Eagle Scout & So Much More

Nathan Takes the Eagle Oath

May 1, 2015 was a pretty big day for the Miller household.  After seven years of scouting, Nathan was awarded his Eagle Scout Award.  I planned the ceremony from start to finish, and doing so took up most of my free time.  When I wasn't putting together a slideshow, drafting the script, or coordinating the reception details, I was thinking...not just about the ceremony, but about so much more.  I thought about my own Eagle ceremony some 32 years ago, and I marveled for the first time over all the planning and work taken on by my scoutmaster, mentor, and lifelong friend, Wade Cleveland. I now have a new appreciation, and awe, for what was given to me.  I thought about the camping trips, the hikes, the outings.  During that seven years, we'd been to a national jamboree in Virginia, had two scout trips to Washington DC, we hiked in the Florida Everglades, Yorktown and Manassas Battlefields, backpacked along Lake Moultrie, and climbed Table Rock.  We'd spent three Summer Camps at Ho Non Wah, one at my old camp, Camp Old Indian, and two Winter Camps, one with icy temperatures in the teens.  I remembered Nathan coming to my tent at 2:00 am. He stood outside quietly for a moment, but I sensed it was him.  When I asked him what he needed, he hesitantly asked me if could come in because it was so cold.  I cranked up a propane heater, and heard him say, "Thanks for bringing the heater," with a comfortable smile on his face right before he fell asleep. And then I thought about the achievement. Nathan was about to join the 4% of scouts who achieve the rank of Eagle.

Though I'm delighted at his achievement, I would've been just as proud of him if he'd never made it past Tenderfoot. When he was three or four years old, while other boys were playing with cars or nerf guns, Nathan was drawing ceiling fans on his chalk board. He was obsessed with them, their rotation, fan blades, everything about them.  It was fascinating, but it made me wonder if he'd ever fit in.  So naturally, when we first started scouts together, I had no idea of what he was capable of doing, and had lower than modest expectations.  

Atop Table Rock

I remember him climbing Table Rock. Not even 11 yet, he was near tears before I realized just how difficult it was for him.  One of the things about his autism is that he doesn't always know how to express himself.  He'll go hungry, be driven to exhaustion, endure pain without so much as a peep because of his affected ability to express himself...or complain.  He must've been REALLY cold that night he came to my tent.  I never pushed him, and I never even thought about him making Eagle.  I was just pleased to see him having a good time, and I felt blessed to be able to be there for each outing, and each step.  

One day, he and I were shark tooth hunting...one of our favorite hobbies, and he started to ask me about my Eagle Scout ceremony. He doesn't talk much, so when he does, I know it's something that's important to him.  I told him stories of hiking with Wade and Danny to get my Hiking Merit Badge so that I wouldn't have to earn Swimming Merit Badge. He and I share a weakness with the water, but scouting has given us some basics that we desperately needed.  I answered his questions, and then I asked him, "Are you interested in making Eagle Scout?" In a soft, shy voice he answered, "Yes. I think I am."  I told him that the first real requirement for making Eagle was that one needed to want to make Eagle, and that his desire to do so was one of the biggest parts of it.  I also told him that I would help him in every way possible, but that I would not do for him what he could for himself. Soon after that talk, he started to advance.

The boys give Nathan a helping hand

I was amazed to watch him open up.  The boys had grown accustomed to Nathan's idiosyncrasies, his echolalia (facial expressions that reveal his inner thoughts). They understand that he is wired differently, and they've helped him. It was so encouraging to see an age group so notorious for adolescent cruelty demonstrate such understanding, kindness and wisdom. The pinnacle of this happened at a meeting one Monday night. The boys were running for office, and giving a campaign speech to their peers on why they should be selected for a position. Nathan threw his hat in the ring to run for the troop's highest office as Senior Patrol Leader. I must admit, I thought he might be being a little over ambitious. I told him in private that it was great experience to run, but to not have any high expectations. I even coached him on how to congratulate the winner, and how impotant it is to lose with grace. When it came his turn to speak, I was moved to tears in the back of the room. I watched in amazement to see this quiet boy step up and with such a genuine, and eloquent speech. I knew before the ballots were cast that he would win, and the boys overwhelmingly elected him to the position.

