Perils along the Autumn Pathways

Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Consider the paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Proverbs 4: 25-27

We Michiganders believe that nothing is more beautiful than a Michigan Autumn. We relish its jumble of colors; we inhale the spices of its drying leaves and crave its briskness on our faces. And, if possible, we abide in it – every possible moment of every possible day – captivated by its presence, knowing that we possess it only a short time.

 

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#18 I Walk Among the Giants

I recently posted about the importance of deep roots, established and rooted in Jesus Christ. Additionally, another type of root system is also vital in the Christian life – that of “connection.” Scripturally taught throughout the New Testament, this lesson was reinforced in my mind when, of all places, Ron and I traveled through the beautiful Redwoods in Northern California. Let me explain . . .

From Oregon, we drove just a short distance south into California before gps instructed us to turn east onto Highway U.S. 199 toward our destination campground. I had booked three nights here, which I thought gave us two full days to go into the parks to see the beautiful Redwoods ~ our purpose in coming to this southernmost point of our journey. I assumed we would reach our campsite, set up, and visit the parks the next day, but – once we made that turn onto U.S. 199,  we  discovered were already in the Redwoods:

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#2 Where you go, I will go . . .

 The northwest has called us, and I invite you to come along!

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”

~ Rachel Carson

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#7 Prairie Grasses Have Purpose and Deep Roots

“In nature we never see anything isolated, but everything in connection with something else which is before it, beside it, under it and over it.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Yes, all of nature is connected and has purpose. As we headed west from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula via Hwy 2, a fellow RV’er advised us not to bother driving through North Dakota and Montana – he said it was boring with no striking views. But, you see, Ron and I like to make the connections; we like to see what others might not.

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The Apron

Do you ever find time to get away by yourself and have some quiet time with the Lord? When my children were at home, I thought it must be impossible to have quiet time with the Lord in our busy, noisy household! But then I heard about Susannah Wesley!

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Alone. Without a tissue.

The room is small. The chairs uncomfortable. I see her through the glass, waiting for the thick door to unlock, controlled by someone we don’t see. Someone in another room looking through cameras into hallways and rooms, cells and blocks.

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Your Faith Has Healed You!

I yearn to hear those words,

“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed of your suffering.”

Being raised with teaching that certainly God can heal but He doesn’t always heal,

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A Bird for His Purpose

Brilliant. Beautiful. Graceful. Pleasant. Stately. Confident. Cocky.
 
“Cocky.” That’s the trait that ended Gary Hancock.
 
     He couldn’t help being “cocky.“ That’s how God made him, the very peacock that he is (was). Through the years, I’ve witnessed  the “cockiness” of the wild turkeys that strut our yards and fields – of the pheasant that crosses the road as though he owns it, which he does! Likewise, it was the innocent, stately, God-given confident “cockiness” that brought about Gary Hancock’s demise one afternoon as he crossed the road he assumed he owned.

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#19 Our Own Oregon Trail

We left the Redwoods, our hearts full. (Have you read that post? Click here.) We yearned for more time in these forests, but it was time itself that caused us to move on. We tried not to look at all we left behind – rather at all that lay ahead for us.

We took a bit of the Redwoods with us – a seedling for our grandson, Noah. It would yet travel over 2500 miles with us. I babied it all the way.

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#17 The Fog Lifts

Ron and I both wished I had booked another night at  Honeyman State Park along this beautiful Oregon Coast. So much to see. So little time. But this and each night’s camping  reservations had been made from over 2000 miles away, many months previous . Not realizing all we would want to see, we had wished for more time at nearly every site we’d visited so far on this journey and would wish it again over and over in the weeks to come! But we moved on, leaving this deeply-wooded park, 

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