Chicago

Light and shadows interest me. They hide and reveal. The can show hope and despair. These were taken on our recent field trip to Chicago. Federal Reserve Bank on the left, Sears Tower on the right.

The Question No One Wants To Discuss

When does aid move from help to enabling?

Premise: That I am obligated to assist those in need. This is a command from Christ. However, at what point has my assistance allowed a person to become dependent upon assistance and never seek to break that bond?

We have lost a war on poverty, we have lost a war on drugs, when do you raise the white flag and admit defeat and start over in a new direction? For example, we have such a large government system that employs thousands built around these two areas that nothing will ever change. Do humans need to be free to fail?

Odessa Lake Trail, RMNP

Vicki and I attempted the hike to Odessa Lake during our recent trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. There had been new snow and we were the first to travel this particular trail. Our Creator has put a wonderful earth together and hiking in the mountains brings a particular peace that can only be understood through experience. We left Illinois with a sense of frustration, a home we own in Peoria is not selling, I am barely staying ahead of my students which doesn't allow me to prepare the way I feel I should which means my classes are not going the way I think they should which frustrates (do you see a pattern here?) me. Anyway, time in the mountains allows me to clear my head and focus upon what God is doing and needs to do in my life. We are tremendously blessed. In spite of all that appears to be going wrong in our world God is good each and every day.

Lumpy Ridge

We have returned from our trip to Estes Park. The photo was taken on our hike to Gem Lake in RMNP. The area is called Lumpy Ridge and you go north out of Estes to find this wonderful hiking area. The trees provided me with wonderful lines that really blur the cabin in the background, much as we can allow life to blur our view of what really matters.
If you are planning a trip to this area we would recommend the Gem Lake hike. You have about 900' of elevation gain but some wonderful panoramic views of the mountains will truly take your breath away.

Rest

Life can always get a bit hectic. Time away in the mountains helps relax the mind, soul and sometimes even the body. We tend to make our trips a bit of an adventure and so the body doesn't always get to rest. The mountains are a place to gain perspective on a world that seems to place too much value on things. The mountains allow me to rest my mind from the normal daily wear and tear of life. The picture I have posted was taken on a snowshoe trip in Rocky Mountain National Park. The day was beautiful, the trail had close to 8" of new snow. This provided, "rest."