My Valentine

There was once a good King, how ruled justly over His Kingdom, and all that He had made. He admired beautiful sunsets, heard the wind praising Him as it blew through the trees, and reveled in the majesty of the mountains as they towered over the plains. The great King also watched His people as they went about their daily lives. He saw babies being born, and farmers tending their fields.

Sadly though, the King did not see people following the laws He had given them. People were worshiping idols instead of their one true King. They did not keep the Sabbath holy, and were not respecting the name of the King. Marriage was not treated as the sacred sacrament it was meant to be. Murder had become the norm among the people. Stealing was common among the market, and the sacred temple was treated as a den of thieves.

The King realized something had to be done. The punishment for sin, breaking one or more of the Commandments, was punishable by death without exception. Yet the King loved His people, and wanted to give them a chance at Redemption. The King thought about this, and realized there was only one thing to do. He would send His Son to earth, to teach the people how to live in peace, how to follow God's laws, and how to live forever in Heaven with Him.

The King's Son of course deserved to arrive in the highest palace, with robes of finest silk. He should be welcomed with palms and blankets before His feet, with people bowing before Him. But the King was a very wise King, and knew His Son needed to live humbly, to be a King for all people, from the shepherds to the richest wise men. So the day came, and the King's Son was born in a stable, in the cold, to two poor people in a foreign land.

The Son grew in favor with the King, and very soon He was teaching the Rabbis, and performing miracles. He cured the sick, told the lame to walk, and even raised the dead. His knowledge of sacred Scripture was mind-boggling. He had a group of followers, but nowhere to lay His head. He roamed the land, healing and teaching as He went. He told them they were to love the King, and to worship nothing else. They were to love their neighbor as themselves, the most important Commandment.

People soon realized this Son had a lot of power, as if He was the King himself. They soon grew fearful of Him, thinking He would take over their positions of power. The people decided to crucify the Son. They arrested Him, and tortured Him, before nailing Him to a Cross. The Son had been given a heart full of nothing but love, so before He died, He forgave his tormentors.

You would think the story ends here, but the King is an amazing King. After His Son died, He was in the grave for three days. The He rose from the dead. He was alive again! With this Resurrection, he offered all of the people forgiveness of sins, and life eternal in Heaven, exactly what His Father, the King, wanted all along. All the people had to do was believe in the Son, and ask Him into their hearts, where He can still live today. The Son is named Jesus, and for all of this that He has done for me, He is my Valentine!

Hiking pictures

We took the dogs out today to stretch their legs and get some fresh air. They love going to the state park and hike, it is puppy Disneyland. Here are the photos we took:
A small pine tree:

Peaceful stream

A downed tree

A fallen tree with moss and mushrooms

Ferns

Hiking Pictures 2

Here are the rest of the pictures from our day at the state park!

Josh hit this tree and said it sounded hollow:



It was!


My favorite photo:


hornet nest:


Sweet Pea found this stick in the water to be very dangerous:



I hope you enjoyed your day at the state park. Get out and hike!!

God Bless,
Chela