CREATION
PRAISE and PRAYERS
APRIL- JUNE 2017
APRIL- JUNE 2017
(In Honor of Earth Day – 50 days of Creation Praise!)
4.22.17 Earth Day
Luke 12:27 NRSV
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor
spin; yet I tell you, even
Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.
Daffodil golds,
Orange and yellow
bright.
Enter the warming
days of spring,
Such a welcome
God-sight!
(Blooming daffodil from Rembold garden, April 2017)
4.23.17 Clark Fork, Paradise, MT
Psalm 104:31 Voice
The glory of God –
let it last forever! Let God enjoy his
creation!
The river pulses
down from snowy summits –
God-glory fills my
world.
(Photograph of Clark Fork near Paradise, MT, taken enroute to Kalispell in April 2017)
4.24.17
Palouse Prayers
Psalm 65:9 MSG
Paint the wheat
fields golden. Creation was made for
this!
Rolling hills of
green grain stretch for miles
around the towering
center of hope…
Sustenance for all.
(Grain elevator north of Dayton, WA. Photograph taken enroute to Montana in April 2017)
4.25.17 MISSION MOUNTAIN PRAYERS
Psalm 65: 12 MSG
Snow-crown the peaks with splendor,…… Set the hills
to dancing,
Unending
ridges of white peaks penetrate the clouds above the fir carpeted hills while
the lake silently laps the shore.
(April 2017 photograph of the Mission Mountains in Montana as you approach Flathead Lake from the west.)
4.26.17 ELKHORN PRAYERS
Psalm
19:1 MSG
God’s glory is on tour
in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon…
Peaks
play peek-a-boo with puffs of cotton clouds
while
streaks of God-Light filter through.
(Photograph taken of the Elkhorn Mts while leaving Baker Valley in April of 2017.)
4.27.17 TUCSON SUNSET PRAYERS
Psalm 103:12 MSG
As far as sunrise
is from sunset, God has separated us from our sins.
Bands
of gold and red race across the skies.
God’s
reminder,
“I’m here!”
(Tucson morning sunrise, October 2016, taken from Shalom Mennonite 'campground')
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| (Hike with Luke in March 2017 in the northern canyons of the Sandia Mountains outside Albuquerque, NM) |
4.28.17 Sandia Hike Prayers
Psalm 104:8 MSG
| Mountains pushed up, valleys spread out in the places God assigned them. |
Rocky slopes, patches of snow, desert cactus yet mountain pine.
Hidden falls of
frozen water elude us on Sandia Crest.
4.29.17 Bryce Canyon
Prayers
Psalm 8:9 MSG
God, brilliant
Lord, your name echoes around the world.
God-window opens to
orange pinnacles,
Green frosted
mesas, and a sense of breathless wonder.
(March 2017 visit to Bryce Canyon National Park)
4.30.17 Tucson Gardens Butterfly
Prayers
Psalm 104:24 MSG
 |
| (March 2017 visit to the Tucson Gardens and the Butterfly House) |
Inside glass walls
of tropical heat and exotic flowers,
fly hundreds of
multi-hued wings lightly caressing me.
 |
| (Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River near Page, AZ. Photo taken in March 2017) |
5.1.17 Horseshoe Bend Prayers
Psalm 104:13 MSG
| You water the mountains from your heavenly cisterns; earth is supplied with plenty of water. |
Colorado waters
circle ‘round before the canyon rapids disperse to irrigate the gardens of
California. Thank you, God.
5.2.17 Prineville Sunset
Prayers
Psalm 50:1 MSG
The God of gods …
welcomes the sun in the east, farewells the disappearing sun in the west.
Colors of golden God-warmth dye the sky to utter “Good Morning” and “Good Night” to all who relish
the view.
(Photograph taken from Hinkle's home in Prineville, OR, September 30, 2016.)
5.3.17 Bitterroot Prayers
Psalm 33:5 MSG
Earth is drenched
in God’s affectionate satisfaction.
in God’s affectionate satisfaction.
Flowers are
miniature paintings of God-artwork – a kaleidoscope of colors, patterns, and
design.