Eagle Dad and Mentor Pin

On the night of his Eagle award, he did it again. His remarks were genuine, and given in such a moving way that only he can deliver. I received two special pins (seen left). The one on the right says Eagle Dad, and that's a great pin to have, but the one on the left says Eagle Scout Mentor, and is given as a special honor by the Eagle Scout to the one he chooses. I will cherish them both. The memories are reward enough, but to have him honor me in such a way is moving beyond my ability to express.

Family and Friends with Nathan

Many wonderful people attended the event. In addition to his Mom, sister and me, on hand was his grandmother, Elizabeth, and uncle Jimmy, his Papa, Bill Kaufman and his wife Nita visiting from Arkansas.  My old scout buddy, Matt Calvert from Spartanburg, and our lifelong friends, the Caton family were also down from Spartanburg. The Easlers, Donna and David, and the Patricks provided the meal afterwards. Friends from the Single Smile came and sang and played music afterwards, and then there were the scouts and all the friends of Troop 750. It was like a graduation, but more than that. It was a celebration of the end of low expectations. Nathan had moved way beyond low to average, and into a place where anything is possible.

Last night was Nathan's last scout meeting as a boy scout since he'll be turning 18 on Thursday.  We had cupcakes, and the troop sang Happy Birthday to honor the occasion. For the last seven years, Monday night has meant scout night, and every month we checked the calendar to see what camping trip, hike or outing we had coming up. I couldn't help but reflect a little on the end of a happy chapter as we drove home.  As we pulled into the driveway, I said, "We had fun, didnt we?" And he said, "Yes, we did."

Happening Now

Every now and then I get a moment of clarity, and I wish I could hang on to it and pull it out whenever I feel discouraged, or frustrated or less than whatever it is that I want to be feeling at a given moment.  Today brought one such moment of clarity for me.  I didn't think about the future so much.  I didn't measure my progress or fret over any failures; I just lived today.  Life is happening now.

It really isn't a "special" day in the traditional sense.  I mean I did memorable things, but nothing to check off on a bucket list or anything. Most days aren't those kind of days, but the grand and small days that run together ARE the makings of a life whether we realize it or not.  Today, Nathan and I joined our scout troop at the Stallsville UMC for Scout Sunday. Nathan played a beautiful orginal tune he entitled The Bells of Weil der Stadt for the offeratory.  We both played music in the fellowship hall following the service where folks came over and had cake and coffee.

After lunch at home, Nathan and I took off to one of our fossil hunting sites.  We didn't find anything worth a facebook post, but it was a Spring-like day for early February.  I wore short sleeves and still worked up a sweat climbing through the dirt looking for treasure.  This evening, Bobbi joined me at the gym where I did a slow but challenging for me paced 5K on the treadmill.  Back at home tonight I scrolled through facebook, and liked a page or pic here and there. Yep that's about it.

A pretty normal day, but when I think about it, that's quite a blessing of a normal day.  The fact that my normal is to be with the people I love doing things I enjoy...well, that's the makings of a good life, don't you think?

The past few years have been a series of such days.  Some have been dream come true days, and I've written about a few of these on my blog.  Some have been difficult, crushing even, but there's no denying that these days I've been given so far have been blessed.  

Tomorrow our Marcus turns 26.  We always pick him up, get him his favorite meal, fried rice, and get cake or cupcakes for him. Marcus doesn't do photography, but somehow we always get a pics of him eating birthday cake!  

So, I'll end by saying that today, February 8th, 2015, is Thanksgiving without the turkey as far as I'm concerned.  I'll plan for the future, continue to set goals, and work hard to achieve them, but I'll try to remember that what's happening now...that's the makings of life.  

Living In My Dreams

I was just counting my blessings this morning while listening to my recording of Desert Rain.  Yes, I do listen to my own recordings, and I hope that doesn't sound like vanity.  When I listen, it's usually in part a critical exercise.  I'm not trying to over analyze my work, but rather trying to measure how closely I've come to achieving my vision for the song.  I try to find those areas that I need to isolate and improve in my performance, and sometimes I just sit back and enjoy the product not unlike when I drink a tall glass of ice water while looking at a freshly mowed lawn.

