A Meditation With Alan Felts

My friend Alan Felts and a friend of his took a hike on an old road in McDowell County, West Virginia where they live and Alan posted the following comments and these phtos---and much more---on his  Facebook page. Alan is a deeply spiritual man and a great photographer, and Belcher Mountain is home to him. That mountain feels to me like a place that encourages spirituality and reverence for creation. When I have been there, and when I see photos from there, I think of Ola Belle Reed's song "High On A Mountain." I know that some of you get tired of hearing me refer to this song, but this is an important anchor in my spiritual life.

I am posting this with Alan's permission and with the thought that his words and the photos will make an excellent Lenten meditation for some of us. How many roads have we traveled with others and how many of these have been lost? What do our memories weigh in our lives? Do you feel a resposibility to carry on and tell the stories of those roads and those people? How does this connect to your religion and your spirituality? Where is your "thin space" and are you taking good care of it?

Me and my boy Fritz decided to take a hike along the original road bed that you used to take up Belcher Mountain. If I remember correctly, my grandfather always told me this road was built by hand by convicts. It was humbling to think the last time I was on this road was with my grandfather many years ago. I imagined he and his twin brother walking this road when they were kids. It's hard to imagine that a road once heavily traveled has been lost to the ages, except for the few of us that know it's story and location.

The same can be said for each of our lives. In the end, it will be a select few that remembers us, and eventually we will become but a whisper on the memory of time. Enjoy your family and loved ones ya'll, the memories you make today will become the fading memories of tomorrow. Keep telling their stories so they will continue to brighten our hearts!

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." - Psalm 16:11 ESV

"Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure." - Proverbs 4:26 ESV

"Stay true to yourself, yet always be open to learn. Work hard, and never give up on your dreams, even when nobody else believes they can come true but you. These are not cliches but real tools you need no matter what you do in life to stay focused on your path." -Phillip Sweet

An awesome lesson to learn and absorb

This is a post about togetherness and creation. My friend Sarah Rohrs in Salem, Oregon provided the first part of this post by passing on a post from Peter Brouwer about dogs on Facebook. I greatly appreciate the line that says "As I trace the imprints of their paws on the pathways of my heart, I recognise that these canine companions were not just pets; they were cherished co-pilots on the journey of self-discovery" because this has been so true in my own life.

How lonely we would be without the dogs and cats and birds and the rest of God's creation, and how desolate our lives would be without people to remind us of them. 

The second part of the post---the section with the bird photo---comes from my friend Alan Felts in McDowell County, West Virginia. The photo is his and he has full rights to it and it is one of many that he posted on Facebook with the note that I have attached here. Alan excels at many things, and photography and getting the meaning out of things are just two of the the many things he does extremely well. Indeed, birds do go birding and brawling in McDowell County, West Virginia. Could we expect anything else from them there?

Sarah and Alan and Peter Brouwer (who I don't know) are connecting with something essential here. Creation is not something apart from us and so, if we're open to it, creation will teach us, comfort us and help us grow into full human beings and then, perhaps, into something beyond the human that touches the divine.

Our traditional prayers for the dead include lines that say "O Lord, how lovely it is to be your guest. Breeze full of scent; mountains reaching to the skies;/Waters like a boundless mirror,/Reflecting the sun's golden rays and the scudding clouds. All nature murmurs mysteriously, breathing depths of tenderness,/Birds and beasts bear the imprint of your love,/Blessed are you, mother earth, in your fleeting loveliness/Which wakens our yearning for happiness that will last for ever/In the land where, among beauty that grows not old,/Rings out the cry: Alleluia!" Another traditional prayer seems to say that creation is in some sense greater than us, or more prayerful and obedient to God, because "I see the rising sun rejoice in You, and I hear the chorus of birds raise a hymn of glory. I hear the forest mysteriously rustling in Your honor, the winds sing of You, the waters murmur and the stars proclaim You as they move in harmony for ever in Your infinite space. What is my poor worship? All nature obeys You, I do not..." 

These are awesome lessons to learn and absorb. 
 

In the rich mosaic of my own journey, I find myself pausing to cherish the distinct colours and textures that each dog brought to the canvas of my life. From the lively chaos of my first furry friend's puppyhood to the serene companionship of the wise elder who shared the twilight of our days, each one left an indelible mark, a unique brushstroke on the portrait of my life.

Their joyous barks and affectionate nudges spoke a language of love that transcended the barriers of words, creating a silent dialogue between us. In the quiet moments of shared glances and the gentle touch of a paw, I uncovered lessons that went beyond the ordinary, revealing the depth of patience, empathy, and the profound connection forged in the simplicity of coexistence.