5.4.17 Tucson Moonset Prayers
Psalm 8:3 MSG
I look up at your
macro-skies, dark and enormous, your hand-made sky-jewelry, Moon and stars
mounted in their settings.
Western skies
reflect sunrise colors behind the setting moon,
Another day, a gift
from God, begins as night come to a close.
(Photograph taken from Shalom Mennonite parking area in Tucson as the full moon set behind the palm trees at sunrise.)
5.5.17 AVIAN PRAYERS
Psalm 50:12 MSG
I know every
mountain bird by name; the scampering field mice are my friends.
Birds of all shapes
and colors swarm the feeders and trees in a ballet of motion, a dance among the
blossoms of spring.
(Tartaglino's yard in Somers, MT is filled with springtime birds gathering at the trees and feeders. The yellow-headed blackbirds were the largest and most distinct.)
5.6.17
LIGHTHOUSE PRAYERS
Matthew 5:16
Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
The lighthouse of God sits at the entrance of life’s
river channel to mark our path and guide our way.
5.7.14 MT HOOD PRAYERS
Job 37:14 MSG
Stop in your tracks! Take in God’s miracle-wonders!
The God-Guardian of the valley supplies not only beauty but
the waters of life to those in its circle of care.
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| Photograph taken in 2016 while traveling from Hood River, OR, down the backside of Mt Hood, to Salem, OR. |
5.8.17 MONTANA TULIP PRAYERS
Psalm 98:1 MSG
Sing to God a
brand-new song. He’s made a world of
wonders!
A patch of tulips, like people, are all one flower with
petals, stem, and leaves, but the variations of color, fringe, and size make
each a unique part of God’s creation.
(Inspired by the tulip garden in front of Rocky Mountain Hi RV Park in Kalispell, MT)
5.10.17 Mt. Oberlin Prayers
(One of my favorite places in Oregon: the flank of Bald Mt on Mt. Hood)
Romans 1:20 Voice
(A rough day watching Mom slowly begin the process of dying....)
A Triune God gently whispers 'Peace' from the petals of the columbine.
From the maze of the rocky tunnels, I find a window into God's magnificence and eternal presence.
(View of Cat and Kittens from Tunnel Rock, Bandon, OR)
Job 12:10 MSG
It is God who directs the lives of his creatures;
everyone's life is in his power.
5.19.17 MacDonald Creek Prayers
5.20.17 Crater Lake Lightning Prayers
5.24.17 Grinnell Lake Prayers
Fireweed grows where the scars of loss are seen; tiny
bursts of God-love healing the heart and soul.
5.29.17 St. Mary Prayers
6.2.17 Underwater
Prayers
6.3.17 Autumn Prayers
6.4.17 Desert Prayers
(Today is Rick's birthday and the above picture and prose were just for him!)
6.7.17 Crashing Wave
Prayers
5.9.17 Mountain Goat Prayers
Psalm 50:11 MSG
Every creature in
the forest is mine, the wild animals on all the mountains.
If I constantly strive to climb higher in life, I will
find myself among the mountain goats and the rocky peaks, close to a sense of
heaven.
(Drawing two photographs merged together. Goat from Mt. Aneas, Jewell Basin, Montana. Background Glacier NP near Iceberg Lake.)
5.10.17 Mt. Oberlin Prayers
Psalm 104:10 MSG
God started the
springs and rivers, sent them flowing among the hills.
The mountains release God’s Rivers of Life to quench a
thirsty world;
the music of the waters a concert of God-grace.
the music of the waters a concert of God-grace.
(Logan Creek and Mt. Oberlin, Glacier National Park)
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| Photo taken from Coquille Point, Bandon, OR |
5.11.17
Bandon Seashore Prayers
Psalm 104:6 MSG
God blanketed earth
with ocean, covered the mountains with deep waters;
The waves are a constant reminder of God’s everlasting
presence.
5.12.17 Bald Mt. Prayers
Genesis 1:31 MSG
God looked over everything he had made;
it was so good, so very good!
it was so good, so very good!
