June 6, 2008

A reprieve from the heat of summer; thunderstorms rolled in on low lying clouds, dropping the temperatures enough to solidify liquid rain. We are still in the midst of our 10 day work week when we decide to hotel it for the night. We planned to survey four canyons in two nights; Mike to Spring and Beaty, Steph and me to Camp and Currant Creeks. To Cedar City instead, the Abbey Inn. An $80 room split between me and Mike reimbursed by our job. And of course, the inevitable...what to do in Cedar City? I take a walk to Southern Utah University, a very new campus with manicured lawns, while Mike and Steph lounge in the room, letting the TV devour them. I join them later, and love it. Look what we've been missing this whole time! Sheesh! Why would anyone leave the confines of the hotel room with the beautiful, glowing box there! A little Andy Griffith and I'm content. The next morning we enjoy our breakfast provided by the hotel...after being caught with an extra person who didn't pay for the room (Steph). Only charged $7 for her breakfast. And now we sit in a lonely coffee shop on Main street, waiting. Waiting to return to hooting. I love my job. So far I haven't found anything that I hate about it. I love getting out, working my body enough for a perfect sleep in my shaded tent. Hearing the desert wake up, while the rest of diurnal humanity gets into their shiny trailers and soft beds. Hooting madly into the darkness, listening intently for the slightest of sounds. A shriek from a Towhee, a poorwill, canyon tree flogs bleating through the night. This is where I was meant to be. In God's creation. In the midst of the wilderness doing what it does best. Existing. Simple existence. Away from the concrete and asphalt jungles, where society vainly struggles on...all trying to master their own lives. The wilderness teaches us that we are not the masters of ourselves. We are not in control. The power of man becomes nothing. Futile to the power of the earth. Another reflection of God I think. When will people hear? When will they see? What is so hard about believing in a God? It's silliness to think that the universe resulted from a purely natural, scientific "big bang." And life does not appear in a pile of amino acid muck. People choose against a god. It saddens me. And all the idols that draw away man from God. Worshipping cars, money, talents, alcohol, ourselves. The devil's grip is firm for sure. This is why I love the wilderness. Away from the stupidity of mankind. But I claim a part of it as well, for I cannot break my ties fully from society. And I am sinful too. Thank God for his reassurance, faithfulness, and promise to those who hear and believe.
Mike doesn't believe in god, claiming that 'religion is a misunderstanding of basic science.' Understandable. But I think science has become a misunderstanding of God. Dave (my professor) thinks god is a female, and she lives 'up there' as he points up a canyon towards the heart of the Zion wilderness. Interesting. Chad (one of the Grand Canyon crew) is an atheist.
All these different perspectives...but there is only one truth...which truth is it?

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