Keith, Nathan and Phil Keaggy

This morning was one such time. I listened to Desert Rain, and heard Phil Keaggy's tapping at the
end of one measure, and I thought with joy, "my song inspired that in Phil Keaggy."  You see, I've listened to Phil Keaggy for over half my life, and I've heard that technique on many of his originals.  He is to me a guitar hero.  I knew him long before he knew me.  I've spent hours listening to his recordings over the years so much that I can play entire pieces from his albums  in my head.  In that way, he is no different than Paul McCartney or James Taylor to me.  So to hear his strings playing along with mine, elevating my art to a place that I had only dreamed of before, I'm flooded with such gratitude.

Keith & Nathan with Doyle Dykes

Track number 1 and number 4 on our compilation CD, Where Words Fail, Music Speaks, are other such moments. Though I don't play along, I hear the first few notes of Bob's Guitar Lesson by Doyle Dykes, and I can't help but think about how God gave me this gift to work with someone I admire so much.  To me, Doyle Dykes is one of the finest fingerstyle guitar players in the world. Chet Atkins once said something to the effect that he would pay to see Doyle play, and that is a huge compliment from someone whose praise rarely exceeded, "he's a fine picker."  But there he is, on our little project.  Track 4 features his daughter Haley, who has the voice of an angel, singing a song I wrote to the Lord 17 years ago inspired by my son, Marcus. She just moved into a new house in Nashville, and recorded with Michael W. Smith on his number 1 Hymns CD, and she could've so justifiably declined my invitation to sing for the project, but she said, "yes."  Her recording of my song, My Prayers, is a song thanking the Holy Spirit for His prayers on our behalf, and it moves me so.

Nathan & John Knowles

Track number 9 and 12 features yet another guitar legend, John Knowles.  He gave us a beautiful rendition of Vincent, and he went above and beyond recording with Nathan...something that we will always treasure. 

Then there are my friends, Kirby Easler, Greg Neff, Dustin Ashenfelder, Steve McKoy, Greg Rowles and painter, Steven Givler. Each one of these gave beautiful gifts from the heart.

Keith & Nathan with Greg Rowles

All of this, and it's the time of my life shared with my son, and it is with such gratitude to the Lord that I write this blog entry. When we started this project, I could barely imagine such blessings, but here I am living in my dreams.

Three Years Later

Well, I haven't posted on here since April of 2011, so maybe it's time for a new post...ya think?  I guess I just defaulted to facebook for journaling, but after visiting this site again, and reading some of my old posts, I must say that I find value in the longer format of these blogs.  So where do I start?

I suppose I'll start with where I left off...going to Nashville to see my friend, Doyle Dykes.  Funny thing is that this is pretty close to where I'll end up by the time this blog is finished.  The trip three years ago to visit Doyle in Nashville turned out to be an appetizer for the things that would come.

If I had to pick a common theme to describe the last three years, I would have to say "blessed" would best describe things.  I'm not saying everything was without its challenges and heartache.  Dad was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago, and had to undergo life-saving surgery and chemo, my best friend lost his sister and mother within a span of two months, and I even had to have a minor surgery, myself.  Still, I'm today a man filled to the brim with gratitude.

Among the highlights of the last three years would be our seven country European vacation back in 2012, a 20 mile hike in the Everglades and various trips to Virginia including hikes at Manassas and Yorktown battlefields.  Also, are the many blessings that have seen Nathan's progression in scouting just shy of Eagle Scout, and his incredible transformation into an artist.  I feel immense pride at Kristin's pursuit, and attainment, of her goals as a cosmetologist, and finally the realization of a dream to help plant and grow a music community in my own town of Summerville.  That brings us to now and the realization of a dream with the production of a music CD featuring friends, family and heroes...the Music Speaks Project.

Vipiteno, Italy 2012

Everglades Hike - 2013

Virginia Hikes - 2013

Friends - A Music Community Realized

The latter has been so incredibly rewarding through the new friendships and experiences that have come out of it already.  If you told me three years ago that I would produce an album featuring Nathan, Doyle Dykes, his daughter Haley singing a song I wrote, John Knowles, a duet with Phil Keaggy, and several more close friends grown out of a simple little idea for an open mic night at the Single Smile Cafe, I would have told you that it was a nice dream, but highly unlikely.  Thing is, it didn't happen three years ago; it happened little by little, prayer by prayer.