High on the flank of Bald Mountain, the flowers ‘paint’
a masterpiece of God-beauty, God-majesty.
 |
| Anthony Lake and surrounding peaks |
5.13.17 Anthony Lake Prayers
Psalm 103: 11 MSG
As high as heaven
is over the earth, so strong is God’s love to those who fear him.
Sometimes we feel like an island, alone and without,
but in reality we are surrounded by Living Waters under the shoulder of
God-grace.
5.14.17 Bleeding Heart Prayers
From the beginning, creation in its magnificence enlightens us to His nature.
Hidden within the garden beauty, strings of tiny hearts are like One-a-Day pills of God-Love – tiny, but powerful.
I found strings of bleeding hearts blooming in my garden.
5.15.17 Avalanche Creek Prayers
Job 37:16 MSG
Do you know how clouds float in the sky,
the work of God's amazing skill?
Clouds of sorrow and distress sometimes obscure our perspective, but God always manages to peak through in small and mighty ways.
5.16.17 Columbine Prayers
Psalm 46:10
Be still and know that I am God.
(Beautiful purple columbine stand tall in my spring garden.)
5.17.17 Tunnel Rock Prayers
Psalm 95:5 MSG
He made Ocean—he owns it!
His hands sculpted Earth!
He made Ocean—he owns it!
His hands sculpted Earth!
From the maze of the rocky tunnels, I find a window into God's magnificence and eternal presence.
(View of Cat and Kittens from Tunnel Rock, Bandon, OR)
5.18.17 Bumblebee Prayers
Job 12:10 MSG
It is God who directs the lives of his creatures;
everyone's life is in his power.
The tiniest bud, the flicker of wing, the faint scent
of rose are all part of God’s plan, slivers of Creation glory.
(Wild rose and bee near Libby, MT)
5.19.17 MacDonald Creek Prayers
Psalm 65:9 MSG
Oh, visit the
earth, ask her to join the dance!
Deck her out in
spring showers, fill the God-River with living water.
The Living Waters, held frozen in Winter, dance a
rhapsody of music as they bring new life to the emerging Spring.
(McDonald Creek and surrounding mountains, Glacier National Park)
5.20.17 Crater Lake Lightning Prayers
Job 37:15 GNT
Do you know how God gives
the command
and makes lightning flash from the clouds?
and makes lightning flash from the clouds?
Often God-moments come in a burst of presence, powerful
and bright, but are quickly gone, leaving lingering love.
(Drawing from a web photograph of
Crater Lake)
5.21.17 Kodachrome Prayers
Psalm 95:5b MSG
His hands sculpted Earth!
All reknowned sculptures of time can’t compare to the
God-Art we find surrounding us.
(Kodachrome Basin formations,
Utah.)
5.22.17 Swiftcurrent Sheep
Prayers
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| (Swiftcurrent Pass, Glacier NP, and Mountain Sheep) |
Job 12:7-8 MSG
Even birds and animals have much they could teach you;
ask the creatures of earth and sea for their wisdom.
ask the creatures of earth and sea for their wisdom.
There are lessons to be learned from all living things –
alpine meadow flowers or soaring eagles or the sheep that roam the mountain
heights - we just have to stop and
listen.
5.23.17 Bandon Sunset Prayers
 |
| (Sunset from Mom's Bandon Beach home) |
Revelation 4:11a GNT
“Our Lord and God! You are worthy
to receive glory, honor, and power.
to receive glory, honor, and power.
It seems like each evening God paints a new Glory-Art on the easel of the Western skies.
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| Grinnell Lake, Glacier National Park |
Revelation
4:11b GNT
For you, God, created all things,
and by your will they were given existence and life.”
For you, God, created all things,
and by your will they were given existence and life.”
Icy summits, lush forests, glacial lakes, fields of
wildflowers – ALL evidence of God’s presence.
5.25.17 Fireweed Prayers
Psalm 24:1 GNT
The world and all
that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are
his.
Fireweed grows where the scars of loss are seen; tiny
bursts of God-love healing the heart and soul.
5.26.17 Rainbow Prayers
Genesis
9:13 MSG
I’m
putting my rainbow in the clouds, a sign of the covenant between me and the
earth.
