In the Shade of Aspens

I am sitting in the shade of Aspens, looking out over Colob Canyon Reservoir. It seems as good a time as any to record into a diary. Southern Utah has a beautifully varied terrain with foothills, mountains, sheer cliffs, tree cover and crystal clear water. The beauty is in the tranquility. Despite the rugged terrain, the feeling it exudes is majesty. A mild but cooling breeze sweeps over the expanse of the lake's surface. Small waves generated by the wind sparkle on the surface and telegraph the angle of the wind. It is as if God realized the need to direct this scene for me. He expects me to care for it while he is busy doing something else. When something of this quality is loaned to me, I feel gratitude and a feeling of being loved and respected. Yes, on occasion, God takes a special interest in a particular physical place and breathes life into it. In our lives, I imagine there are mighty demonstrations God will orchestrate to uplift us and to make Satan despair. Nature attempts to teach us spiritual lessons. Things are cyclical. The cycles can be over ages, over lifetimes, over decades, or over mere minutes and seconds. Things are predictable in some instances and quite unpredictable in others. God's creatures and plants attempt to survive and adapt but ultimately the larger powers of the universe they inhabit controls all. We can predict tides, hydrology and use meteorology to measure weather but we are unequipped to alter what we survey. One cannot witness the majesty of God's creation and not be humbled.