I remember praying not so long ago, and asking the Lord, if He didn't mind, that I would love to work with Doyle Dykes and Phil Keaggy.  I knew it was a pie in the sky thing to ask, but I explained that I wasn't chasing fame or glory, but rather the association and partnership with men of God in whom I admired and respected...the kind of men I wanted to emulate.  I wanted to create with them a thing of beauty, and I felt like they had His blessing already...I wanted to be a part of that.  And just like only God can do, windows and doors, flood gates even, began to open.  This simple little child-like request was met, not with indifference, but with an abundant answer.  Not only did I get the things I specifically asked for, folks like John Knowles, Greg Rowles, Kirby Easler, Steve McKoy, Dustin Ashenfelder, Haley Johnson and Greg Neff came through the opened door!  Nathan's artistry developed in perfect timing, little things like professional recording time at an affordable rate just fell from the sky, artwork, photography, even the money to produce the CD simply showed up as if on schedule.

Just a couple of weeks ago, at the invitation of John Knowles, we found ourselves in Nashville at the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention. Nathan was on stage with John Knowles, and Tommy Emmanuel was adjusting Nathan's mic for him right before a performance.  I felt a little overwhelmed at where we were, what was happening, and all the things that had just happened.  I felt blessed, but I also felt something else...the weight of responsibility.  Jesus encouraged us to take His yoke upon us, and assured us that His burden is light, still there is a little bit of a burden there.  I'm no longer out doing the work of Keith; I'm part of what He is doing now.  I pray for the grace to continue to walk in the path He has laid before me...to not get distracted, discouraged, or prideful in any way.  His work is too important, and I don't want to remove myself from the beautiful part that He has so graciously given me.  I wish that I could walk perfectly, but I do know that where I fail that His grace is sufficient to keep me in His will.  With overwhelming gratitude, I accept that grace, and I look forward to walking wherever He leads.

With John Knowles at CAAS - 2014

The Lights of Marfa

The evening of March 24, 2011, will always stand out as one of the more special evenings of my life. Bobbi, Nathan and I left out early the day before to drive up from Summerville, SC, to our destination in Nashville, TN. I packed up my clothes, grabbed my iPod, and looked down at the invitation in my hand as I walked out to the car. The cover of the card read, "Light up the night with one of the world's premier fingerstyle guitarists!" The inside of the card detailed the book launch party for Doyle Dykes's book, The Lights of Marfa, that we were setting out to attend. It was to be held at the Ford Theatre and Rotunda at the Country Music Hall of Fame. I was, and still am, overwhelmed with gratitude for the invitation. It was going to be a special getaway for the three of us, and I was going to get to spend some time with the greatest guitarist known to me, and his family. . -

I've known Doyle for over 13 years now. I first saw him perform at a convention center in San Angelo, Texas, around March of 1998. I'd already been playing guitar for 25 years at that time, but I wasn't prepared for what I was about to see and hear that night. All I can say is that when Doyle played, I felt the presence of the Lord. I'd never seen anything like it, and had never imagined God could use a musician in such a way. The music reverberated in my mind as I lay down that night. I was in a bit of a dazed state for a couple of days afterward. The whole process of getting to know Doyle and his daughters, Haley and Holli, could comprise an interesting blog all its own. All I can say is that God has ordained a friendship that includes plenty of memorable evenings, like the night the lights went out in Griffin, Georgia. Doyle was playing and there was a powerful storm like God's on percussion section playing in the sky. The power went out during Twin Six Shooters, and Doyle and Holli kept on playing even though we weren't convinced that a tornado wasn't about to uncover the building! Another evening, Doyle called me up on stage in front of a couple hundred seasoned guitar pickers and handed me his guitar. I played one of his tunes while he watched. My hands were trembling, but I was so moved by his kindness and confidence in me. Then there was the night I first met his mother, Martha and his father, Bubba Dykes. I was blessed to be able to thank them for encouraging their son in music and in the Lord, and express my gratitude for the impact he had made on me. Another night, we talked past closing at a Cracker Barrel about God, Guitars, daughters and Grandpa Jones. We looked around and the place had been closed for a half hour, and one of the bus boys was sitting patiently, looking our way as we sipped coffee oblivious to the time. I was at a Waffle House with him and Haley a little while back, and I imagined this must've been how he'd felt sitting across from Chet or Merle Travis. What an honor these times have been. In all, Doyle and his family have become very dear to me over the years, but man, can I digress?!!

