The Beautiful Enfeebled Tree

One foot in front of the other climbing the ridge trail at Ludington State Park again. Definitely one of the best trails in Michigan in my opinion. It is the middle of spring and it is perfect weather, which for me is on the little bit colder side. So I am trotting along on the part of the trail that has the highest elevation. Gazing out through the trees nearest to me to take in the vast view of being able to see over the canopy of trees in the valleys.

Then one smaller tree near the trail to my right catches my eye. It is full of beautiful white blossoms. Flowering trees are one of the best parts of spring. These white blossoming trees are the only one flowering this early in Ludington State Park. Upon closer examination of the small tree I see the trunk of the tree is laying flat near the ground. It looks as when the tree was younger is was totally knocked down by a force. Some other trees would just give up and die if this happened to them. Not this tree. This small tree didn't let getting knock down flat stop it from continuing to grow and become something beautiful in the world and showing what and awesome creator God is for creating it.

God Speaks in a Whisper

I was on the logging trail right and I wasn't planning on stopping, but when I paused to check the map on checkpoint 8 marker pole it was so quiet and It made me think of how noisy regular life is.  How everything in the city life is noisy and therefore we feel we have to be noiser to be heard.  God on the other hand speaks in a still small voice as he did to Elijah.  If we want to hear him we have to be in the quiet.

 

1 Kings 19:11-13 (NKJV)

God’s Revelation to Elijah

11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.

 So I decided to sit in a shelter near post marker 8 and enjoy the silence.  In the silence I am able to listen to the Holy Spirit (God) in my heart.

P.S.  I think I'm sitting next to some raccoon scat.