Parking

This past week I came across a simple recipe for success. But similar to the biscuits and gravy that I continue to try and make, it takes more then a recipe. How hard can it be to make gravy out of fried sausage, flour and milk? Too thick, too thin, tastes like flour, tastes like milk... how can combining two ingredients be so difficult? While I try to figure that one out, let me at least share my recipe for a successful life:
1. Always be joyful
2. Pray continually
3. Give thanks regardless of circumstances
4. Don't quench the Holy Spirit
5. Listen to your preacher
6. Prove everything, keeping only the good
7. Avoid all evil, including the appearance of evil
8. Live totally consecrated to God
9. Believe God to deliver His promises
For those who don't recognize this list, it's in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, but that's only the recipe. Lord, help me to daily live by Your recipe for success!

This week has been full of excitement - work was exciting, meetings were exciting and weekends are always exciting. Saturday I headed out to Yellowstone to try some new trails and hit some of my favorite spots at the Park. I was secretly hoping I might even catch a glimpse of Obama and his entourage, but he didn't stick around and his wheels must be a lot faster then mine because he got from Montana to Arizona in just a few hours! So, no pictures of the President, but I dare say that some of these pictures might take your breath away anyways.
An eerie start to the morning as steam from the thermal hot springs rises between the trees.
A little murky, but at 200 degrees Fahrenheit, I wasn't about to jump in anyways.
Flowers and falls. Still trying to figure out how to get both in focus.
Boiling water.

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. I hope you don't mind a bunch of pictures of the same place (nobodies complained about too many pictures yet). I think you'll quickly see why this is one of my favorite Yellowstone destinations. The first few pictures were taken from the North Rim Lower Falls trail.
I promise this is a real place!

Taken at the end of the trail, 3 feet above the lower falls (hence the rising mist). Click on the picture if you want to feel like you're in the canyon!
Further down the North Rim trail at Grand View.

It looks more like a painting, but they called this one Inspiration Point. If you look off into the distance, near the top, you can see Lower Falls.

Same view as I play with some of the camera settings.

Upper Falls as I head towards the South Rim trail. If you need some perspective and look really close, there's people to the right of the falls at an overlook.
Looking at Lower Falls from Uncle Tom's trail. Once again, look close on the right side of the falls and you'll see people. That's also where I took the first few pictures with mist in the foreground. (So if you could see where the water runs, you would be looking down the vast canyon expanse seen in the previous pictures!)
It looks more like a painting, which is probably why they called it Artist Point.
A slightly different view.

Looking the other direction at Artist Point. I love all the different colors in the canyon walls.
This picture isn't doing any view or anybody justice... next time it's back to the handstands.

From Yellowstone, I hurried (at 5 mph behind a few mobile monster homes) down to Grand Teton National Park. Despite the clouds and impending storm, I still love the magnificent, spectacular, awe inspiring Teton Range. Here's a few more pictures if you don't believe me!

Click for a better view as this is a couple of pictures merged together.

And this isn't even the grandest of them all!
Clouds and rain obscure the peaks... but what can keep you from God's love? (Nothing)

The view from Oxbow Bend.
Last time I was here the sun was casting beautiful reflections off the water. This time the beauty is in the storm clouds rolling over the mountains...

... as the wind makes ripples in the water.
A moose drinking at Oxbow bend? He must be lost.

The sun shinin' through.

I love how the clouds are rolling off the mountain - makes it look like the mountain is smoking.
The light shines through the clouds and across Jenny Lake.

The view from Mormon Row.
Zoom zoom zoom... (I don't have a Nissan but some of you might understand how that fits into my trips through the Parks!)

Sepia makes it look its real age.

And there you have it, another weekend travelled! If the weather cooperates, you may want to stop back after next weekends adventure! It's likely to be a doosy:)