Cabristo Lake near Red River NM elevation 10,100
Our once bright red jeep, now dusty and dull, ascended the narrow trail. The engine’s grind became stronger as the road turned sharply upward. My seatbelt seemed of little consequence as we bounced and shook along the gully they called a road.
Back and forth we switched up the mountain. Fearing a forward pitch out the door, I hung on to the seatbelt and grab bar with a death grip.
Thankfully not prone to car-sickness, we revved on. A brief respite found us as we cleared the trees into a peaceful grassy meadow.
I could have jumped from my perch and stretched out for hours on that soft plain. Gentle breeze and warm sun on my face, I would have been content.
But the goal lay ahead. To be so close and not complete our trip would have been a disappointment in the end. The mystery of what vistas lay ahead, outweighed my desire for solid ground and quiet solitude.
So I stayed put, gritted my teeth, and hung on.
Falling back into line with our group, we ascended at an astounding rate, jumping boulders and small ravines with determination. Our tough little jeep prevailed despite our misgivings, as the trees became sparser near the top.
Over the crest we flew and all discomfort was forgotten in an instant.
Splayed out before us was God at his finest in nature.
Lush forest and meadows below rose into magnificent mountains in a 360 degree ring around us. Even in July, snow nestled in the distant crowns. Intense azure skies and peaks of splendor dressed in blue and purple robes, looked over the sleepy mountain valley.
A ring of pristine earth, untarnished by humans,
A ring created for our pleasure.
A ring that reminded me to praise his generosity and provision of such resplendence just for us,
A ring that brings peace to my soul.
Thank you Lord for taking the time to craft such breath-taking sights for our eyes only. Thank you for the detail you provide, from the verdant blades of grass to the rugged peaks of rock towering over us.
Thank you for brushing this earth with careful strokes of beauty.
Unfortunately most of us don’t live in such a breath-taking setting. Day-in, day-out, we follow the same routine. We trace the same roads, the same paths. We become immersed in ourselves and our tasks ahead.
Our eyes become blinded to our surroundings. We’ve seen it all before, what could be different?
Lord,
Though it is easy to ignore in my routine, help me to look for your beauty in the daily. In the small things in my local surroundings, not just in the magnificent vistas of the mountain which I cannot ignore. You make all things beautiful, forgive me for not noticing your handiwork, and the peace it brings when I slow down and drink it in,
Even in the heat of an Oklahoma summer.
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Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them…
-When is the last time in your town that you’ve taken time to stop and drink in the beauty of a flower? A tree? Anything in nature?
-Daily look for God’s hand in nature. As you see his beauty in your surroundings breathe it in and thank him.