As I trace the imprints of their paws on the pathways of my heart, I recognise that these canine companions were not just pets; they were cherished co-pilots on the journey of self-discovery. Their unwavering loyalty and the unspoken bond we shared unveiled the beauty of devotion, reminding me that life's most meaningful lessons often come wrapped in fur, accompanied by wagging tails and an abundance of love.

— Labrador Forums

The birds were birding today.... actually they were brawling County style for a minute too! Check out these little fellas today! Hope you all have a good evening and Be Blessed!! Friday is almost here!

Hazel Dickens

 

The Hazel Dickens Memorial Bridge is on County Route 11 running over the Bluestone River near Montcalm, West Virginia.

She is buried in Princeton, West Virginia.

She lit up my life and the lives of so many others. I really do miss her.

West Virginia My Home

Beautiful Hills Of Galilee

They'll Never Keep Us Down

The Tug Fork River

My friend Dustin Estep is involved in efforts to help clean up the Tug Fork River and he does some fishing there and writes some of the most beautiful reports on fishing that you can image and posts these on the Friends of the Tug Fork River Facebook page. I have talked a good deal here on this blog about the Tug Fork and the Friends of the Tug Fork, and I am sure that I have mentioned Dustin Estep a couple of times. He's a family man and he works as a roof bolter in the mines. He has that great vibe of being someone people are drawn to and trust.

I do want to encourage you to follow the Friends of the Tug Fork River on Facebook and to support their work. And please wish Brother Estep some luck with his fishing! Here are three photographs that he took and posted recently. You won't get the full effect unless you either visit the Friends of the Tug Fork River on Facebook or go and visit the River and the watershed and see the incredible work being done to save it.

Some of the beauty around us

 

Sunset over the Greenbrier River by Lynette Deeds Patton. Found on the 

Vintage West Virginia Facebook page.

“She wanted to be someone who left you with your words caught in your throat & your mind stuck on her soul. To see her true beauty, you needed to close your eyes and feel her all around you in the quiet of your thoughts. The one your heart can’t forget.” New River Gorge National Park, Fayette County, West Virginia---Peggy Smith Photography

Rick Burgess Photography

Photo taken in Grant County, West Virginia by Tony Greco/
@WestVirginiaNatureLovers

Railroad track sunset along Rt 2 in Mason County, WV.--
MKS Photography WV

Steve Cline on climbing mountains and our faith journeys

Friends, this is our third post from Steve Cline. Steve lives in West Virginia. I think that this post carries a great message to end one year and begin a new year with. We all have tough climbs, and some of them are dangerous and not everything that we cling to along the way is going to be helpful but our journeys have meaning and value and can take us to new heights and better vistas with the proper solidarity and guidance. This post also helps reinforce a point that is a basic premise of this blog: wisdom, beauty, and creativity are all around us and amongst us.

Dr. Ralph Stanley's "Great High Mountain" carries a similar testimony and message.

 

Two photographs and Christmas greetings from Peggy Smith Photography in West Virginia

"And she will be the light your darkness has longed for…..”

This one is a throwback from a few winters ago. It’s always been one of my

favorite photos I’ve taken. Fayette County W. VA.

Merry Christmas with so much love from my heart to yours!

New River Gorge National Park

Today marks the 114th anniversary of the Monongah Mine Disaster, the worst mining disaster in American history.

From the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum;

Today marks the 114th anniversary of the Monongah Mine Disaster, the worst mining disaster in American history. 362 people lost their lives, many of whom were immigrants.

This was just one of a string of disasters that struck coal mines across the United States within the next 30 days. 4 more coal mine explosions happened in December of 1907, marking it the most deadly month in coal mining history.

On December 1st of 1907, 35 miners died at the Naomi Mines in Fayette City, Pennsylvania. On December 16th, 35 more passed away at the Yolande Mine in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. 239 miners were killed on December 19th at the Darr Mine in Van Meter, Pennsylvania. And lastly, 11 were killed on New Years Eve at the Bernal Mine in Carthage, New Mexico.

Sadly, the mistreatment of workers and their appalling labor conditions continued on, leading to the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain, where 10,000 mine workers–immigrant and native-born, Black and white–banded together to fight for their rights as laborers and as humans during the West Virginia Mine Wars.

Today, we remember the lives taken in this string of devastating events on National Miners Day. We thank and honor the skilled, hardworking, and inspiring coal miners–both past and present–who have powered the American Labor Movement and our country with their backbreaking labor. #NationalMinersDay

(Photo from WV Public Broadcasting)

An adventure in gratitude

I have the good fortune of having some people in my life who remind me to notice what is around me, see some of the beauty around me, and feel some gratitude and awe. It's a good exercise whatever the motivations at work. When I lived in cities or was working long hours I didn't notice much of the beauty that was around me. I looked at things as objects or obstacles or for their use value. I think that it's difficult to stop there, bad as that is. When you get on that track you start looking at people in those terms as well.

