Nature/Sabbath

"Jesus loved the scenes of nature.  To Him each quiet retreat was a sacred temple."  -DOA, p. 290

"In training His disciples, Jesus chose to withdraw from the confusion of the city to the quiet of the fields and hills, as more in harmony with the lessons of self-abnegation He desired to teach them. And during His ministry He loved to gather the people about Him under the blue heavens, on some grassy hillside, or on the beach beside the lake. Here, surrounded by the works of His own creation, He could turn the thoughts of His hearers from the artificial to the natural."

(Picking acorns :D)

"In the growth and development of nature were revealed the principles of His kingdom. As men should lift up their eyes to the hills of God, and behold the wonderful works of His hands, they could learn precious lessons of divine truth. Christ’s teaching would be repeated to them in the things of nature." 

California's tiny bit of fall: the aspen groves :) :)

"So it is with all who go into the fields with Christ in their hearts. They will feel themselves surrounded with a holy influence. The things of nature take up the parables of our Lord, and repeat His counsels. By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest." -DOA, p. 191

Details

Sabbath Hike with Nellie

Barry and I have been attending Forest Falls church about a 30 minute drive from Loma Linda.  The church is in a canyon (I'm actually not sure whether it's technically a canyon.  Maybe more of a small valley between mountain ranges...) town called Forest Falls up towards the base of the mountains.  It's small and friendly.  The members love to sing and many bring their instruments, ranging from cellos and violins to electric saxaphone-like instruments.  It's a lay-run church, so we never know what we're going to experience each Sabbath.  We've really enjoyed the friends we've made, the enthusiastic singing, the real Christianity, and the weekly potlucks!  Another thing we enjoy is the close proximity to the mountains.  It's just another 15-30 minutes to some of the most beautiful hiking in the region.

Three weeks ago we went hiking with one of Barry's classmates who also goes to Forest Falls.  She and her husband (a 3rd year medical student) live in the canyon.  He was off on a medical rotation so we invited Nellie to go hiking with us.  Or, rather, bushwacking.  Barry and I have gotten in the habit of finding pull-offs along the winding, mountain roads and forging our own paths up the small canyons that we find.  We've found several beautiful creek hikes that way and we decided to take Nellie to one of our favorites.

Nellie and Barry, trying to get me to come down from my precarious photography perch.  There were dark thunder clouds looming....

The tree I was taking a picture of--

The valley we were traversing.

Driving back down the road, we noticed that the lighting was incredible.  Sunlight was straining through the dark thunder clouds, casting an ethereal, yet ominous, glow.  I was never able to get the exposure just right, but this is somewhat close.

While we were stopped to take pictures, a whole horde of mini's charged by.  There must have been 20 or so, and I wish I had taken a video.  Alas, this is what I got...


If you were to face the opposite direction from the ominous looking thunder clouds 2 pictures above, this would have been what you saw.  The forested mountainside was enshrouded in glorious sunlight and fog.  It was beautiful!

Sunlight filtering through a rain-drenched bush.  I know it's fuzzy; I like it :)

Smoggy sunset on the way home.

The Art of Bread

Mmmm....
I want to become a bread artist.

Christmas wish list begins now: Tartine Bread

Rain

"If it rains here, like once or twice a day

I would never play in the mud, 

I would never stomp in a puddle, 

I would probably sit in my room,

and watch through the window

'Cause I get detached if I know too much, and I get too complacent if I think too hard

You come out of the rain and your coat is sopping, your wringing out your socks, and your boots got muddy."

-It Rains Here, Scott Kabel