God's Amazing Creation

For June 5th

NOTE on the Video from Monday - I might have one from Saturday - keep watching!

Tuesday was a driving day, a site-seeing day, looking at the hand of God - and the hand of man - and some of the wonders they've created. We began in San Francisco @ the Golden Gate Bridge, driving across then scaling the closest hill for some incredible views of the Bridge, the Bay, the City and the Pacific.

I even got to feed my history taste buds, learning that the highest point was a WWII Battery for the defense of the mainland in the event of a Japanese attack after Pearl Harbor. This complemented a smaller, earlier, Battery nearer the Golden Gate. The Bridge also provided the perfect location for foot patrols in the days and months after Pearl.

We decided to take the scenic route although I'm not sure the inland way would have been any less scenic, just through the Napa and Anderson Valley's, vineyard country, instead of coastline and the deep blue of the Pacific. Highway 1 it was suggested by the locals should be avoided! So the Raker's took it anyway. It was certainly winding and windy (20-30 mph again) but beautiful doesn't describe it well enough. The biggest hardship was when you have to pee, you're 20 miles from anything and the road sign just read "Road narrowing and winding for the next 20 miles." We survived! And found a great restaurant, Alexander's, along the way.

As soon as I get a better Internet connection I'll upload a nice video.

The scenery was simply stunning, mile after mile.

God's amazing creativity blanketed this day. I couldn't have gotten away from His presence if I'd wanted to. I know it doesn't take the Pacific Ocean for creation to remind me of God. His creative power is seen every morning with the sun and every evening with the moon. Today the vastness of the universe came close to us as Venus traversed the face of the sun. How small and insignificant we are. How inconsequential is our little planet filled with people. How incredible that God looks upon us with such care and kindness in the immensity of space!

Man has created some spectacular designs like the Golden Gate Bridge. There are houses along the coast that are simply magnificent creations, on just the right piece of property. I was reminded by these man-made things of the intensity and meticulous nature of God's work to mold us just right. He graced us with the gifts He chose. He put us together with intention and fore-thought. He took time to set us in just the right place at the right time to fulfill His purpose.

PSALM 139:13-16 "For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them." (NASB)

1 CORINTHIANS 12:18 "But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired." (NASB)

Thank God today for how He created you. He didn't mess up. He didn't make a mistake when He made you. On the perfect coastline, He placed your life, in just the right spot. Admittedly, I'd take the low humidity of California to the dog days of August in Ohio but I still believe it's the right place for the right time. What will you do with His gift(s) in the place He has planted your life?