Hiking a Path Unknown: A Lesson in Endurance

Saturday morning a friend and I walked the Northshore Trail on the shores of Grapevine Lake, my watery neighbor to the south. We had planned a cool expedition with photography, exercise, and personal fulfillment, starting with a sunrise over the lake. But what we hadn't planned was the test of endurance that was soon to follow. The hike started off in the "cool" of the Texas summer morning and we had what looked like about two miles to hike along the shoreline of the lake. Five hours later, we were still hiking. In the heat. The blazing, unyielding Texas heat.

It's funny how tests of endurance can suddenly come out of nowhere. Oh, sure, you can plan a 21-day backpacking trip that you know beforehand is going to be tough, but many of the most memorable and effective tests are unexpected trials.

We set out from Rockledge Park to the east and hiked our way towards Murrell Park, about two miles away (as the crow flies). it was all good for a while. The Texas cool was with us, the breeze coming off the water, and the photo opportunities aplenty. But our decision to park one car at the start and one at the end meant we needed to complete the hike. The hike that looked like it would never end. Up hills and down them; over boulders and under fallen trees. We even took a side-hike around the shoreline -- off the beaten path. Our goal was simple -- we wanted to finish the trail before the sun killed us!

It was hot. We were worn down. The water was running out. But we had to endure. And through a few divine blessings (like shade trees) and a water fountain, we pressed on until we finally got to her car and the air conditioning within. It was hot. It was tough. But we had to endure.

The author of Hebrews said something about endurance. He said endurance is something that becomes easier to do when your path is free from obstacles (Heb 12:1). Isn't that so true? When we were hiking today, the last things we wanted to see were fallen trees blocking the trail and long inclines. When you're hot and tired, those things are not in the slightest bit fun. Yet still, you have to endure. But isn't it so much easier when your trail is free and clear? When you have removed stumbling blocks and set your mind to moving forward, the race becomes much easier to run -- the trail much easier to hike.

Here's another slideshow, this time from our hike. Enjoy!

Creation on Display

Yesterday (Monday) I went to the Ft. Worth Botanic Garden and the Stockyards on another wonderful photographic field trip. Even though it was 100-plus degrees in North Texas, I came away from the trip with a number of pictures that show various elements of God's creation -- from animals to plants to patterns. I've posted a few in a slideshow below.

The Call to Do Nothing

"How can I kill the ones I'm supposed to love? My enemies are men like me."

Songwriter Derek Webb sings those words in the chorus to his song, "My Enemies Are Men Like Me." What Webb is saying in the song is that even though many of us enjoy watching conflicts -- real and imagined -- as they unfold on TV, what we fail to realize is that Jesus has called us to love our enemies and bless those who insult us. Our enemies are broken people just like we are, with the same problems and the same basic needs. They, like we, need a Savior.

I've been learning a lot about the Kingdom of heaven lately and one thing that I've come to understand is that the new weapons of fighting are not weapons at all -- and we are not meant for fighting. We are meant for trusting. Blessing those who curse, Paul elaborated, is the greatest insult we can give an enemy. To think... not fighting back is more powerful than a knuckle sandwich! By doing nothing in retaliation, we are actually denying our opponent the satisfaction he or she is looking for in a fight.

And when their guilt sets in... oh, man, is it ever convicting. Just a thought stirred up by a song.

I might add:

"We can point our guns at the other side
and with our mouths let insults fly;
But to turn the cheek the other direction
Is the strongest gesture of godly aggression."

All Creatures of Our God & King

I took a field trip with a friend to the Ft. Worth Zoo today, a majestic place of atmospheres, animals, and all around good fun. Seeing the varieties of creatures reminded me of the beauty of God, particularly how that beauty can be seen in creation. We entered a parrot cage where parakeets, parrots and the odd pigeon were flying around and it took my breath away. There were yellow birds and blue birds; red birds and gray birds; bigger birds and smaller birds; all flying representatives of the beauty and intimacy of the King.

Enough chatter from me. Here's a slideshow of some of the creatures we saw as captured through my lens. Enjoy!

An Upside Down World

Have you ever had one of those moments when a truth you learned as a kid ... and always kept with you ... suddenly becomes new again? What about a Bible verse you've always known but never fully understood until now?

Lately, I've been wowed by the makeup of the kingdom of heaven. You know, the first shall be last, the poor shall by rich, the meek shall overcome the proud, turning the other cheek, picking up your cross, etc. Jesus came and turned the known world upside down. He said all the wrong things and, as N.T. Wright famously wrote, He "blessed all the wrong people." He flipped their concept of righteousness and in the process revealed the true way of righteousness. The true way doesn't seem glorious. But the true way is the only way to pure glory.

Blessed are the poor in spirit...
Blessed are those who mourn...
Blessed are the merciful...
Blessed are...

As Christians living in a hostile culture, we often want to play by that culture's rules. We want to fight back when attacked. We want to boast of our accomplishments. We want to have a church building that's way bigger than the other church buildings. We're not looking at the world from an upside down perspective. We want to interact with the world right side up. But in doing so we are becoming like the world and not like our Lord. He stayed upside down and called you and I to do the same.

I know I'm not doing it as well as He'd like. So I keep on trying. How are you doing?

A Day in the Park (or Garden)

Here are a few snapshots from today's trip to the quaint little/big city of Grapevine, just across the lake from good ole Flower Mound.

Behold... A Video Blog Sequel!