I realize today's photo is not a great one. The lighting is all wrong, and the composition is probably lacking as well. It's just a snapshot from vacation. At the time I snapped it, I didn't realize what I had captured. That triangle-shaped, dark green patch in the top left of the picture… that's a group of Douglas fir trees.

Somehow, on the side of a canyon, this little community scratched out a niche for itself and thrives against all odds.

The seeds grew where they landed.

They didn't complain to God that He'd obviously made a mistake, since everyone knows fir trees don't belong on the wall of a dry Utah canyon.

They didn't worry about the lack of deep soil.

They didn't wonder where the water was going to come from.

They weren't afraid of the constant wind whipping around them.

And they have become a testimony of God's care and provision even in the most hostile, unlikely circumstances and environments.

Too often, I expect life to be like a hothouse orchid's, with every detail of my existence careful monitored and optimized. I'd rather not believe God is calling me to be a fir tree in a dry canyon. Orchids are beautiful, fragrant, attention-grabbing. But they don't last long. The fir tree life is tough. Survival requires a total dependence on things outside my control. Everyone focuses on the canyon. Few people notice the trees. But the trees last for a long time. And rather than just robbing resources, they impact their environment.

Not a bad testimony.

Since I wrote my last "live" post, we've travelled 3600 miles! We visited 4 national parks and a national monument. We braved snow and 29 degree temps (going over the Continental Divide) then 99 degree temps on the Kansas plains. My niece's outdoor wedding got rained on. The sun blazed down during the hikes. There were winds, furious at times, blasting sand and rough terrain. You'll probably hear more about the trip in coming posts, but today I just want to give thanks to God.
 

• Thank You for extended family and new family and getting to share in special occasions
• Thank You for a vehicle (with heat and air-conditioning) that could handle the miles
• Thank You for having the stuff we needed to take with us- fresh clothes, a cooler full of snacks and a camera
• Thank You for Jon's job and the means to finance this adventure
• Thank You for time away from the routine
• Thank You for Chris and Mary who watched out for our house while we were gone
• Thank You for the diversions the kids enjoyed during the long hours in the car
• Thank You for the way everyone got along even when we were tired and hungry
• Thank You for hotel swimming pools
• Thank You for the never-ending wonders of Your creation
• Thank You for the health to be able to enjoy it
• Thank You for the house we came home to

Even if you didn't just get back from vacation, what are you thankful for?

Greetings from the Sunshine State! I am smack in the middle of my first ever solo vacation, thanks to my fabulous husband. He said I never get a break and convinced me to take one.

What am I writing? The big edits for this round are done! Woo Hoo! That leaves little tweaks and proofs when I get back. The newsletter went out this week. If you’d like to be on the mailing list, you can sign up in that box on the right.

What have I learned? A Firefox add-in called Zemanta helps me find photos and other stuff for my posts by ‘reading’ them as I type them. If I were more paranoid, it would totally freak me out.

What have I read? I brought a stack of books to the beach and I’ll fill you in on those later. Right before I left, I finished The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse by Dan Allender. It is intense. If you are a survivor, take it very slowly. There are tremendously powerful ideas to grasp. If you are a friend or a family member, by reading this, you are giving an unsurpassed gift of grace and understanding to your loved one. I appreciated Dr. Allender’s compassion for survivors, never denying or minimizing their trauma.

What has God taught me this week? Too much for one post. One quick one before I wrap up- I allow far too much to distract me, and steal my joy.