Bands of color streak across the sky amidst the storm,
reminding us of God’s presence in ALL situations to ALL people.
5.27.17 Multnomah Falls
Prayers
Psalm 74:15a GNT
You made springs
and fountains flow…
Springtime waters
burst forth in an abundance of renewal, evidence of God’s continued providence
and love.
(Photo driving home from Portland following Mom's death.)
5.28.17 Winter/Summer Prayers
Psalm 74:17 GNT
You God set the
limits of the earth; you made summer and winter.
 |
| (Internet photo source for drawing) |
The changing seasons mark God’s presence in a circle
that never ends.
 |
| St. Mary Lake, Glacier NP |
John 1:3 MSG
Everything was created through him;
nothing—not one thing!—
came into being without him.
nothing—not one thing!—
came into being without him.
A solitary island rests alone in a vast arena of
glacier, chiseled stone walls, and icy waters, an individual among the majesty
of its surroundings. Perhaps this is how
God see us? Unique in the realm of
Creation-eternity.
5.30.17 Nocturnal Prayers
Psalm 104:20 MSG
When it’s dark and night takes over, all the forest
creatures come out.
Another half of God-Creation comes to
life in the light of the stars and moon – God-Light, God’s world.
5.31.17 Celestial Prayers
Psalm 33:6 MSG
The skies were made
by God’s command; he breathed the word and the stars popped out.
We look to the skies for a link to heaven – and night
reveals God beautifully as the light penetrates the darkness.
 |
| Poppies blooming in Liz's neighbor's yard. |
6.1.17 Poppy Prayers
Song of Solomon 2:12 GNT
In the countryside the flowers are in bloom; this is
the time for singing!
Fields of wildflowers in bloom lighten the heart and
bring joy to the soul! God-Presence!
 |
| Digital blending of two internet photos. |
Psalm 104:25 Voice
The sea is vast and
stretches like the heavens beyond view; numberless creatures inhabit her. From the tiny to the great, they swarm
beneath her waves.
There is a whole alternate God-world beneath Creation’s
waters – a world of wonder, awe, and God-glory.
 |
| Digital blending of two internet photos. |
Psalm 96:12b GNT
The trees in the woods will shout for joy!
The trees in the woods will shout for joy!
Clothed in a wardrobe of blazing color, the forest choir
sings songs of joy.
 |
| Digital blending of two internet photos. |
Isaiah 35:1 GNT
The desert will rejoice, and flowers will bloom in the
wastelands.
With moisture, the desolate desert erupts in golden
waves, pierced with pincushions of flame and a sea of white-capped sentinels.
 |
| Glacier National Park |
6.5.17 Mountaintop Prayers
Psalm 95:4 MSG
In one hand he holds deep caves and caverns,
in the other hand grasps the high mountains.
in the other hand grasps the high mountains.
Stand high on the mountaintop,
Stretch out your arm,
Reach upward and wait.
With a gentle caress of wind,
God will tickle your fingertips.
6.6.17 Sun and Moon Prayers
Psalm 74:16 GNT
You, God, created
the day and the night; you set the sun and the moon in their places…
Sunrise alpenglow, subtle new beginnings
While moon revels in ending another glorious night.
(Drawing a digital blending of two internet photos.)
6.7.17 Crashing Wave
Prayers
Job 41:31 GNT
He churns up the sea like boiling water and makes it
bubble like a pot of oil.
Sometimes the cleansing power of the Living Waters comes
with waves of turmoil and challenge, but
we are made stronger by the experience.
6.8.17 Milky Way Prayers
Isaiah 42:5 GNT
God created the
heavens and stretched them out; he fashioned the earth and all that lives
there…
How far is the expanse of God-glory? To the ends of the universe, beyond our imagination. Our God is so great!
6.9.17 Eagle Prayers
Isaiah
40:31 MSG
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles.
Help me, Lord, to patiently wait the freedom of flight
within your embrace.
6.10.17 Praise Prayers
Psalm 69:34a MSG
You heavens, praise
him; praise him, earth!
May our ultimate praise be the tender nurture of all
Creation, embracing the interwoven connections within all Life.
