The heavens were made by the word of the Lord,
and all the stars, by the breath of His mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea into a heap;
He puts the depths into storehouses.

Let the whole earth tremble before the Lord;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For He spoke, and it came into being;
He commanded, and it came into existence. (Psalm 33:6-9, HCSB)

I was born in Portland, Oregon and raised in Gresham, Oregon, where I live today. I think the rugged beauty of Oregon’s coastline (where I’ve gone often on vacation, to speak and to write), and the rural green trees and hillsides that have always surrounded me have made me alert to the beauty of God’s creation.

The frequently gray skies and rain, in the winter, create a mood conducive to reflection and contemplation of life’s meaning. I have meditated on Scripture and great books and have soaked them in while hearing the rain fall or the wind blow, or looking out at blue skies or stars. I’ve gone riding many times on the Springwater Corridor Trail, and breathed the fresh Oregon air, watching for deer, rabbits and beavers and thoroughly enjoying the Creator’s art work.

This beautiful 4-minute time lapse video uses footage shot in Oregon:

Finding Oregon from Uncage the Soul Productions on Vimeo.

The earth and everything in it,
the world and its inhabitants,
belong to the Lord;
for He laid its foundation on the seas
and established it on the rivers. (Psalm 24:1-2, HCSB)

I always think, if this kind of beauty remains in this fallen creation, what will God’s resurrected world, the New Heavens and the New Earth, be like?! Since we know there’s going to be a New Earth and New Jerusalem, why not a New London, New Bejing, and a New Oregon? And a resurrected version of the places you love most, on a planet without pain (Revelation 21:4)?

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