Following a night of storms, lightning, thunder and rain, the day started early just before first light. The crescent moon hung over the darkened red canyon walls. The sun was slow to break through the clouds. As it began it’s rising in the sky the clouds were tinged with pink. Soon the opposite canyon walls were lit with its light and warmth. As the sun broke through the clouds the flowers along the road smiled their lovely colors – yellow daisies, pink, lavender and white buttercup like faces along with purple thistles. All was still and beautiful. It was as if the “breath”, Spirit of God, was fashioning the landscape. The red canyon walls yielded Indian ruins, temples to the “gods” and visible manifestation of God’s on-going creative work. As we traveled the wind whistled from the side and in our faces and the road upon which we bicycled led through a red canyon wall with giant figures towering above. As we moved toward Blanding and eastern Utah the landscape became more sparse – only with juniper and brush and scarce other vegetation. Some of our group thought it uninteresting and dull. As I looked upon even this scenery it spoke of God’s continuing creativity and my eyes looked for evidence of life even here. Sometimes we look at poverty and those entrapped in it see only what is missing – life skills, initiative, education and fail to see the good that each individual has to offer. These areas made me look for the green line of trees in the midst of the dry clay to tell me that source of life was near-by. May I continue to seek the beauty of God’s love in the poor that I meet?

Kay Martin