Sinsinawa Mound Center in rural Wisconsin

Today our God's Redemptive Mission class got to go to Sinsinawa Mound, a Dominica Sisters convent just inside Wisconsin. We got about three and a half hours to spend away from our studies doing whatever we wanted to do to connect with God. It was wonderful. I spent most of the time on hiking trails enjoying nature. I made a couple phone calls to connect with people I'd been thinking about, and did a little prayer coloring (no, I'd never done that before). Several of the things I experienced I'm not going to share, because either I don't want to or time is too short (I still have reading and paper to write tonight), but I want to share a few things.

First, I saw a cute little blue butterfly and I wanted to take a picture but it wouldn't hold still with its wings open. After a minute or two trying, I gave up and just enjoyed looking at it. A minute or two later, I saw a huge, beautiful yellow butterfly (pictured). So, I realize that if I'd taken the time to capture the first, I may have missed the one that was more beautiful. There's a lesson in that.

Second, I was thinking about how when people do landscaping (not me because I don't do much landscaping) we tend to pick all the pretty parts of nature and arrange them just right based on what we think looks the best. Outside in the woods, in real nature, things are much more of a mess. There are beautiful flowers and insects and other lovely things, but there are also rotting trees, giant limbs that block the path, piles of brush, etc. That stuff isn't so pretty, and isn't as appreciated, but the mess is also natural and necessary. It's real. Reminds me that sometimes life is messy too, and that's natural and necessary as well.

Third, the trail I was on ran alongside a county road at one point and there was a driveway. The driveway had ominous signs saying "Private Property: NO Trespassing", but the gates were all open. In John 10:9-10 Jesus says, "I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." Because of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, all who believe can go in where it formerly said "NO Trespassing". The gate is wide open for access to full and abundant life!

It was a wonderful day. The weather was great; a little warm, but in the shade of the trees, it was really nice. Thank you, God, for all your many blessings!

A little mandala I colored while praying for a loved one.