My dad used to sing silly songs with us while we did the dishes after dinner. "Have you ever been to Boston in the spring?" My latest evening singing has been changed to: "Have you ever been to Arizona in the snow?" These are the memories of childhood. These are the memories of adventures. Winding our way out of the desert of Phoenix with it's Saguaro cacti and beige colored horizon, we eventually spotted the red mountainous monolith cliffs of Sedona. Successively hitting roundabouts taking us through the vortex and crystal obsessed town. After a flight and time spent in the car, a short hike among the juniper sounded delightful. Hiking at the speed of Todd (short for toddler), the newest catch phrase used in life with friends of small people. Delightful to see the world of prickly pears and red rocks through Todd's eyes. Rumors of snow, and news of the road to Grand Canyon being closed had me apprehensive of traveling to Arizona in the snow. However, "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." I believe the author of Hebrews wrote that in relation to faith in God - but I have found this to be a helpful understanding of faith in a lot of things - snow plows and weather patterns included. I really expected to be satisfied with one trip to Grand Canyon in my lifetime. Standing on it's edge and walking a short distance down into it, I never expected to be so overwhelmed by it's magnificence. No photograph I have ever seen as done it justice. Both the canyon itself and the God who created it are entirely mind-blowing. Of course the trip wouldn't be complete without a Route 66 general store to mail postcards from. And another day spent in Sedona with crystal clear blue skies, red rocks and snow capped cacti. "Have you ever been to Arizona in the snow?"
I think you should.
1 Comment
February of 2020, right before the world shut down, I rode four hours north after work in a 2002 Toyota 4Runner named Barty. The name came from an Arabic man in Colorado who had sold it to my new found friends, Scott and Mia. I had recently announced my intention to be friends with them when Mia came to my church and spoke about her work as area director for YoungLife. We had scheduled dinner two months out from that speaking engagement, and enjoyed a hike together when they invited me to spend a couple nights in a yurt in the western UP wilderness of Craig Lake State Park. Arriving at the trail head at 10:30 pm, 7 degrees Fahrenheit with -5 wind chill for a 4.5 mile hike in to the back woods of Marquette. Faith in action. Trusting my new found friends that there really was a yurt at the end of the trail. Turns out my faith was well founded and they weren't planning the latest news headline. Three years later, and the fourth yurt trip, we have grown not only in friendship, but in wisdom. Hiking in in the daylight and spending three nights instead of two. This allows for more rounds of games, snacks, naps and hikes. Definitely a win win situation. This year we rang in the New Year in the yurt. Leaving my phone locked in Barty allowed for the most amazing, silent, undistracted way of ringing in 2023. I highly recommend this way of celebrating! Scott and Mia, thank you not only for your friendship, feeding me countless meals, fostering my biking skills and forgiving my habit of leaving my water bottle at your house - but for loving me like Jesus and providing a family in Petoskey! Here's to 2023 and all the adventures to come!
Thank you for dropping by!
Enjoy film photos and thoughts from 2022. If you're interested in getting notified of new posts, send me your email address, and I will let you know when there’s a new post up. Here's to more adventure in 2023! |
Naomi JoyI was born a month early, and to the surprise of my parents, I was a girl! Archives
June 2023
Categories |