Coming to the Still Waters

  A belated Father's Day greeting to all the dads out there.  This is a picture of my father and his father.  Dad had signed up for a tour in the Navy when the Korean Conflict broke out.  I see his left hand here that I never saw in person because of a sawmill accident 65 years ago.  Dad was the middle of 5 children just as I am the middle of 5 with my older sister dying at birth.  I found out this week that dad had a daughter named after him, along with a grandson, a great grandson, and also a middle name to one of his nephews.  His passing as the last of his generation of the family has caused me to reflect a lot this week about life and what it throws at you at times.  I admit that sometimes I don't handle it as well as I should.  I could make excuses but really it is me not relying on the trust I have in my God more than the trust I have in myself. I don't like flying but the circumstances had me making back to back trips to Florida from ...

  This picture made me think of the old Simon and Garfunkel song published in January of 1970 titled, " Bridge Over Troubled Waters ".  Then I had to bring it up to listen to it, a great piano intro to the song.  The lyrics read, When you’re weary, feeling small, When tears are in your eyes I will dry them all I’m on your side When times get rough And friends just can’t be found Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down --------------------------------------- When you’re down and out When you’re on the street When evening falls so hard I will comfort you I’ll take your part When darkness comes And pain is all around Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down -------------------------------------- Sail on, silvergirl Sail on by Your time has come to shine All your dreams are on their way See how they shine If you need a friend I’m sailing right beh...

  I found this moose shed on an unmaintained trail in the RMNP last week.  It made me think of what I need to shed.  I snowshoe in the winter but not as much as I hike in the summer so I need to shed a few pounds I also found through the colder months!  It has been great to be back on the trails and also explore some that I didn't last year.  I am trying to fill in my new trail map for 2025.  But it also made me think about other things I need to shed that deal with my spiritual life. Our Sunday passage took us into chapter 13 of the Gospel according to Matthew.  The disciples notice right off that Rabbi Jesus is using a different teaching technique.  He is telling stories called parables to communicate spiritual truths.  To some they will just hear the common story with a " wow " factor in it while others will connect it to a spiritual truth.  The " wow " factor of the parable of the sower or the soils is the outcome of the seed that fe...