has blinded our spiritual seeing. We tend to think at almost every level that more is better, even though, as E. F. Schumacher said years ago, “less is more.” There is an alternative worldview. There is a worldview in which all of us can succeed. It isn’t a win/lose capitalist worldview where only a few win and most lose. It’s a win/win worldview—if we’re willing to let go and if we’re willing to recognize that this, right here, right now, is enough. This is all I need. But that can only be true if we move to the level of being and away from the levels of doing and acquiring. True religion is always pointing us toward being. At that level we experience enoughness, abundance, more than enoughness. If we’ve never been introduced to that world, we will of course try to satisfy ourselves with possessions, accomplishments, important initials after our names, fancy cars, beautiful homes—none of which are bad in themselves. They’re only unable to satisfy; and that’s exactly why we need more and more of them. As the Twelve-Steppers say, “We need more and more of what does not work.” If it worked, we would not need more of it!

Polebridge

I have often wondered where the "middle of nowhere" was.  Today I found out.  I drove to the north western part of the park, to a community called Polebridge.   Polebridge is definitely off-the-grid. With no electricity, power comes from generators and solar panels.  Lights are most often propane, wood-stoves provides heat and pit toilets are your source of plumbing.  Although it is only 29 miles to Polebridge from the main part of the park, it takes two hours to drive.  Hugh potholes and washboards are commonplace; space wide enough for two vehicles to pass are rare. You're definitely off the beaten path on this bumpy trek where speeds top out at 20 mph.   This little town hasn't changed much in 100 years, boasting one bar, the Northern Lights Saloon and the Mercantile.  The red-planked Mercantile was built in 1914 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The interior looks much like it did in the early 1900's.   In addition to a place that will supply you with chain saw oil, rope, power steering fluid, spam and other necessities, the Mercantile has become knowns for it bakery goods that come fresh from the oven.  Sorry Daniel Plan, I had to break down and buy a freshly made huckleberry bear claw.  While the smell of cookies and pastries fills the small room, an old-fashioned cash register clangs up sales.

The saloon next to the mercantile.  Remember to bring your six-shooter.  

Sign outside of the Saloon.  Glad I ordered the trout.

Today's Hike

Today's hike made me nervous.  Not because we were hiking the rim of a mountain wall 7,280 feet above the valley below. Nor was it because we at times were on narrow pathways winding around sheer cliff face.  I was nervous because I was on one narrow passage with Marsae behind me when she asked, "Remind me again how much life insurance you have?"

A special guest

Today I had the pleasure of having a special guest accompany me on the trail.   I'm not referring to these guys.

or these guys.

I'm referring to this gal.  It is nice to have my bride join me on the trail.  She flew in late last night and will be joining me for a few days.  Now she can be the snowplow.  Just kidding! For those that do not know what I am talking about read the July 10th entry regarding Bear Country.  GNP is fantastic but has gotten even better with Marsae here.  

Local RV Park

I went by this local RV park today and had to chuckle a little to myself.  As I saw all the RV's parked bumper to bumper I image someone back at their house saying, "hey dear, I'm tired of all the traffic and congestion, let's get an RV, go to Glacier National Park where we can get away from it all."

Contemplating the beauty of the earth.

Creation, if we look closely reflects something of the goodness and glory of God.  As Rachel Carson declares, "Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserve of strength that will endure as long as life lasts".

When you take in the vast storehouse of natural beauty in the forest, trees, high hills, and mountaintops, what is Creation saying to you about our Creator?  What is our Creator saying to you through Creation?

The mountains have stood firm through the ages.  What are the rocks in your life that help you to stand firm?

Streams can refresh and nourish.  Where do you find refreshment and nourishment for your journey?

Psalm 18:2New Living Translation

The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;

    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.

He is my shield, the power that saves me,

    and my place of safety.

******

John 7:38 English Standard Version

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’

Today's Hike -Snow

Wanting to cool off a bit I decided to play in the snow.  Who would think you could make snow angels in the middle of July.  Some mountain goats also thought this was a pretty cool place to hang out.

Today's Hike-Waterfall

 

 




This morning I decided to explore a few of the area waterfalls.  It is amazing to experience the force and power of water as it roars off these falls.  Contemporary Christian Singer Chris Tomlin was struck by the power of water and relates it to God's power that washes over us.  He wrote a song currently on the radio called "Waterfall".  Listen to Chris explain the story behind his song.

Below are the lyrics to "Waterfall".

O God, my God I seek You

I wanna move when You move

You’re more than I could long for

I thirst for You

You’re an ocean to my soul

To my soul

Your love is like a waterfall, waterfall

Running wild and free

You hear my heart when I call, when I call

Deep calls to deep

Your love is like a waterfall, waterfall

Raining down on me

Waterfall, waterfall

O God my God, I seek You

In this dry and desert land

You lead me to streams of mercy once again

You’re an ocean to my soul

To my soul

It’s coming like a flood

I’m dancing in the rain

Everything I’ve done is covered in rivers of grace

Amazing

It’s coming like a flood

I’m dancing in the rain

I lift up my hands

Your love never changes
Amazing

Sanctuary of the Soul

With a 70% chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and not wanting to get caught up on the mountain if it started storming I chose to stay at the base of the mountain.  I grabbed a book and drove to a mountain stream. -a perfect place to read.  I read Richard Foster’s book  Sanctuary of the Soul: Journey into Meditative Prayer.  

In this book Foster takes you on a step by step journey into the struggles and benefits of meditative prayer.  I look forward to teaching this book when I get back.  It will be interesting to get your response and to practice some of his suggestions to a deeper prayer life. 

When we hear the word meditation, we tend to think of a Buddist monk sitting in a lotus position going “Hmmmmm”.  Meditation is a significant part of Eastern spirituality, but it is also an important discipline for our faith life, even though it doesn’t get much attention today.  In meditative prayer, Foster writes, "we are learning to sink down into the light and life of Christ and becoming comfortable in this posture.  As Foster explains," “Prayer in general is the interactive communication that transpires between God and ourselves.  Meditative prayer in particular is the listening side of this communication.  We are bringing both mind and heart into the presence of God and then we listen to the Lord.”  In meditative prayer we are creating the emotional and spiritual space that allows God to construct an inner sanctuary in the heart. Jesus is knocking; meditative prayer opens the door. We are learning to be still and to be attentive to God.  It is the words of Frederick W. Farber: 

Only to sit and think of God,

Oh what a joy it is!

To think the thought,

To breath the name;

Earth has no higher bliss.

If you are hungry for a deeper meditative life with God, then Richard Foster’s Sanctuary of the Soul is a helpful, practical book that shows the way.

Teach me to stop and listen,

Teach me to center down.

Teach me the use of silence,

Teach me where peace is found.

Teach me to hear Your calling,

Teach me to search Your Word.

Teach me to hear in silence,

Things I have never heard.

Teach me to be collected,

Teach me to be in tune,

Teach me to be directed,

Silence will end so soon.

Then when it’s time for moving,

Grant it that I might bring

To every day and moment,

Peace from a silent spring.

-Ken Medema