All this said, I still never dreamed I'd be able to share in such a special occasion with my friend, guitar hero and brother in the Lord. When we arrived at the Hall of Fame, we milled around and I chatted with a friend, Jeff Fields, and his family who had drove up from Atlanta for the occasion. We had a chance to give Haley a quick greeting and then move into the Ford Theatre for the concert. While sitting down, I looked around the small, but impressive venue, and that's when I saw Ricky Skaggs walk in with his wife and sit down in the audience...the same audience I was in! "Okay, be cool, Keith," I thought. After all, it looked like no big deal to everyone else that Ricky Skaggs just casually walked in. No one accosted him with cameras or sharpies. I looked over to my left, and whispered, "hey BB, that looks like Kurt Listug from Taylor Guitars!" I recognized him from is column, Kurt's Corner, in Wood & Steel. "...and that's, Oh my goodness, Bobbi, that's Bob Taylor!" My voice was rising just a bit, and she patted me as if to remind me that I was to be a grown up in these situations. That's when I looked behind me and, great big ol' tall, cool, legendary Rock 'n Roll Hall of Famer, Rebel Rouser, himself, Duane Eddy walked in, and sat down behind us. That's when I called Kristin, and whispered that I thought I might be in need of medical attention. .

The concert was incredible! Retired Grand Ole Opry President, Bob Whittaker, offered a few words and introduced Doyle. Doyle's son, Caleb, joined him on Bridging the Gap with Dave Pomeroy, Andy Leftwich and Jimmy Capps backing them up. Doyle's daughter, Heidi, came up and told the White Rose For Heidi miracle from her perspective. Doyle presented her with a white rose, and though I could hardly see through my own misty eyes, I imagine everyone else was equally touched. Donnie Sumner of The Stamps and Elvis fame, came out and glorified God with a testimony and a song, I'd Rather Have Jesus. The song was a true story for Donnie as he had chosen to leave Elvis for the Lord. Doyle actually had made the same choice in 1972, when he felt the Lord's conviction in the form of the question, "which King are you going to play for?" Doyle faced the prospect of meeting with and possibly playing for Elvis on that same evening of conviction, and Doyle left the building...without Elvis. David Pack of Ambrosia, and Larry Carlton joined Doyle in Ambrosia's biggest hit, You're the Biggest Part of Me. Haley performed with her fiance, Jake Johnson, and their band, and were just wonderful. The music was world class, the venue was world class, and the audience was world class...what a blessing to be there. -

Afterward, we attended a reception where I got to wander around and eat cookies with Bob Taylor. Okay, now I'm just bragging! Seriously, it was cool getting to shake Duane Eddy's hand, and tell Bob Taylor how much I enjoy his guitars and his new book, Guitar Lessons, which I had just finished reading. The best part was to look over and see Doyle surrounded by his family and a room full of greats...all there to honor him. Doyle always honors the Lord, he always honors the military, guitar players, music lovers and even little ol' me, but this night was something extra special. Everyone there got to return a little bit of that honor to a man who had given so selflessly to so many. It was an honor all its own to be among the warm, friendly faces in the room there to congratulate their friend...my friend.

Finally, I now get to Doyle's book, The Lights of Marfa, and it is a wonderful read. It is one amazing story after another of a man who has the gift to see God's hand at work in his life and in the lives of others. He calls these God moments "lights" and likens them to the strange and beautiful phenomenon he witnessed in the desert one night in Marfa, Texas. The book has made me reflect on my own Lights of Marfa moments. And as I reflect, I see those lights even more numerous and more clearly, and I know they are from God. Doyle is one of those lights in my life, or maybe he's just a reflection of an even greater light. I've seen God at work in him, and I can say I've longed to be closer to the Lord for what I've seen. May that be said of us all.

Arizona Adventure - October 16 - 24, 2010

It was Nathan's first plane ride, and the first time I've flown with my family. We departed Charlotte in the early afternoon, and Nathan's face was a mixture of excitement, and maybe a touch of anxiety, as the front landing gear gently pulled upward and the objects through the window became a passing blur. I knew the feeling because it all brought back my first flight from Atlanta to Utah at age 16. I know we've had a hundred years of flight, but there still seems to be something slightly unnatural about the whole thing. Nathan's nervousness quickly shifted to awe as he watched the Appalachian hillsides grow distant to resemble familiar scenes from Google Earth. Our first layover was in Dallas, and it surprised me at how quickly we arrived. We had dinner at TGIF in the terminal, and browsed the shops until time for our connection to Phoenix.

