An Ongoing Process

I think we can all agree that sometimes we set the bar high for ourselves.  New Year's is the most typical time we do this.  I will go to the gym everyday! I will never fight with my sister! I will manage my time better! All are admirable, but rarely do these self-promises stick as we wish they would.  The desire to better oneself is not only present on New Year's day, the week, or maybe month after.  If we have the proper attitude, these standards are also present in our spiritual lives.

IF we're honest with ourselves, it becomes fairly obvious that the world we live in often works against the standards we set for ourselves. How many food or restaurant commercials do we see on TV? How many iPad games exist to suck up that "free time" in our schedules? My friends, the world works against us even in matters that are not matters of faith.   

Although the list is extensive and the variety of situations is vast, I would like to focus on one simple example that has been prevalent in my life the past week or so.
So I start with a confession.

A Leap of Faith

My view all week

Well my dears, sorry for the late post, but I was on the beautiful shores of Flathead Lake, Montana.  For those of you who haven't been that far west, I highly suggest it.  One of the most amazing parts of Montana are the colors. I've never seen so many shades of blue in the sky, the mountains, the lakes - especially Flathead Lake.  The other incredible natural aspect of Flathead was the weather.  Although the lake is in the northern part of Montana, it was a gorgeous humidity-free 90 degrees all week (aside from a 20 minute hail storm).  While I could go on endlessly about the beauty of the weather and landscape, I'll use a few pictures to do that and move on to what I did whilst in the "Big Sky Country".