Off the Beaten Path
The tallest waterfall between the Rockies and the Appalachians falls 204 feet into the valley below, which is hemmed-in by giant, colorful rock faces. As I stood at the bottom of Hemmed-In-Hollow Falls with my head tilted back into the sky, I watched the water tumble over the edge and trickle down into the pool below.
"I know of a great campsite right up there." Our backpacking friend announced to us as he pointed to the top of the ridge. As crazy as it seemed, we began to ascend the rock face in search of this perfect camping spot. I felt like such an adventurer as I climbed up the cliff using footholds and handholds while balancing with my backpack. At one point, we even took our backpacks off in order to scale the final portion of the climb. We were definitely "off the beaten path."
But when we reached the top, we discovered that it was worth every step. There, overlooking the Ozark Mountain valley, was a 200 foot rocky outcropping with the perfect camp site on it. We pitched our tent and I hung my hammock to overlook one of the most spectacular views in Arkansas! That night, we slept in our mesh tent without the fly so that we could watch the stars and the full moon rise over the Ozark valley.
The next day, we hiked out of Hemmed-In-Hollow and embarked on our next adventure into Lost Valley. There we hiked along a river until we saw that it was flowing out of a hole in the rocky hillside. So of course, we climbed into the hole, up the river, and through a cave on our hands and knees until we reached a high-ceiling cave room. There, a beautiful waterfall tumbled from the ceiling and filled the crystal pool below. When we turned off our headlamps, my eyes never adjusted to the darkness, but I could feel the mist and the wind created by the waterfall. It was like a secret hide-away place that I never would have thought was there!
This past weekend, I believe that I saw two of the most beautiful and spectacular places that God created...and they are right here in Arkansas. When I watched the sun sink behind the ridge or the moon rise through the treetops, I could see something more than just nature - I could see fingerprints of God's love and glory. I imagine that those places serve no purpose other than to declare the glory of God. Why else would they exist, and what other function could they perform? They are just simply beautiful.They are tucked-away in the quiet places of our world, waiting to be noticed and praised. Their beauty declares God's glory and deep love for us.
Thank you, Lord, for creating nature for the sole purpose of showing us how much you love us. Lord, I want you to know that I noticed what a wonderful job you did in creating Hemmed-In-Hollow and Lost Valley. And I really enjoyed it, so I just want to tell you great job! Thank you for proving over and over how big you are and how much you love us.
"I know of a great campsite right up there." Our backpacking friend announced to us as he pointed to the top of the ridge. As crazy as it seemed, we began to ascend the rock face in search of this perfect camping spot. I felt like such an adventurer as I climbed up the cliff using footholds and handholds while balancing with my backpack. At one point, we even took our backpacks off in order to scale the final portion of the climb. We were definitely "off the beaten path."
But when we reached the top, we discovered that it was worth every step. There, overlooking the Ozark Mountain valley, was a 200 foot rocky outcropping with the perfect camp site on it. We pitched our tent and I hung my hammock to overlook one of the most spectacular views in Arkansas! That night, we slept in our mesh tent without the fly so that we could watch the stars and the full moon rise over the Ozark valley.
The next day, we hiked out of Hemmed-In-Hollow and embarked on our next adventure into Lost Valley. There we hiked along a river until we saw that it was flowing out of a hole in the rocky hillside. So of course, we climbed into the hole, up the river, and through a cave on our hands and knees until we reached a high-ceiling cave room. There, a beautiful waterfall tumbled from the ceiling and filled the crystal pool below. When we turned off our headlamps, my eyes never adjusted to the darkness, but I could feel the mist and the wind created by the waterfall. It was like a secret hide-away place that I never would have thought was there!
This past weekend, I believe that I saw two of the most beautiful and spectacular places that God created...and they are right here in Arkansas. When I watched the sun sink behind the ridge or the moon rise through the treetops, I could see something more than just nature - I could see fingerprints of God's love and glory. I imagine that those places serve no purpose other than to declare the glory of God. Why else would they exist, and what other function could they perform? They are just simply beautiful.They are tucked-away in the quiet places of our world, waiting to be noticed and praised. Their beauty declares God's glory and deep love for us.
Thank you, Lord, for creating nature for the sole purpose of showing us how much you love us. Lord, I want you to know that I noticed what a wonderful job you did in creating Hemmed-In-Hollow and Lost Valley. And I really enjoyed it, so I just want to tell you great job! Thank you for proving over and over how big you are and how much you love us.
Comments
Post a Comment