Become what you receive

St Augustine wrote, “become what you receive.”  God created us out of love, and gives us incredibly merciful love. I wish in my life I could totally let that love flow through me and become that love to others. Certainly, that thought is a constant part of my prayers.

Rowena, Columbia_Gorge

Rowena

BSA Troop 514 at the historic Kirkwood Ranch

This past weekend, six scouts from Troop 514 and three adults drove to Pittsburg Landing on the Idaho side of Hells Canyon, the deepest canyon in the United States. From there, we took a Forest Service jet boat six miles up the Snake river to the Kirkwood Ranch, an old homestead that dates back to the late 1800's. Our "payment" for this ride was a service project in which the scouts cleared brush and branches from an ATV trail that leads to the ranch from high above the canyon.

The boys enjoyed examining the history of this sheep and cattle ranch and were awed by how these rugged ranchers survived so far from civilization.  They did a great job of cooking dinner and breakfast from scratch with food they had brought in.  After breakfast on Sunday, we packed up and hiked the six mile trail back to Pittsburgh Landing.

The jet boat that took us to the Kirkwood Ranch

The landing at the Kirkwood Ranch

Our campsite at Kirkwood Bar

The scouts enjoyed the pioneer farm implements at the Kirkwood Ranch

The hike out

Balsam root wildflowers along the Snake River canyon

A service project at Pittsburg Landing

Pittsburg Landing

Troop 514

Kirkwood Ranch

Enjoying the ride up the Snake River

a great meal!

The Joy of your Presence

"To be present is to arrive as one is and open up to the Other. At this instant, as I arrive here, God is present, waiting for me. God always arrives before me, desiring to connect with me even more than my most intimate friend. I take a moment and greet my loving God."  Sacred Space

Rowena, Tom McCall Preserve, Columbia Gorge

Spring in the Columbia Gorge

We in Oregon are blessed to have the Columbia River as part of our geography. The river flows though massive basalt cliffs that rise cathedral-like above the river.  Rowena provides one the best spring views of the river at the Tom McCall preserve which belongs to the Nature Conversancy.  The yellow balsam root and other wildflowers, the wind, the silence make this a special place. Further west waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge draw the hiker/walker into places that one misses traveling the swiftly moving traffic of Interstate 84.

Rowena, Tom McCall Preserve

Bridal Veil falls

Eagle Creek

Rowena, Tom McCall preserver

The Columbia river looking east from Rowena

Eagle Creek

Balsam root at Rowena

He is Risen!

“Rejoice heavenly powers! Sing choirs of angels! Exult, all creation around God’s throne! Jesus Christ, our King is risen! “Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor, radiant in the brightness of your King! Christ has conquered! Glory fills you! Darkness vanishes foerever!”