A Love of Nature, Sacred Pathways

Hawk's Crossing Wildlife Photography

My dad grew up in Connecticut and we still have family there, several cousins included. Little did I know that my cousin Ken is involved in some incredible wildlife photography. He sent us the link to his website and I was thrilled looking at his work. What incredible pictures! If I had to pick a favorite, I think it would be the butterfly gallery. I really enjoyed spending time going through these looking at his pictures of birds, flowers and landscapes. You can visit the website here at Hawks Crossings Wildlife Photography. Feel free to share this link with other nature lovers!

I really love nature, bird watching and just being outdoors. It's something our family likes to enjoy together, and I'm especially thrilled that my son J has really taken to it. I found some pictures from last April when we went hiking at Natural Bridge State Park in Sauk County, Wisconsin. I posted them below. Up until that trip, I had always put J in my backpack carrier for any hiking we did. Yet this time he insisted he really wanted to walk it on his own. So we got him a pair of little binoculars, found him a walking stick and away we went. He absolutely loved it. I had fun looking through all these pictures again.

A friend of mine introduced me to a book called Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul's Path to God by Gary Thomas. It is a Christ-centered book that helps you find and embrace the unique way you interact with God. As I thought about that, it resonated with me that being out in nature, enjoying the Lord's creation, is one of the main ways I feel closest to God. I love hearing the birds, feeling the warmth of the sun, admiring all the flowers, trees and plants, watching the clouds. I find I'm really able to let go of any stress or anxiety through the time I spend there and just rest in Him. I also enjoy days where it's cold and rainy outside and I'm tucked away inside and spending time with the Lord there. A time where I read a few verses of my Bible, reflect and pray and then express my heart for the Lord in song. I miss those days when J took two naps and I had those lovely times of refreshment on a regular basis. Now my time with the Lord is more piecemeal and interspersed throughout my day. During this Lenten season, I am looking to get back to that. By spending less time on the internet and getting away from unnecessary distractions, I hope to have more of those times to come away refreshed. I'm also looking forward to warmer days ahead and getting out more.

Just a few things that have been going through my mind lately ....

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