a wintery fall grand marais morning

just for you Jamsco

Artist point was a bit dangerous for me to go walking around on it today.  The swells were actually breaking over the breaker.  I've never seen the waves do that before.  It would actually be quite fun if the water was warmer than 40 degrees and it was summer.  I have seen people jumping into the lake from this light house before, crazy people.  They scream and yell and get out as fast as they can.  I thought of you last night as we drove past Cascade and how you spent your anniversary there.  This weekend Emily and I are celebrating our 6th anniversary as a married couple, and 10th anniversary as a couple.

I hope I'm not creating too much envy by being here :-)

a very windy north shore

The waves are as big as I have ever seen them here.  The swells are about 4-5 feet high and are pounding the earth as they crash against the rocks.  I ventured outside and froze my fingers yet again today to bring you these pictures.

Glad to be inside...

winter bike ride

Went for a bike ride this morning after breakfast.  I set in at the Pincushion Mountain trailhead and stayed left on the Pincushion Overlook loop.  There were many down poplars blocking the trail in a serious way.  I decided to skip the single track loop near the overlook and continue on back toward the trailhead.

I thought I would try a different trail back since there were so many trees down.  Just past the overlook there is a trail that follows the main tail a while.  I was told once by a local that it ends up back at the trailhead so I thought I was safe.  About two miles in I realized I wasn't going to come out at the trail head.  There was way too much downhill and I seemed to be veering east.

I finally came to the bottom of a hill and I was in the back yard of a run down trailer house with a bunch of beater cars in the back yard.  I quickly road down the drive way to avoid the attack dog.  I came out on Hwy 61 about three miles east of town, which meant I was six miles from the trailhead, all uphill.  So...

I pedaled toward the Gunflint into about a thirty mile/hr. headwind (oh, did I mention it was snowing?).  I made it into town and rounded the corner onto the Gunflint, my hands, feet, and face were frozen.  I knew I was going to be in pain when my feet thawed.  About half a mile up the Gunflint a truck pulled over after passing me and I said, "YES!"  I pedaled up to him only to realize he stopped to take a picture of the fall colours.  I stopped and asked if I could hitch a ride to the top and he thankfully said yes!

I have to say, thawing feet is one of my least favorite experiences.  The whole ride back to Garry and Renee's I was in severe pain.

I love these types of experiences.  I hope I have many more while I'm still able to so them.

making distinctions

Our pastor in the very beginning of his book Desiring God eliminated a distinction by changing the word "and" to the word "by".  

"The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever."

Just yesterday while we were traveling up to Grand Marais we listened to a sermon Piper gave at the pastors conference on the life of George Mueller.  Therein pastor John was really driving home the point that Muller's chief reason for starting orphan houses was to "strengthen the faith of the children of God [the Church]."  His secondary reasons were for the faith and well being of the children and their physical needs.  Both Muller and pastor John were really trying to drive home the point that it wasn't about the children foremost.

My question is, why make the distinction?  So, instead of saying "we first care about the faith of the Church, and then the needs of the kids," why not say, "we care about the faith of the Church by meeting the needs of the children."

I was actually turned off by the sermon because it seemed to be more about this distinction than the fact that Muller strengthened millions of peoples faith by taking care of the needs of orphans.  These distinctions aren't helpful for me.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

song refrain

Just heard a song where the refrain was, "The only thing that's good in me is Jesus."

Any thoughts?