Thomas Trock

Mountain Cathedrals: The Outdoors From a Different Perspective

Mountains

Mountain Vapor II

“Behold, You have made my days as [short as] hand widths, And my lifetime is as nothing in Your sight. Surely every man at his best is a mere breath [a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes]! Selah. – Psalm 39:5 AMP The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. … So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. – Psalm 90:10, 12 NKJV …

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Night Sky

Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. – Psalm 123:1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains–where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2 NIV Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? – Psalm 113:5-6 NIV Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. …

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Sunrise Over the Mountains

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Romans 1:20 NLT Not too long ago I chatted with someone who told me he did not believe there is a God. I appreciated his honesty. So, I asked him what he thinks when he looks outside …

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Mountain Vapor and Clouds

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:13-14 There are many reasons I like to hike the mountains, especially off of man-made trails. One reason I’ve mentioned before is that I never know what type of treasure I’m going to find as I crisscross ridges and valleys (see Mountain …

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Mountain Cathedrals II

Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O LORD, You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.  Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, And …

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Mountain Cathedrals

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 The nearby mountains stay snow covered most of the winter. Snow which accumulates on mountains is critical to water supplies here …

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Water Ouzel / American Dipper

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3 The very first time I saw a water ouzel, I thought I’d killed it. No kidding. Long ago I was fishing alone in a remote area in the southwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. A medium-sized grey bird appeared very close to me, standing on a rock next to the river. He was dipping and bobbing up and down like nothing I’d ever seen before. I took a step closer to get a better look, and he bailed …

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Elk Meeting

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Ecclesiastes 4:11 (NLT) There are reasons why many animals do not wander their territory alone in the wilderness. It’s true that there is strength in numbers, not to mention protection and safety. Instead of just one set of ears and eyes, this small herd of elk has the benefit of six pairs to help warn them of approaching danger. Elk always make me think of wilderness and the wild country of the …

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Mountain Snows – II

Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob. Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD …

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White as Snow

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.  Isaiah 1:18 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you …

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Autumn in the Mountains – Fall Colors II

Daniel answered and said: Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. Daniel 2:20-22 Cool weather and shorter day-length are once again having an effect on the mountains where I love to live. As I took this picture, sounds of the stream sliding over dark rocks filled …

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Bull Elk

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 1 John 3:1-2 I was fortunate to capture a picture of this bull elk with my trail camera in mid-summer. I had gotten a lot of partial pictures of …

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Red Squirrel

Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 In the mountains where I live, we have only one species of tree squirrel. I’ve seen them in different hues of red, and their underside can range from orange to bright white as seen in the above photo. Their dark eyes are highlighted by the thin, white outer ring of fur which make them look almost clown-like to me. Red Squirrels, or pine squirrels as the locals call them, are quite vocal. They chirp …

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Flood Waters II

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.      Isaiah 43:2 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears …

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Springtime in the Mountains IV

Then, at his command, it all melts. He sends his winds, and the ice thaws. Psalm 147:18 NLT Signs of a long awaited, and much welcomed, thaw are beginning to reach my small corner of the world. There is still a lot of snow in the high country. Several feet, actually. But in the foothills where I live, signs of spring are struggling to emerge. Psalm 147 speaks of God’s love for those who put their hope in His unfailing love. How He provides food and the changing of the seasons without us even asking Him to do it. It …

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Fall Colors I

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:3 While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 Seeing color is an interesting concept. There is an entire science dedicated to studying color; how it is perceived by the human eye, where it originates in an object, the …

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Elk Close-Up

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming …

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Huckleberries

He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth. These all wait for You, that You may give them their food in due season. Psalm 104:14, 27 A nice perk of the mountains where I live is the occasional discovery of various foods to munch on whilst hiking about. Late summer and early fall yield a lot of different kinds of berries, many of which are safe – and quite tasty – to eat. Once when I was with our old yellow lab, Moon, …

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Elk Bugle

He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens at His discretion. Jeremiah 10:12 Early autumn is an interesting time in the mountains where I live. Things happen that are unique to this time of year and make for some interesting hikes. Besides the leaves beginning to change color, many animals are preparing for winter in one way or another. And it’s also breeding season for much of the big game that live nearby. Females of many species will carry their developing young over the winter so …

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Deer Swim

For through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.  Colossians 1:16 NLT I have missed my share of photo opportunities whilst traversing the mountains where I live. And once in a while I’ll get a picture of something from a bit far away, but the uniqueness of the moment seems worth posting for others to enjoy nonetheless. Such is the above photo of three deer …

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Eagles Nest

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40: 28-31. I took this picture …

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Water Source

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:10, 13-14 Even though I’ve been blessed to spend a lot of time in the woods during my …

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Ponderosa Pine

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. 1 Timothy 3:16 I don’t remember when I first saw a ponderosa pine. They are rather majestic trees that are fairly easy to identify from even a long distance away. Their trunks usually grow tall and straight, and can be quite large in diameter even several feet off the ground. Ponderosa pines can grow to a height of 230 feet. They tend to be found …

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Courage

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9 Sometimes whilst hiking the mountains, I get to see things I think are rather remarkable. I’ve walked past this tree a few times over the years and I don’t think there has been a time that I haven’t stopped to study it. Years ago a small seed from a ponderosa pine landed among these big rocks. The chance of that seed surviving even a year had to be close to zero. From the size of this …

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