Top of South Falls

"But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream." Amos 5:24.

Before the U.S. invasion, Iraq was a land of injustice. Today, whether you believe that innocent civilian deaths number 30,000 or 600,000 plus, Iraq is a land of even greater injustice, greater pain, greater hopelessness.

All the Old Testament prophets agree: God has a passion for justice, and God judges nations that cause, perpetuate, tolerate, support, or increase injustice.

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Roots

As I hiked to see all the waterfalls at Silver Falls State Park, I kept my eyes down as well as up, and spied this fascinating root system supporting a tree. Big roots, little roots, exposed roots, twisted roots--they all work together to hold the tree upright. Even in the little things, even in the shadows there is inspiration and beauty.

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South Falls 4

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you." Isaiah 43:2

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South Falls 3

"They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights." Psalm 36:8

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South Falls 2

If you don't like waterfalls, you're spending time with the wrong blog!

This is the beautiful South Falls at Silver Falls State Park, Oregon.

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South Falls

Mid-day is the worst time to take a picture. The overhead light is harsh and the shadows are deep. But on our visit to Silver Falls State Park in Oregon, I did manage to capture this shadowy image of the famous South Falls with the sun shining on the foreground trees.

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Leaves in Sunlight

On my calendar pages (see links below and right) I choose a Bible verse for each cross. This one is from the book of Revelation: "And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." (Rev. 22:2) There are lots of nations that need healing these days, especially our own. Nations CAN be healed! That's headline material!

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Bonnie Walking on Water

Actually, our friend Bonnie is simply wading in the stream just below Upper North Falls, the waterfall I've featured for the past 5 days. In this cross image, she seems to be facing herself in a time of deep meditation. Prayer does that, for contact with God always helps us see ourselves more clearly.

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Upper North Falls 5

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters." Isaiah 55:1.


This is my favorite waterfall cross.

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Upper North Falls 4

"I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys." Isaiah 41:18
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Upper North Falls 3

"To the one who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life." Revelation 21:6

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Upper North Falls 2

Same waterfall as yesterday. It's hard to get tired of waterfalls, isn't it?

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Upper North Falls

Upper North Falls is one of the liquid gems along the 7-mile hike at Silver Falls State Park outside of Silverton, Oregon.

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Redwood Trunk

Though this particular redwood tree is probably only several centuries old, some of these west coast giants are 1000-2000 years old. Imagine all the great world events that have occurred while these trees slowly were adding ring after ring to their width and foot after foot to their height.

Thanks to those far-sighted and compassionate people who lobbied mightily to save at least a few pockets of these giant beauties for posterity before loggers harvested them all. Isn't it interesting that those who call themselves "conservatives" are the least interested in "conserving" nature? "Conservative" Christians are, inexplicably, the most adamant that it's actually wrong to care about the environment. They seem eager for the world to go to hell so that Jesus will more quickly return to pluck us out of our self-created mess and take us to heaven. Whatever happened to "For God so loved the world . . ."?

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Stained Glass, exterior

Stained glass windows are best viewed from the inside looking out. But this exterior view of the large stained glass window at Mt. Angel Abbey also has beauty and interest. The window is designed as a cross shape to begin with, so the image above is a cross of a cross.

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Cemetery Chapel

This is the small meditation chapel in the cemetery of Mt. Angel Abbey. Inside, you're reminded of Jesus' death and of Mary's loss. As you identify with their suffering, you enter not only their pain, but also their hope.

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Cracked Cross

This cracked stone cross marks the burial place of one of the monks at Mt. Angel Abbey. The crack in the cross is a symbol to me that in Christ, the power of death has been broken. Good News!

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Abbey Bells 2

If you look carefully through the turning wheel on the original image below, you can see Mt. Hood in the distance.

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Abbey Bells

These are the beautiful bells of Mt. Angel Abbey. If you see the valley below, you understand where the "Mt." in Mt. Angel comes from. Not a mountain to threaten Mt. Hood, but still a significant bump in the middle of the floor of the Willamette Valley.

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Jesus Icon

This icon of Jesus is at Mt. Angel Abbey. Icons are aids to prayer, helping to focus thoughts and hearts on the presence of God. The colors, styles, symbols, and geometric proportions of icons have been passed down through many centuries.

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Pipe Organ2, Mt. Angel Abbey

Not everyone has the gift of making music, but almost everyone responds to music. Musicians and all other artists are God's gift to the church and the world, creating beauty and touching emotions. Don't take them for granted; they may be gifted, but the music you hear comes only after a great amount of training and very hard work.

Perhaps your favorite organist would like a print of this cross as a gift!

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Pipe Organ, Mt. Angel Abbey

For their worship times, the monks at Mt. Angel Abbey use a smaller organ in the front of the sanctuary. But this magnificent organ in the rear is used for special occasions, including an annual Bach festival.

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Monk Seats

For worship at Mt. Angel Abbey, each monk has an assigned seat. Seven times a day, every day, they gather to worship, pray, sing, and chant the Psalms. Because they spend so much time in worship, they are able to chant the entire Psalter--every word--every two weeks. I'm guessing they have the entire book of Psalms pretty much memorized. Their singing is beautiful.

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Mt. Angel Abbey Interior 4

Benedictine monks live in community, as do Benedictine nuns. It has great benefits and many joys, but it isn't easy, and relationships are not always smooth. Most church-going folks see each other once or twice a week. Benedictines live together, work together, worship together, eat together every day. Their common life is a reminder to all that the Christian faith is not just a vertical relationship between me and God, but also a horizontal relationship between me and my brother and sister.

With its vertical and horizontal beams, the cross is a perfect reminder that the Christian faith includes both relationships, the divine and the human.

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Mt. Angel Abbey Interior 3

Following the Rule of Life prescribed by St. Benedict (480-543 A.D.), monks at Mt. Angel Abbey emphasize the dual callings of Worship and Work. Though the details may differ, that's a valid dual emphasis for our own lives as well.

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