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The Beauty of Banff

The Beauty of Banff

In the aftermath of all the trials and traumas of the past month, my family decided it would be wise to take a brief vacation, an opportunity to regroup, to consider the way forward. With most destinations completely or functionally closed to us, we set out for the province of Alberta, one of only four places in the world we could visit without quarantining on the way in or out. We spent most of our time exploring Banff National Park, though we also made some forays to a couple of other nearby national and provincial parks. As always, I had my camera with me and thought I’d share just some of the wintery beauty of Banff.

We all found the time helpful. Though in a sense it was a kind of procrastination before getting back to real life, it was also a time to appreciate beauty, to appreciate God’s handiwork in creation, to remind ourselves of his power and majesty. With most tourists locked in their own countries, it was also hauntingly empty most of the time, which I admit, somewhat selfishly, was like a dream come true to me. (We had a morning at Lake Louise, one of Canada’s top tourist spots, where we were literally the only people there.) Sometimes I would go to a spot in the morning and sit there for two hours by myself with not a single person to be seen or heard. That solitude was a blessing all its own.

Anyway, if you are interested, you can watch the slideshow below, or view the photo gallery here. (I expect those who receive the email will need to click through.)


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    The Most Neglected Element of Worship

    There are some elements of public worship that receive a great deal of attention. These elements are taught, practiced, rehearsed, and perfected until they are as good as they can be. In most churches, this includes the music, of course, and often the preaching. Why do these receive so much attention?

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    A La Carte (May 20)

    The pastor who refuses to back down / The missionary with Ebola / Why we don’t trust pastors / Rushing our quiet times / The other side of seminary / The remedy, the problem, and the church / Why we need to interpret the Bible / Kindle deals / and more.

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    A La Carte (May 19)

    The wrong lessons from the latest scandal / The blessing of being forgotten / If your chatbot offers prayer / Have tongues ceased? / Consider the small town / Thinking Christianly about complex topics / Book releases / and more.

  • Off the Hook

    God Doesn’t Ask You To Let Him Off the Hook

    There are many ways that human beings can display our pride and arrogance toward God. There are many ways that even those of us who love him can display that we think we know better than he does. There are many ways we can behave with conceit, but perhaps never more so than when we…

  • mon 3

    A La Carte (May 18)

    I am not enough for my kids / The dangerous days past middle age / Are you filled with the Spirit? / Give away lots of money / The best way to resist temptation / A year with Pope Leo / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Works and Wonders May 17

    Works & Wonders (May 17)

    Works & Wonders features Nate Bargatze vs. Beyoncé, Eric Church & Jonathan Haidt, houses for €1, “Gone Away with a Friend,” hymn sings, a Sunday devotional, and more.