When we arrived, I looked down to note that my watch was now three hours off. We had just made a mad dash to catch the racing sunset, and had apparently just missed it. We were met at the airport by Bobbi's Dad, Bill, whom we all call Papa, and his wife, Nita. Then it was off to their home in Sun City just North of town. The ruggedly beautiful scenery of Phoenix and surrounding area would have to wait for the light of day the next morning.

We awoke early the next morning, or at least early for those living in Phoenix. The first thing I noticed was the back patio and yard. There was no grass to be seen, and the trees were well manicured orange trees. I sat out on the patio and had morning coffee, while we marveled at the hummingbirds, jack rabbits, cacti and rocks that defined the landscape. Bobbi, Nathan, Kristin and Papa joined me, map in hand, and proceeded to plan out our excursions for the next few days. Nathan entertained one and all with his ventriloquist dummy, Danny O'Day, and the rest of the day was pretty restful with only a brief trip to the local mall on the schedule.

Grand Canyon Day: The next morning we awoke and got our bags ready for an overnighter. When we left town the first thing I noticed were the mountains and giant suguaro cacti. Not yet out of town, and a coyote crossed the highway in front of us. I must confess that at 44 years old, not a whole lot of things make me feel the excitement I felt over adventures when I was a young, but this sensory bombardment was bringing back the magic. I was a kid again, and I will treasure that. Surprise was the order of the day; I had no idea what to expect. I'd always thought of Arizona as the place where Wile E. Coyote chased the roadrunner against a repeating backdrop of orange and red mesas, but that naive misconception was about to change. We started our ascent just a few miles out of town, and before we knew it, we were at 3000 feet and climbing. Our ears were popping, and the suguaro were no longer to be seen. In less than an hour we'd gone from rocks and cactus to trees and grassland. The mountains were impressive, rocky and imposing, and not just for a few miles, but for the entire trip. We continued to climb until suddenly there was a break in the mountains revealing an overlook into a valley. I could see for miles and the view was breathtaking. We drove further until I saw a brown National Monument sign for the Montezuma Castle. This site features the remains and ruins of the cliff dwelling Sinagua (Si-nah-wah) indians. They carved these homes into the high cliffs above, and came down to farm the lower lands each day. No one knows where they came from or where they went, but they disappeared about 700 years ago. These ruins were at least that old, and they were amazing. I stood there just gazing at this would be cover of a National Geographic in awe and great admiration for this lost people. I bought Papa the senior discount card for $10, and it turned out to be the best investment I could've possibly made. It got us into every National Park and monument at no extra charge! We saved $10 bucks right away and another $25 later that day. We were all impressed with the unplanned stop, and the historic and scenic treasure we'd just witnessed. From there we took a road west off of Hwy 17N towards Sedona. Everyone had told us to visit, but we really didn't know why. Honestly, I wanted to go because my favorite guitarist, Doyle Dykes, thought so much of the place that he named his signature amp, Sedona. Hey, if Doyle thought that much of it, well, let's just say I was sold sight unseen. We drove for a piece and then we rounded the curve. Wow. The first landmark we saw was of the Bell Rock framed on each side by these incredible red rock monuments. To say they're amazing is an understatement. I'd seen them in westerns, but now I was there looking up at them. The mountains just came one after another. We could see the layers of strata, the red clay looking almost like chocolate at times, towering above us in all directions. We found a great place to have lunch and just take in the scenery through the large picture window. From Sedona, we drove into Oak Creek Canyon and high up into the mountains. We stopped at an overlook near the top, and saw a tarantula as soon as we got out of the car. Papa, in an effort to get it to move tossed a stick at it. I felt the need to protect it, which might seem a bit odd beings I'm an exterminator and all. Some local Indians had craft tables set up at the overlook. There was some controlled burning going on in the canyon below, so it made for an interesting view. Once out of Oak Creek Canyon, we made the remaining trip to the Grand Canyon without delay in order to see it before sunset. We saw signs for elk and mountain lions, and I was surprised at the drive through a forest not unlike the mountains of Tennessee. We arrived at the visitor center, but still couldn't see the canyon. The temperature was probably 20 degrees cooler, and none of us were really dressed for it. We walked down to the nearest overlook, and words really don't do it justice. I was a bit overwhelmed. I couldn't really wrap my head around what I was seeing. It was like looking at a giant painting, or at least that's the best way I can describe. We took the bus and rode over to another point to watch the sunset, and it was beautiful. We drove back to Flagstaff for the night, and tried to process all we'd seen and done.
  .

