For our last big AZ adventure with MomMom & Pa we went on a sunset Jeep tour at the Grand Canyon. We can’t get enough of the canyon. It truly is still amazing to us every time we go.
This Jeep Tour wasn’t educational like Canyon Ministries’ but we enjoyed riding through the Kaibab in an open air Jeep. That was a cool experience!
We enjoyed many great look-outs as we waited for the sun to drop. I don’t have many pics of MomMom cuz she doesn’t get as close to the edge as Pa!
Riding through the forest, I was shocked to learn how many lightning strikes happen in the monsoon season up here. An average of 15,000 cloud to ground strikes in the Grand Canyon National Park every year! But of course every time there’s a hit – it makes the trees stronger as they work to heal. Here’s one that had been struck:
And when a strike starts a fire they don’t try to extinguish it because it’s an important part of nature. Since the hurricane, this has been a topic we think about often —- this natural process of hard things being used for good. Life out of destruction. Resurrection and new life from death. Whether it be hurricanes or fires or germs or lightning strikes… creation seems to be designed to be strengthened through struggle, to heal itself, and replenish and renew. But often to have new – some parts have to die.
Hurricanes and fires stir things up, balance the atmospheric temperatures, clear dangerous things out, and stimulate growth…. and our own hurricane experience has certainly done that for us! It’s been a cleansing, a chance to re-assess and re-balance.
There’s a long list of things that I feel the Lord is teaching us through this amazing adventure. From the simplest of things like flexibility and enjoying the adventure of life with Him, waiting in contented anticipation each day for the special gifts we know He has in store for us…. to a deeper understanding of living lightly and how truly temporary this life here and things of this world are in comparison to eternity. We’re also getting lots of “practice” being considerate and loving and long-suffering with each other :).
Every moment of laughter, science lesson enjoyed together, every teary-eyed sunset gazing, intimate discussion of the Lord and life, marveling at historical heroes, hammock napping…. every cute animal we’ve “awww”-ed over… it’s all been such a gift! But none of it would have happened without the hard destruction and loss caused by the hurricane…and alongside the hard reality of 5 people living in 250 sq ft together 🙂 .
The Lord is the perfect author! I’m so grateful for life….and for this adventure! The mountaintops and the hard times and decisions that led to it…. and even the hard moments on the road. Even in the times of friction with each other … or doubt …. or how hard it is to be away from loved ones — we know the Lord knows best and we believe this was designed perfectly by Him for us for this season!
A true blessing of this season is how much time we’ve gotten to enjoy the sunsets. Even when it feels we are so far from “normal” or the usual rhythm of life – I am so thankful that no matter where we are, the sun still rises and the sun still sets until the day Jesus comes back! I love the constant of the sun. Even on the rare nights when I can’t see it set – I know many of my brothers and sisters somewhere are enjoying it…. And my time to enjoy it again is just a day or 2 away!
What a special treat it was to enjoy this one with MomMom & Pa! At one of my new fave places with 2 of my fave people. And it was gorgeous!!!
Thank you Lord for how you use all things for good! Thank you for perfectly preparing us for the flood and the amazing gift it was to be in the channel of your love during the recovery. Thank you for the promise of resurrection that is displayed often in nature … and that we look forward to full resurrection after life here is over. Thank you for this adventure and all we are learning and how we are growing. Thank you for helping us let many things go so we could have new! Thank you for letting us hold on to things loosely so we have more room in our hands and hearts for your gifts! Thank you for every beautiful sunset, adorable animal, amazing canyon, majestic mountain scene, pretty wildflower, and unique child of God we’ve crossed paths with. Thank you most of all that all of this pales in comparison to YOU! And being with you for eternity!
Amen! How amazing is that; “because of” all you have been through you have the opportunity and new eyes to see our creator’s majesty! Love it!
Amen sister!
There is beauty to be found in the ashes. That was an inspiring post. Thank you for helping to keep my perspective in check 😉. Some days this is hard. Your words are really uplifting!