Category: Uncategorized

The Strength of the Mighty Redwoods

The northern California coast plays host to the world’s tallest and most majestic tree, the Redwood. Known for its enormous height and beauty, the secret to the strength of this giant can be traced to its extensive root system. Towering up to 350 feet, the Redwood’s root system is surprisingly shallow. Buried no deeper than 6 to 10 feet below these skyscrapers, you will find a convoluted network that travels for miles beyond each individual tree to intertwine into a sophisticated root system. Seldom if ever, will you find a Redwood by itself and if you do it won’t be standing for long. Each tree weighing in at nearly 500 tons, their intertwined roots provide the stamina and stability that enable these ancient landmarks to stand for millennia. With a lifespan of nearly 2000 years, the success and longevity of this kingly tree is a direct result of the tapestry of interwoven roots that connect with other Redwoods.

It’s interesting to point out that despite the shallow nature of these roots, in the sandy soil of California; these trees have survived for centuries not independently but collectively. Jesus often referred to nature to illustrate points in his teaching and the example of the Redwood is no different. Were we to pattern the network of Bible-believing Apostolics in the Michigan District of the A.L.J.C. after these hearty pines, we would soon realize that our strength doesn’t come with standing individually but as a unified body. The Apostle Paul stated that we are members of one body. Yes, we are miles away but even a shallow yet strong network of roots could provide us with the stability and stamina we hold in such high regard when we view the Redwoods of California.

With the advent of computers, email, pagers, and cell phones, we’re left with little excuse for not keeping in contact with one another. If we bind together, we too can stand as pillars of truth in this life and the life to come. Let us take to heart the lesson the Redwoods teach us; united we stand and divided we fall. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Yes, saint of God, let us build a strong network of love, prayer and support one for another and while distance may seem like an obstacle to you and me, God is everywhere present and nowhere absent. God bless you all.

Onward — RDM

July 5, 2008 – Smoky Mountain Knife Works then on to Hilton Head

We woke with the anticipation of officially heading towards the thrust of our vacation this year: Hilton Head Island. We woke to showers in hopes they would taper off by the time our started down the road. Now, no trip to Sevierville, TN is complete without stopping by the Mecca of all knife stores Smoky Mountain Knife Works 2320 Winfield Dunn Parkway Sevierville, TN 37876 Tel. 865-453-5871.

We initially made a trip there and spent roughly 2 hours, but we had to make one more pilgrimage there. Nathan wanted a knife with an “assist-open” feature. Typically, there is a spring in the mechanism that enables the user to “flick” the knife with your finger to open it. This is similar to a push-button feature found on switch blades, but is legal in most states. He settled on a Buck knife (about $70.00) and I too got a a couple of new knives. I’m fond of Gerber, SOG, Leatherman, Kershaw, Columbia River, and Buck knives.

  • Nate’s New “Buck Tempest” – See Pic HERE
  • My New “Buck X-Tract” – See Pic HERE
  • Plus several others

On our way out, we were stopped by a camera crew, it looked like a local Channel 10 News (WBIR) crew. They wanted to know if the high gas prices effected our travel plans. Of course, it did impact our trip, but only in that we had to budget extra money to offset the fuel prices. They also asked us how we liked Tennessee and what kind of plans we had. I’m not sure if they’ll air the footage or not, but it was sort of cool being interviewed.

From there we spent about 8 hours getting to Hilton Head Island to check into our villa. I drove all the way with a few stops for lunch, gas, and bathroom breaks. We ran into some weather on the way. We had some difficulty getting into the actual resort area since it wasn’t on the GPS, but all in all it was a good trip. We’re getting about 24 MPG, travelling at about 70 MPH.

Gas prices throughout where we were travelling were from $3.87 up to $4.05. Still beats Michigan’s $4.20.