A Day at the Garden of the Gods

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“…an area where the earth and community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” _1964 Wilderness Act

Last week Sonja and I took a couple days to celebrate our birthdays and anniversary. (Sometimes you just have to work these special days around the responsibilities of the regular days.)

Wednesday was the highlight as we visited the Shawnee National Forrest in southern Illinois–especially the Garden of the Gods. It was beautiful.

I’ve been blessed to see many beautiful sights around the world, but Illinois has nothing to hang its head about…

What you’re looking at here is…Sonja standing on an “ocean bed.” Seems that a long time ago this part of our state was a shallow ocean and that is an example of fossilized sea floor. Don’t know about all that, but it sure made Sonja look mighty young.

I love to take pictures of trees growing in the most unlikely and difficult places. Here’s an ancient cedar growing out of a rock. It always reminds me that, no matter where God asks us to go, we can survive and even thrive.

Trail signs matter. This one especially grabbed my attention. I’m sure there’s a good sermon illustration there but it hasn’t occurred to me…yet.

Fossilized mushroom?

While the “Garden of the Gods” was beautiful, the name made me uncomfortable. But just a short distance from the entrance is the Honeycomb Church of God where the one and only true God is worshipped. This picture brought me much comfort!

Honeycomb Church of God

The ONE THING for today: A part of this day was to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Sonja and my marriage. From day one it was never about the accumulation of a bunch of material things. We’d far rather be somewhere hiking on a trail in God’s wonderful world. Forty-five years ago we never dreamed that one of those trails would take us through beautiful Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. But we’re sure glad it did and we’re sure glad to spend a part of our journey together living in Illinois with some of God’s most choice people.

By ourCOG