Today is my birthday. So here is my birthday gift to you . . . a message I presented last Sunday in Salem, Oregon, titled "The Greatest Wonder." If you're curious or have never heard me speak, here's a link to the audio recording. I don't consider myself a great public speaker, so that's not the point of posting this link in order for you to hear my "eloquent" voice. Yet there's nothing more "eloquent" than the Voice that's been captivating my heart the past few months along the uttermost road. In some ways, it addresses the question as to the how and why of LYGO . . . of loving your guts out!
Crooked River Canyon
Tumbleweed Stampede
Full Circle
On December 22nd, I completed a western loop with an ameba-like circumference of over 8,500 miles. Amazingly, almost half of those miles were racked up by excursions from my “campsites.” The photos with this post document every campsite except for two: Tijeras, New Mexico and Shasta Lake, California (I also parked for one night each at Jim & Becky Hohnstein’s house in Minatare, Nebraska, and Mark & Marlene Forster’s house in Sanders, Arizona).
A Road 30 Years Ago
It was exactly 30 years ago from this fall that I first ventured onto the Navajo Reservation in NE Arizona near the community of Klagetoh. That was over half my lifetime ago . . . 53% to be exact. That experience impacted my life in profound ways, more than I realized it would then. Even now, I’m still surmising, unfolding, discovering the ways in which my Navajo experience influenced the course of my life and the present journey on which I find myself. Returning to the scene has rekindled my memory, shedding light on the question of how my (our) lives are influenced by experiences, and especially the people we encounter along the way and the relationships that ensue.
Photo Gallery: From the Black Hills to Albuquerque
Timeless Wellspring
Now that I'm in Nebraska, I've been reflecting on my recent visit to Montana and the Crow Indian Reservation. I'm reminded of why I have such an appreciation for the grandeur of Big Sky Country. Montana is certainly a beautiful state with its numerous mountain ranges, rivers, and abundant wildlife. Its wide-open spaces beckons the cowboy spirit to live on forever. And of course, there's the rich culture and amazing story of its indigenous people. After Toni and I moved away from Montana, on several occasions we attempted to find a way back via work and ministry. We talked about getting a small piece of land and building a log cabin. It never happened.
The Greatest Wonder of All
I’ve been camped at Crow Agency now for over a month. The awesome beauty of the sun setting in the west simply keeps coming day after day with glorious displays of splendor, seemingly with no end. I’m not sure how much more grandeur and wonder I can bear, how much more my heart can sing and my eyes can shed.