Saturday, June 9, 2012

Outdoors and God

I can't believe that I have not written about the outdoors on my religion blog yet.  The outdoors have played a huge part in my faith from the time I was a young child (at least 3rd grade).  My faith statement for confirmation, snowboarding, my artwork, my church camp experiences and even my wedding have all been forms of worship taking place in the outdoors.  I will start with a basic overview and will post a bit in the future about these various outdoor experiences.

I grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Lead and then Rapid City and I currently live in Laramie, WY.  I attended Outlaw Rance, Atlantic Mountain Ranch (AMR), or Klein Ranch every summer between 3rd grade and my senior year of high school.  I then worked at Outlaw and AMR for the next two summers and had my wedding at Outlaw.  If asked what denominaiton I am, I tend to respond with "Church Camp Lutheran." Since then I have been blessed with many opportunities to camp and backpack throughout Wyoming, Colorado, Washington state and even some in Oregon.

In addition, snowboarding has played a huge role in my relationship with God and my spiritual beliefs.  Everything from snowboarding alone, and praying or meditating on the beauty of the snow covered trees and even the metaphors of mountains are significant to my spiritual journey.

I found this quote and decided to use it for my own handbill/meme because it describes my faith and this aspect of what fuels me perfectly...

"I just need some time in a beautiful place to clear my head"

so true...

The Snowy Mountains, Wyoming.
Be sure to follow my blog for paintings and drawings inspired by my summer outdoor adventures.

What inspires you about the outdoors? Are you inspired in nature? How do you relate best to God?