Part 3

Our trip went through Bryce Canyon, which was my favorite. The colors were amazing! Of course, the trees were a refreshing sight, in such an arid region. The hoodoos of orange and white were breathtaking!

God's handiwork never ceases to amaze me! "For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land." Psalm 95:3 -5.

Part 2

I was really amazed when I came upon this scene:

We were hiking on a nearly 100 degree day, in a place with such extreme weather and inhospitable conditions, when we saw this garden, planted and tended by God. The flowers were mostly balsam root, but there were blooming cactus and flowers of blue and orange and white as well. We also saw several lizards making their home in the garden.

The Majesty of God

I just returned from a vacation in southern Utah. I had never been there before, and I was in for a real treat! On our motorcycle trip, we were able to visit Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Parks. I was amazed at the variety of rock formations, not to mention the flowers, lizards, hawks, and other signs of life in such a seemingly desolate place.

This is my husband and me, standing inside one of the many arches in the park. The terrain is steeper than it looks, but the rock faces are much easier to climb than the basalt rocks found in the Northwest. They are sandstone, which actually grips like sandpaper. In some places, I felt like Spiderwoman, climbing the faces of the rocks with my hands and feet in what felt like a nearly vertical climb!

Graduation blessing

In many families, there is a tradition of formally blessing each child as he/she grows up and leaves home. For my family, that involves my writing a "blessing poem" for each of my children upon graduation from high school. My youngest daughter, Keri, will be graduating this week, and this is my tribute to her:

Congratulations, Keri

How did we get from "Carry me! Carry me!"
To all grown up now; Keri's free?
From the sweet, quiet bundle, twisting Momma's hair,
To an independent woman who is going somewhere?

I remember her eating rocks, dirt, and bugs,
A timid little creature needing cuddles and hugs.
Now she's mature, has a mind of her own,
No longer a child; My, how she's grown!

And a fine woman you are; gentle, yet bold,
With a good moral compass -- you don't have to be told.
You still have that sweetness, that tender heart,
Full of kindness and love that we've seen from the start.

But I see something more, something daring and wild,
A strong-willed woman, not a stubborn child.
With such determination, you'll meet the highest goals,
And still have fun while you try out new roles.

For eighteen years, God has loaned you to me,
Now you're all His; in His arms you are free.
My only advice: Listen closely for His voice;
His alone will guide you to make the best choice.

So, go on now and celebrate your new life,
With its seasons of blessings and bursts of strife;
And remember always that you are loved and adored
And were planned from the start by our Savior and Lord.

Love,
Mom