Over the last few days I've felt lost. I literally feel like the country I was born into, and raised in is gone. I can literally see challenges threatening what I once thought was universally sacred, my choice of religious expression.

I thankfully read a post from "the Pilgrim" Bill Fortney (www.billfortney.com) and my outlook changed a good deal. He wrote about a tough old Pinon Pine tree he stood standing tall in very rough ground. In a place where it should not grow, it stood steady. A guide told him it was because it had a tough bark, or skin, to protect it from the various harsh weather threats in that part of the valley.

The passage, and bible verse that followed reminded me of a book I read by Scott Hahn called A Father Who Keeps His Promises. It reminded me that while natural law always existed, and revealed God's plan, his explicit compact for our salvation started with just one man's family. The one family wandered amongst the great nations of the world for a hundreds of years before it formed itself as a nation. And it was hundreds of years after that before our savior came and spread the message to the whole world.

After reading Bill's words, the Bible psalm he selected, thinking of Scott Hahn's message, and counting the people around me who believed in the law of God like me; I finally realized the obvious. I would not be lost if I followed God's plan and not mine. God, thankfully, put me in a time where there are others who believe and live as virtuous life as possible. I needed to reach out to people who are role models for the life I want to build. If I work with those people, it can be a tough skin of friendship I'll need to keep my family moving towards God's graceful light.

So today at lunch I walked, and picked up a challenge to see what I could get in the harsh light of mid-day that would be somewhat reflective of that theme. And yes, thankfully see some of his light came through and struck my lens and sensor with his glorious light.

-ehw