Last night right before leaving on a family outing, just as I was about to step into my car, I noticed the moon rising through the trees.  It was such a beautiful site, I just had to run and get my camera to snap a picture.

This photo is untouched; the moon really did have a yellow/orange glow to it as it rose.

I remember that one of the first things I did after obtaining a 35 mm SLR camera was going to the top of a local mountain and waiting for the sunset so I could take some pictures.  On that particular day there were several other photographers waiting for the same thing, and we all obtained some nice pictures.

This picture was taken in 1981 and was the ninth picture I took with my new camera.

Pictures like these ought to continually remind us of the creative work of our Lord, and I’m thankful he has given to us a beautiful world in which to live and serve Him.  We would do well to take better care of it.

Psalm 115:16  The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

Last weekend I took the family up to Lake Texoma, where Matthew and I had just spent a few days camping.  The major activity was a hike along the rugged coast of the lake.  On this hike the instructions were to get exercise, note the beauty of God’s creation, and look for fossils. 

The crew is ready to go.

We spotted a fossil along the way.

Photographer at work.

More fossils.

And another.

Lunch break.

OK, my stomach is full, the day is warm, and I’m ready for a nap.

Back on the hike, noted Aborist Kimmy Joy contemplates the unusual growing angle of a tree.

A spider’s web is spotted on the forest floor.

Getting the perfect picture.

We spotted some beautiful autumn leaves.

A fallen, moss-covered tree.

An important benefit of activities like this one is that it is great for family fellowship and learning to work together.

With this camping experience, Matthew and I had the opportunity to engage in two enjoyable activities:  fossil hunting and canoeing.

Here’s a picture of Matthew in the front of our canoe.  This was his first time in a canoe.

Checking out some of large boats docked.  Some were actually yacht size.

Much of our time was spent fossil hunting.  While we came back with quite a few samples, many fossils that we found were too large to extract from the surrounding rock, so we took some pictures of them instead.

As you can see, large deposits of rock (limestone and sandstone among other types) abound, especially near the lake.

Matthew checks out a find.

This is a rock full of shells.

I’m not sure what this is.

Probably an ammonite.

A piece of petrified wood in the middle of a rock. 

Another ammonite.

And another.

One particular fossil I did not take a picture of (but we were able to retrieve and take home) is of some creature with a fossilized backbone and ribs.  Check Matthew’s blog for a future post and picture.

A shellfish of some sort.

Fossils make a fascinating study.  Unlike what much of the world believes, we know that the fossil record is evidence of the judgment of God on a wicked world, and ought to help remind us not to repeat those sins.

Every camping trip needs to have a hike (at least I think so).  This one was no exception.

The trail begins here.  It looks rather domesticated, but that changes quickly.

A little more brush and trees.

The forest was beautiful.

We spotted a large rock with an ammonite fossil.

The trail wound around a peninsula overlooking the lake.  Matthew poses for a picture.

This particular spot was about 100 feet above the lake on a rocky bluff.  We spotted some fishermen while exploring.

On the other side of the peninsula we saw what looked like some small, cave-like openings in the rock.  Of course they required investigation.

Matthew spelunked his way in.

Above the “caves” you can see the layering of the rocks.  It’s a great place for fossil hunting.

And that concluded our hike on this camping trip.  I love these reminders of the creative hand of the Lord.

Lake Texoma is the largest lake in Texas, shared by both Texas and Oklahoma.  The section we were at is noted for rocky bluffs, lots of limestone deposits, and deep, blue water.  Here are a few pictures.

While in the midst of exploring one morning, I happened upon some curious looking creatures.

This one is not as big as she looks in the picture.

There were several pockets of these clustered together.

Recently Matthew and I took off for Eisenhower State Park for a camping trip.  This park is located on Lake Texoma, which is part of the Red River, the northern border of the state of Texas.

One thing in particular that I like about these kinds of overnight trips is that once away from the city lights, the stars are bright and beautiful. 

Here’s what I saw early one morning.  Normally it is easy to spot the two constellations, Orion and Sirius, but with so many stars visible, they are a little harder to pick out.

Early one morning we all tumbled out of the house for some exercise.  This consisted of walking our street a few times and visiting the neighborhood horses.

Here’s a picture of the street on which we bike, walk, and exercise.

The fog had just lifted when we embarked.

There were several flocks of grackles feeding on the lawns of several homes.

Off we go!

We took a break to feed some of the neighbor’s horses.

Kimmy was elected to perform the feeding.

Checking out the limitations of my telephoto lense.  This was taken at 16X normal.

Here is a picture of our house at the beginning of autumn.  The leaves are just beginning to change.  It was good to be out in God’s wonderful creation on this cool morning.  As we have just moved from the season of summer to autumn, I am reminded of these words from one of our hymnwriters:

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

I am amazed at how God works sometimes (well, actually all the time).  I am grateful that He is tender toward us and does not give us what we deserve all the time.

Recently God has orchestrated some things and brought His Word to bear on them in such a way as to help me better see the way He does.   Seeing in that way not only brings comfort and joy but gives everything a whole new meaning.  I’m reminded of these words from an old hymn:

Heaven above is softer blue; Earth around is sweeter green-
Something lives in every hue, Christless eyes have never seen.
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow, Flow’rs with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.