This great photograph comes from Denise Binion in West Virginia and it was taken looking out her back door. For some reason this grabs me and holds me. I'm taking it as a gentle reminder to observe, recollect, and appreciate some of the beauty we're given to see.

The rural beauty of West Virginia from Rick Burgess

These two photographs come from Rick Burgess in West Virginia. I follow Mr. Burgess on Facebook and I am always cheered up by his wonderful photography. I believe that he captures the rural beauty of West Virginia as few people do.

North Fork of Cherry River

Nicholas County, West Virginia

Dry Fork Rd.

Randolph County, West Virginia

 

Jill Renee LaFear says...

If you don't know who Jill is, watch this:

 

Two poems by Stewart Acuff

 

Bright, brilliant blue battles with white and gray for space on a wide ceiling
Big, puffy but delicate clouds slide silently
Across the sky so easily
It's a live action movie or TV show being made and watched above our heads
It started soon as we got out of bed
The wind has lost its edge
And moves over the river gentle
it's a sweet easy day for relaxing after the feast of Thanksgiving
Every day is a great day to give thanks even if a myth is the beginning.

Through bare branches of leafless trees
And limbs alive in a sweet breeze
The blue becomes the brilliant sky
And welcomes the light
Of life lived full, open and generous
The light above shared by all, like our spirits of love.

39You, Pam Garrison, Stewart Acuff and 36 others

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"Coal Camp Memories" (Excerpt from Karen Vuranch's One-Act Show)

 

Feed your soul something beautiful….

“The soul, like the body, lives by what it feeds on.”

Feed your soul something beautiful….

Good morning my lovelies! Have an amazing day!

New River Gorge National Park

--Taken from Peggy Smith Photography

Some Wisdom From Peggy Smith Photography

“The shell must break, before the bird can fly.”

Whatever weighs you down. Whatever difficulties your facing. You my dear were born to be brave, born to be beautiful, born to be deserving…. You were always born to fly……
Kanawha County Wv

Peace and the heart's quiet in Appalachia

The following is taken from the Around Each Bend In West Virginia Facebook page, including the short remarks or sermon. I think of these as images of peace and my heart's quiet. I hope that this gives you some peace as well. 

FEAST AT GOD'S TABLE

I made a post about the Commercial Golden Corral and want to make a final comment regarding why I liked this commercial.

You know it reminds me of God's Table when He invites us to "come and dine., His offer to all who will come for life everlasting.

Folks, as Christians how many times have we pulled up to God's table, and instead of taking all that God offers us, we for no reason fill our plates with just what feels good. But in reality, God wants us to take all of His plates to fill us to the full.

Let me explain:

Here's the plate God offers His plate of mercies, His plate of love, His plate for our witnessing, His plate for our burdens, His plate for our prayers, His plate for total healing, His plate of encouragement, His food for our soul that will carry us to grandeurs of heaven. Finally His plate of LOVE. He died but has RISEN. PRAISE HIM!

Instead, what we partake of only partially gets us through the hour.

Don't neglect to feed our souls on the bounties of heaven so we can be an example from Ephesians, Are we willing to put on the "whole armor of God." His offering is free and His burden is light, come take of Him and fill your soul, mind, and heart for the one who will give you victory.

Thanks, Facebook Viewers. You're all special as I look over the thousands of folks who come to our site I'm amazed and pray for you because I know some are suffering, some are discouraged, and some are financially burdened.

His table is full, will you come and dine?

By The Way - The Price has already been Paid t t t

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:13 kjv.

Inspiring Work Done In West Virginia---A Blessing For The Four Seasons Recovery Center In Bluefield, W. Va.

 

Some Photos From West Virginia That Give Me Hope

The photos below come from the Friends of the Tug Fork River Facebook page. The eagles and the osprey that are showing up there indicate rebirth and renewal and the strength and blessings of nature in my mind. The recent rainfall has the water flowing deep and fast. And for some reason the railroad tracks and bridge in fall touch my heart with a feeling of peace and security. 

Photo by Chen Chengguang

Photo taken at Martha Moore Park in downtown Welch by Mark Kemp

This photo is by Dustin Estep

Andrew Ace Gess

A little bit of spirituality for your day

Hawks Nest State Park in West Virginia

 

Some solid preaching and testimony from West Virginia