God is the infinite creative. For seven days, He created with creativity – the mountains, the rivers, the valleys, the plains, the oceans, the animals, the plants, so much more. He even set extra creativity in place: When the flowers…
Paddling Black Creek: Churchville to the Genesee River
A couple of weeks ago, we did a very long kayak trip –Black Creek all the way from Churchville to the Genesee River. The section between Churchville and Black Creek Park was quite nice; open water and pretty easy paddling…
Piles of Prayers
In my experience of the Christian faith, it’s not uncommon to attend prayer services. Sometimes they’re in person and sometimes they’re online. Sometimes it’s just because I’m driving across the country and I happen to be within an hour or…
The Slots of Sidewinder Canyon
A family favorite from our trip to Death Valley last fall was Sidewinder Canyon. There’s something just so fun about exploring multiple slot canyons and discovering arches, caves, rock formations, and so much more. Plus we got some great views…
Trials don’t have to be Terrible
Last weekend, a couple of family members and I kayaked 19 miles. That’s a long way, but not so bad for a kayak trip when you’re just going downstream. The problem was that about half of the distance was choked…
The Best Places to Hike near Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York is set in a rather idyllic place. Close to the shore of Lake Ontario, an hour or so from the Finger Lakes, with lots of open space and urban conveniences, it’s not hard to get out on…
Nothing Compares to the Promise
Recently, I ran across a new take on an old song. If you attended church in the 1990s, you couldn’t possibly have missed this song; in fact, I’ve let it so often in worship that I’m rather tired of it. …
Off-trail Hike to Ring Arch
Ring Arch is a lesser-known arch near Courthouse Wash in Arches National Park. No official trail leads to it, but it’s often combined with (and is easier to find than) The Tunnel. The span is very thin and narrow, so…
When Others Receive Your Promise
Recently, I’ve been thinking about Esau, Jacob’s older brother. We all know the story: how Esau was older, yet he sold his birthright to Jacob. How Isaac loved Esau and tried to bless him with his birthright even after it…
Saratoga Springs & the Saratoga Mine Road
Many years ago, I visited the Saratoga Springs in the far south of Death Valley National Park. On my last visit, I decided to check it out again and possibly complete the hike (I actually didn’t quite make it, but…