Hiking at Love Creek Nature Center

Today I had the sweetest of surprises! The leader of my Collegiate class at church and his wife kindly invited me and one of my friends over for lunch and afternoon socialization! It was so refreshing to fellowship with them, and I greatly appreciated the quality time and encouragement they poured into us. After lunch they were like, "Let's go for a walk!" So we did...at a beautiful nature center nearby that I had never been to. It was a beautiful sunny day, and I loved photographing all the flowers and insects that were about! But most of all it was just great to hang out...it's been a solid six months since I've seen my own family, and almost a month since I've seen my grandparents, so it was such a sweet blessing to spend time with a family again :)

Here are some of my favorite photos that I took! :D

 Jeff and Judah keeping an eye out for beavers. We didn't see any, but we did see evidence!! ;)

 Loved taking pictures of Judah walking down the path!! He reminds me a lot of how I looked at that age.

"Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”" - Matthew 19:14

Keep the spirit humble as that of a little child. Envy, pride, worldly ambition, cupidity, and love of ease must be sacrificed upon the altar of duty. In the simplicity of love, be like those little ones whose angels do always behold the face of our heavenly Father...

 ...But unite with these virtues the courage of a tried warrior. We want faithful Calebs who will raise their voices fearlessly in defense of the right, who are the first to press into the front of the battle, and plant the banner of truth in the heart of the enemy’s camp. {GW92 361.2}

 I know these pictures are blurry, but were just too cute not to share!

 

We saw animal tracks!! Who was it?? I have no idea the ID of this animal or the other animals/flowers that I saw, but am definitely interested in doing so. After this past week's worth of plant pressing, labeling, and the whole nine yards, all the grasses and flowers stick out to me...definitely not all the same!!

"Nature and revelation alike testify of God's love. Our Father in heaven is the source of life, of wisdom, and of joy. Look at the wonderful and beautiful things of nature. Think of their marvelous adaptation to the needs and happiness, not only of man, but of all living creatures...

...The sunshine and the rain, that gladden and refresh the earth, the hills and seas and plains, all speak to us of the Creator's love. It is God who supplies the daily needs of all His creatures...

 ...God made man perfectly holy and happy; and the fair earth, as it came from the Creator's hand, bore no blight of decay or shadow of the curse. It is transgression of God's law--the law of love--that has brought woe and death. Yet even amid the suffering that results from sin, God's love is revealed....

 ...It is written that God cursed the ground for man's sake. Genesis 3:17. The thorn and the thistle--the difficulties and trials that make his life one of toil and care--were appointed for his good as a part of the training needful in God's plan for his uplifting from the ruin and degradation that sin has wrought....

 ...The world, though fallen, is not all sorrow and misery. In nature itself are messages of hope and comfort. There are flowers upon the thistles, and the thorns are covered with roses...

..."God is love" is written upon every opening bud, upon every spire of springing grass. The lovely birds making the air vocal with their happy songs, the delicately tinted flowers in their perfection perfuming the air, the lofty trees of the forest with their rich foliage of living green -- all testify to the tender, fatherly care of our God and to His desire to make His children happy...

...God has bound our hearts to Him by unnumbered tokens in heaven and in earth. Through the things of nature, and the deepest and tenderest earthly ties that human hearts can know, He has sought to reveal Himself to us. Yet these but imperfectly represent His love. (Steps to Christ ch. 1 excerpts)

 There was some sort of a bee or other insect on this flower!!

 I absolutely loved this black-eyed susan.

 I couldn't believe how close this dragonfly let me get to him!!

“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.

Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?

In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” - Job 12:7-10

 So beautiful. This is my Father's world...

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When you see a family who cares and loves and gives of themselves for each other, that's a powerful argument for the gospel. Just sayin'. I had the opportunity to see that first hand today, and it was such an incredible blessing :)