I could live in Flagstaff. The next morning we left the Super 8 and headed for a site called the Sunset Crater Volcano. But even before we got out of town, I was amazed to see the San Francisco Peaks in the hovering distance. They were rugged near the bottom, yellow with Fall aspen up the sides and capped with snow and clouds. They rise over 12,000 feet. Could we really still be in Arizona? We found our loop to Sunset Crater and had to stop just to take more pictures of the peaks. 

Down the road the landscape took on a radical change as I recognized and old lava field from an eruption hundreds of years ago. The ground turned black with ash as we came to the base of this young volcano. I hadn't seen anything like this since climbing the slopes of Mt Etna in Sicily about 9 years ago, and those lava flows were only a year old at the time. From there we followed the loop to the Wupatki National Monument. This was another Sinaguan site, and it's amazing how it's resisted the passage of time so well. There are no houses closing in, and the only scenery from the site is the surrounding red hills and distant Painted Desert. We spent nearly two hours wandering the site and exploring the details before completing the loop at the Walnut Canyon National Monument. Walnut Canyon also featured some spetacular Sinaguan indian cliff dwelling sites, but you really have to want to see them to get to them. Nathan and I was up for the adventure, so we hiked about a half mile down into the canyon. Along the way, there were more than a few sheer cliff drops and some fantastic ruins. Nathan and I was huffing and puffing on our way back up, but it was truly worth the trek into the canyon. From there, we were off to our final adventure of the day.

Apparently billions, and billions of years ago... but seriously, more like thousands of years ago, a giant meteorite slammed into the desert near Winslow, and rocked the western world. It left a crater nearly 1 mile in diameter, and it is the best preserved meteorite crater on planet Earth. Impressed yet? Bobbi, Nathan and I took a hike out on the rim and received a detailed presentation by Eduardo on the geology, vegetation and recent history of the crater. Eduardo is latino if you didn't gather by the name, so now everyone can just rest easy knowing that if one is latino AND legal, then he is welcome to have one of the coolest jobs in all of Arizona. Providing, of course, he's as good a guide as Eduardo. Anyway, I had always wanted to go see this lesser known giant hole in the ground in Arizona ever since I saw Star Man starring Jeff Bridges back in the '80s. It was well worth the extra 80 miles to see it. The rest of the evening was spent driving back through Flagstaff, down the mountains and back to Phoenix. The sunset on our way back down was unforgettable.

Wednesday was uneventful apart from a couple of rounds of putt-putt courtesy of Papa. Nathan had never played putt-putt before, so it was a real treat letting him learn from his Papa. It was very relaxing, but then we did need the rest after that exciting two-day adventure. Thursday, we drove down to Tucson to visit Papa's sister, Pat, and catch in some local Tucson sites. Pat is an absolute joy. Because she lives so far away and is about 78 years old, I had never met her in all of my 25 years of marriage to Bobbi. That is a shame. Her grandkids call her "Grandma Giggles," and it's obvious to anyone who meets her just why she deserves such a lovely nickname. We were all just taken with her pleasant sense of humor and amused at how she made a 12 mile drive feel like 40. The desert landscape and mountains were so lovely, that we didn't mind the slow drive at all. She drove us out to Colossal Cave where we took the cavern tour. I think it's fair to say that calling this cave "colossal" might be overselling it just a tad. Spelunking was another first for Nathan, but the cave smelled like an old tennis shoe, and almost all of the formations were broken off. Still, the Sonoran Desert just right outside made the trip worthwhile. We drove past the Rincon and Catalina mountain ranges, and saw one of the most remarkable sunsets of my life! You'll have to read to the end to see a photo of it, but just know that pictures really don't even come close to capturing the fire in the sky we experienced that evening.

