Mountain flowers look delicate but have to be tough. They don’t get a long growing season and often have to battle other plants and predators. Yet, these had shot up in what looked like a triumphant victory. They deserved their own composite.
The graceful curve and majestic stone of these stairs caught my eye. We were on a retreat at the magnificent Glen Eyrie Castle and Conference Center near Colorado Springs. The setting took me back to a more stately–and peaceful–time.
We pulled in at a small farm in the mountains of the Domican Republic where the farm family quickly showed us some of their produce, including fresh coffee beans and cacoa. The yellow cacoa pods contain cacoa beans, which will eventually become chocolate. It was a fascinating visit for us.
When the darkness settles onto you, do not trust your perception. You are not trapped in a black cave.
You are standing instead in an open field. Look up. Even in the dark night, light persists. My light. My stars. The moon above. You are not in utter darkness.
The darkness of loss and despair threatens to defeat you. But I bring light to your darkness and you are not trapped. You are not alone.
Seek the light and run toward it. In those dark moments, remember my light.
I have never left you. The dawn is coming and my light will never be lost. Run to me.
In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!” But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help
Psalm 31:22 Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. All rights reserved.
The iris flower is a bold combination of beauty, delicacy, and determination. Not only does it thrive in harsh environments, but it stands up every year to what nature throws at it.
