Inspiration

This is a follow-up to last week’s blog post.  I believe we all need inspiration.  I define inspiration as anything beyond oneself that causes wonder and awe.  I find inspiration in many places.  For example in watching the TV show The Voice more than once I have been moved to tears by the contestants’ superb performances.  Occasionally I’ll attend a youth gymnastics event.  As I see the kids from my church give a wholehearted effort, it lifts my spirit.  One of the most moving experiences I have is observing nature, hence the name of this blog Creation Musings.  Three weeks ago my wife, Mary, and I enjoyed a hike over West Marron Pass in West-central Colorado near Aspen.  So last week we took two close friends so they could enjoy the hike up the pass a couple of miles and observe the abundant wildflowers adorning the landscape.  There were even more than three weeks ago.  No photograph or painting does justice to God’s creativity in the wilderness.  As you can see from the picture, and last week’s post, there were several varieties including Colorado Columbine, larkspur, lupine, four colors of Indian paintbrush, monks hood, purple daisies, kings crown, alpine sunflowers and even sneeze weed (the yellow drooping flower).  And of course there were many other flowers we could not identify.  Alas that will, once again, be our experience next spring for we will have forgotten most of what we learned this year and will have to relearn them next year.  I guess that means we are getting older, another part of God’s creative design.  Rather than just looking at pictures of God’s creation, therefore, get out and enjoy first-hand the beauty God has made and you will be inspired.  Inspiration will give you a renewed perspective, it will help you think more clearly, it will make you grateful for the beautiful world in which we live and you will further your appreciation for God who has given us all this to enjoy. 

Explosion of Wildflowers

Last week, my wife Mary and I went on our 35th anniversary hike.  Actually our anniversary is not until August but we wanted to take advantage of the peak of the wildflower season between Crested Butte and Aspen, Colorado.  We drove to Schofield Park and started hiking the scenic West Maroon Creek trail. It went over 12,500 foot West Maroon Mass to the Maroon Lake trailhead 11 miles later.  Two days later we did the return hike on the same trail, 22 miles and 11,000 vertical feet.  It was an awesome experience.  We saw shoulder high Colorado Columbine, Indian Paintbrush in four colors, Kings Crown, Blue Bells, Queen Anne's Lace, Purple Daisies, Richardson Geranium, Asters, Elephant Heads and a whole host of other wildflowers that we could not identify.  Plus the backdrop was the spectacular and iconic Maroon Bells and Pyramid Peak to the north and Purity Basin and Bellevue Mountain to the south of the pass.  We met new friends Mike and Sandy on the way over and coming back we made other friends Greg and Rio.  For me it was three days of sensory indulgence in the Maroon Bells Wilderness. We both felt so refreshed after the hike.   God's creation does that. It refreshes and renews encouraging us to better serve him and others.  Plus it gives us a healthy perspective - that sense of smallness surrounded by the huge world of his creativity. Are you losing your zest for life?  Take a hike and have God's beautiful creation, his explosion of wildflowers, refresh and inspire you.