Thomas Trock

Mountain Cathedrals: The Outdoors From a Different Perspective

Nature

Deer Stretch

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 Deer are amazingly adaptive. For one thing, they are able to change their diets with the change in seasons. In winter, deer can digest woody vegetation from twigs and buds. During the warmer months they prefer a variety of grasses and seeds, leaves, fruits, nuts, etc. When hard …

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Wise Counsel

A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel. Proverbs 1:5 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days. Proverb 19:20 There seems to be no shortage of people giving advice these days. The information explosion of the internet and instant communication has brought counsel from a myriad of sources and advice can be found just about anywhere. Many people with zero experience in a given subject can now sound like experts simply by spending a little time studying information that is readily available. Wise …

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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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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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The Recyclers

Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19 Many of the rivers not too far from my home are a bit low in nutrients relative to other places in the mountains. The granite rocks which surround these streams don’t provide a lot of essential minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, or magnesium. The result is that the lower level of the food chain, i.e. the small plants and insects, which feed on the plants, aren’t quite …

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Salmon Spawning

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to …

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With All Your Heart

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters Colossians 3:23 NIV Last year at this time my wife and I were in Alaska working with wounded veterans. The injured military personnel and their spouses come for a week as guests of Samaritans Purse’s Operation Heal Our Patriots. At OHOP, the veteran couples find spiritual/mental refreshment and enrichment for their marriages. Many of these couples struggle daily with lasting effects of traumatic injuries and experiences that can cause their marriages and families to crumble. See Veterans Day The Beating Heart …

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Antler-Eating Deer

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NLT There is a reason why shed antlers from deer, elk, and moose don’t last too long once they hit the ground. It has been well documented that mice, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, porcupines, etc. like to eat old antlers. Almost twenty percent of an antler is calcium, and another ten percent is phosphorus. It also contains lots of other trace minerals and vitamins. There may even …

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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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Great Grey Owl

Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.” Luke 10:23-24 I took this picture of a Great Grey owl on a recent hike through some dense timber. After my initial surprise at seeing such a stunning creature, we both stopped and stared at each other long enough for me to get a decent photo. Owls have amazing …

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Metamorphosis

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17 Each springtime in the mountains where I live, new activity seems to creep in from most every direction. Things that have looked bleak and dark and grey for months appear to take on a whole new expression of life. There are times when I don’t get very far on my hike before I start to realize all the change that is taking place around me. More times than not, I don’t travel quite the distance I used to on …

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Mountain Snows – I

He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes; He casts out His hail like morsels; who can stand before His cold? Psalm 147:16-17 Some years ago, back when I may have known more than I know now, I often thought I’d like to just wander off into the mountains during the summer and see if I could make it through until the next one. I mentioned this to a few of my biologist colleagues. They all seemed to think it was a crazy idea. And here I thought they’d all thought the same thing, but were just …

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Help in Time of Need

 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Hebrews 4:16      Stardog and I hiked about six hours yesterday. I didn’t intend to go that long, I really didn’t. But as per usual, once I got out there I just found too many places to explore. Keeping on a schedule when out in the mountains is not my strong suit. I always seem to find one more ridge or grove of trees or stream that beckons for some investigation. The wind was stronger than I’d hoped for …

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The Work of His Hands

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.  Psalm 19:1 NIV      Sometimes when I can drag myself out of a warm sleeping bag to view the coming day, the rewards are many. On this chilly September morning in the Rockies, the clouds swirled overhead for a brilliant display of creativity. I knew my camera wouldn’t be able to fully capture the experience, but I tried anyway. At least for a little while.      Mostly I just worshipped. I would have found it difficult not to.      To think that the God of …

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Wisdom Beyond Ourselves

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:9      I’ve hiked this canyon a few dozen times over the years, but on this chilly morning I never saw it look quite like this. Wind swirled around us and tried to strip away what warmth we had. I drew my fingers back into fists inside my gloves to keep them from going numb.      I’d thought I’d had a good alternative plan before we left the house this morning. I figured that if it …

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Gary Lee and the Big Tree

 There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.   Proverbs 18:24 NLT      I consider myself fortunate to have grown up where the outdoors began a few steps from my back porch. I spent so much time outside that I think dirt made up about fifteen percent of my diet. We lived out of town with no one around my age who liked exploring the surrounding woods and fields and streams. No one, that is, until the day Gary Lee and his family moved in about a five minute bike ride away.      It …

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