Staying Alive…..While I’m Alive!
Staying alive….ah ha ha ha….staying alive! Thanks for the song, Bee Gees! I’m living and loving this quest for seeing God in His majesty and brilliance – from my little Frisco, TX world to this spacious and magnificent slice of heaven here in New Mexico. I’m paying close attention to God’s way of opening my eyes to more and more beauty in this land that I love. I refuse to stop living and I refuse to stop learning.
You can see we’re still here in Red River, NM, and yesterday my cousins became my tour guides. I’m encouraging them to set up a business here because they sure do know what’s here to see and do – even though they’ve only been visitors just like me. Their jeep was the perfect vehicle to traverse from here to Questa to Taos and then, an out-of-the-way, but their determination for me to see, was the Rio Grande’s Gorge Bridge. I just had to get my picture taken there. Then we followed the path of the Rio Grande River along the winding gorge and road to where it meets the Red River and they become ONE.
That place is called La Junta Point which means “meeting or joining” in Spanish, two rivers converge. You can see here to the left is the Red River, that begins in the Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) mountains at the highest point in New Mexico, Wheeler Peak, 13,161 feet. Then, to the right is the Rio Grande River that begins in the San Juan (St. John) Mountains of southern Colorado and running for 1,885 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. La Junta marks the widest and deepest part of the Rio Grande Gorge – pictured below at three-quarters of a mile wide and a steep 800-feet deep.
Not only did I get an enlightening geography lesson, but I, once again, became captivated with the creativity of our Creator. I threw the question out to my cousins “Do you think God was responsible for this?” We all agreed – it had to be the meticulous and astounding creativity that exceeds anything that man could do.
So, Donna, get to your God-inspired reason for today’s blog! I’m glad you asked! Here’s my take for me AND you: if life has become monotonous, dull, boring, and you find yourself satisfied with social media, the evening news, and your recliner chair, then I urge you to consider getting into God’s creation. Capture the beauty of a sunrise, the glistening of a lake or two rivers converging into one. Sit beside a stream and watch the little critters that scamper around you. Breathe in the fresh air. And, breathe out the negativity, the boredom, and anxious thoughts.
Probably, one of the most close-to-the-heart-of-God thing we can do, is to get closer to Him in His creation. I promise you, you’ll learn something from the ants, the many species of birds, the forests, the mountains, the fields and the trees.
An awareness of God’s creation creates within us a greater understanding of what God has done for us. It also instills in us a deeper sense of how awesome our God really is. I suggest you read Psalm 104 for one of your daily quiet times. It talks about God’s creation and His provision for that creation. Verse 24 is one that reminds me of God’s glory in His creation. It says, “How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” Take time, make time, then use that time to give thanks to God for His wonders that are all around us. Like me, you may be surprised at what you discover.
Yes, I’m staying alive and enjoying every minute of the LIVING!