I want to base this writing off of “Lamentations 3:23 NLT
[23] Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”

In a season of less Wilderness, we have still been blessed with nature’s beauty, a lesson of patience for Wilder places, and a healthy growing marriage, and last but not least….a young beautiful baby boy!

My Wife Jessica and I recently moved to the Hampton Roads area.  An area that is more urban than rural and known as America’s Historic Triangle.  It boasts the original settlement sites of Europeans in the Americas and the home where the Declaration of Independence was signed.  Along with Revolutionary War battle sites and much more.  Along with this incredible history are a slew of cities and urban communities, situated right along the edge of many waterways that lead from rivers and the ocean.  Many urban and city parks, as well as county parks, feature trails or have a lake or waterway.  For Jessie and me, it has been a hard transition from living on the edge of the Grand Canyon to living in an urban area.  The struggle for me has been to accept and recognize the natural beauty of this area.  To be okay with living in a place I don’t want to live and work in a Park that feels far from the Wilderness I hold so dear…. Though dual career couples deal with these things a lot, I must simply look harder for the natural world.

God has taught Jessie and I many lessons this season so far, one of the most important comes from “Lamentations 3:23 NLT …. That each morning we have the opportunity to accept and acknowledge God’s mercies and miracles each day in our lives.  To truly see what he has blessed us with in each season.  To find the wilderness place in all seasons.  One of these places for us was Chickahominy Riverfront Park in Williamsburg Virginia.

Chickahominy Riverfront Park

Jessie and I visited her when we were close to full term in our pregnancy with our now son Brae.  The Chickahominy River captivated us with its quiet allure….  From the moment we drove into the park, we realized this is one of the oases that Hampton Roads has to offer… A way of escape from the hustle and bustle to which we had just moved.  It was not Wilderness but simply nature, a less touched piece of land.  Without the mercies of God, discovering this place would not have been possible. Jess and I lit a campfire and breakfast for dinner was cooked on the fire.  Eggs are a smoky dejour if you will.

Our evening was quiet and the loudest moment was a branch falling from a tree next to our camp, a moment that pierced our minds and stole our peace for a brief moment.  Though only until we allowed God’s peace back into our moment and camp.

Water Mill Park Park

Another beautiful moment that Jessie and I experienced in the hustle and bustle of Hampton Roads was Water Mill Park.  Well into our pregnancy, we were bound by not traveling farther than 2 hours from our delivery hospital.  Because of this, mountains were out of the picture.  So we chose a Fall hike in Williamsburg.  It was quiet and the colors grabbed us.  The trees were calm and our walk was therapeutic.  Not Wild but reminiscent of Wilderness.  A reprieve by God’s mercy from the loud city next door.

I am learning here to be thoughtful for what is in front of me.  Not just what is behind and ahead of me.

-Sky