We rested up again on Friday before venturing back up the mountains towards Sedona again on Saturday morning. On the way we toured another Sinaguan site called Tuzigoot National Monument. It was incredible, but by now we were expecting incredible. It was nice that it didn't disappoint. We posed for pictures and walked the ruins before heading back to Sedona. We did a little shopping in town and ate at a Cowboy themed restaurant for lunch. The town was dotted with painters taking part in a Plein Aire event. Once I'd found a gift for my Mom and the Navaho pottery that I had pictured in my head, we headed back toward 17N again. Our last stop of the day was the Montezuma Well. You guessed it; a Sinaguan cliff dwelling (or as Kristin calls it, "cwiff dwelling") site that sits high above a collapsed cavern filled in with mineral water from below. Nathan and I ran ahead to scout out the site out, while Kristin and Bobbi, probably all Sinaguan-ed out by now, took a more leisurely approach.

The next morning came early. We had to be at the airport by 4:30am for our Phoenix to Detroit flight. We finally got back to Charlotte later in the afternoon after losing those 3 hours from Phoenix.

I've commented before on the passage in the Bible, Romans 1:20, on how God, and I paraphrase, reveals Himself to His creation through His creation. I can't help but feeling a little closer to Him after seeing so much more of His artwork on this trip. The whole world does indeed proclaim His glory, and so do I.

Silver Anniversary

October 11th, 1985 - It had only been 13 days since I'd turned 19 years old, but there I was, putting on a black sports coat I'd borrowed from my brother, Donnie. I'd rented a white shirt and cumberbund from the formal shop, and I was trying to make my pieced together outfit look like a tux. It didn't, but I'm not sure I was aware of it at the time. There were so many things missing from a day such as this. There were no candles or music...no glowing church aisle lined with flowers, no cake, and almost completely absent was the shared joy that such an event typically inspires from family and friends. Despite all of the missing elements, we had one precious thing that has proven so rare in our time. It is written that when two or more are gathered in the name of Jesus, He is in their midst. We started our lives together with the most honored of Guest...the Lord, Himself.

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Today marks 25 years since that humble beginning. When I look back at this piece of life, I'm overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. Bobbi and I have spent an Air Force career together that moved us to Nebraska, Texas, Georgia, and Charleston, SC. We've known the joys of bringing three children into the world in three of those four states. We've watched with pride as our daughter, Kristin, has grown into a beautiful lady with the sweetest of hearts. We've shared the anguish upon learning that our son, Marcus, would never speak due to his severe autism. Dealing with the challenges of his autism has had a profound, life-changing effect on us individually, and as a couple. Still, I'm grateful for the perspective the experience has taught us. We learned how to love without having that love returned, we learned patience and humility, and we learned how to lean on each other, and most importantly, how to lean on Jesus. Out of hardship, we reaped precious benefit, and a shared life with one of the sweetest of God's children. When we learned of Nathan's autism, we were encouraged not to fear, because we personally knew by experience the One who has numbered our days and carefully ordered our steps. And, what a joy and blessing he has been to our lives. God has given me so much through him. I've written so many blogs about the times spent with him in father-son outings and the like. The three of them have bound us wonderfully together, filling our lives with joy and shaping our hearts.

Finally, I offer these words as a tribute to that beautiful soul that has become such a part of me as to be indistinguishable from my very own self. Bobbi is truly flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone. It is not because of my wisdom in choosing a mate, that I have such a beautiful, loving and God-honoring wife, but by God's grace alone. God knew me while I was yet in my mother's womb, and he knew me when I thought I could make a sports coat and bow tie look like a tux. :) He chose this woman for me before I was born into this world, and I thank God for her and for the life He has given me. To not make this anniversary a tribute to Him, would be most unfitting. For Bobbi, my wife of 25 years, I celebrate and give thanks.

From Proverbs 31:

10 Who can find a virtuous woman?

for her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her,

so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh wool, and flax,

and worketh willingly with her hands.
14 She is like the merchants' ships;

she bringeth her food from afar.
15 She riseth also while it is yet night,

and giveth meat to her household,

and a portion to her maidens.
16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it:

with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength,

and strengtheneth her arms.
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good:

her candle goeth not out by night.
19 She layeth her hands to the spindle,

and her hands hold the distaff.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor;

yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household:

for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22S he maketh herself coverings of tapestry;

her clothing is silk and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,

when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it;

and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25 Strength and honour are her clothing;

and she shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom;

and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household,

and eateth not the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praiseth her.
29 Many daughters have done virtuously,

but thou excellest them all.
30Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain:

but a woman that feareth the LORD,

she shall be praised.