David and I recently went up to Garibaldi for a couple days during my term break. This was what I most wanted to do on my break; I really needed the rest. God literally carried me through the last three terms, as he promised, and it was exhausting! I always feel at peace in the mountains and trees. I photosynthesize like a plant. God is the exuberant creator, and these praisers have been here for thousands of years. I wanted to go somewhere out of the city to camp so badly, and with only slight wavering trusted that God would provide. And provide He did: A vehicle to get us there (a classmate let us borrow her car without even directly asking her!) an extra day off work for David so we could spend more time in the mountains, amazing weather the whole time we were there, safety and protection with only a minor injury the last hike down, fresh, good food offered to us by other campers, and the most amazing, unexpected beautiful colour filled mountain meadows.
A good friend and mentor of mine once told me that God sees me as a mountain wildflower. This image has stayed with me for a long time, and continues to encourage and allure me. Hiking is extra special because of this. Although I don't feel particularly far from God ever, I had lately been thinking about my faults and shortcomings, and how inadequate and unfit for the righteousness and holiness of Heaven I am. I was feeling pretty...dull and dirty. I was totally unprepared for God's love to manifest so expansive and beautiful for me.
Our camp spot was 7.5 km up the in the mountains in a gorgeous meadow with tiny creeks and wild flowers. I was snapping photos like crazy! So much colour and life and beauty! The air smells different, the sounds are softer, so much green...There is nothing nothing like the wilderness! This is definitely a place I could meet with God!
We were hiking up Black Tusk on the second day when the path opened up into about an hour long mountain meadow. It actually stole our breath and we just stopped and said, "wow". As far as we could see the area was filled with wild flowers: indian paintbrush, sitka valerian, lupine, and many more:
There were creeks of fresh glacier water trickling down the mountain feeding the flowers and the friendly buzz of bees. I'd never been to an area that beautiful before.
The pictures don't do it justice, as they never do, but the real thing was such a real reminder for me of God's love-his specific and intentional love- towards me. He knows how to woo me, how to pull me in again when I get fogged up by the city and who He is to everybody else. 
God, may you make me a symbol so powerful. Amen.
