Beholding the GOD of my Skies

My Grandfather was a farmer in the Yakima area of Eastern Washington. There came a time when physically he and Grandma couldn't take care of the place and they came and lived with my mother in Western Washington in the woods.
Grandpa felt he was in prison by all the trees.
He was used to open fields and to be able see for miles in every direction.
"There is space for life in the open fields. But here you can't see nothing, how do you stand it?"
Growing up on Bainbridge Island in the woods I didn't know much about skies.
When I moved to Mexico for two years the skies and desert was the back drop of life.
Cloud formations were fascinating, sleeping outside on an army cot with my glasses on so I could just marvel at the stars are memories I will always cherish. Latter in Alaska it was the ocean, where I would fish 4 or 5 days a week in the summer, the skies played a huge role.
Here one is always reading the skies for they fortell what is heading your way. One trip I had a commercial pilot for guest. It was so interesting to have him read the skies and tell me what he could see.
In Alaska where we spend the summer, because of the constant rain we often see shafts of light that cut through the clouds. I have a childhood memory of such an event and thought most certainly that on this shaft of light Jesus was returning to earth.
Mountain top skies seem different. Up on top of an Alaskan mountain in the middle of summer it snowed on me. The weather seems to do it's own thing on a mountain top.
In Colorado on a Mountain top in my pup tent, the rain and lightning filled the sky and thunder so loud you could feel the ground shake. It was like I was right smack in the middle of battle field.
Jeeper Creepers I remember considering staying in the Sanican than my pup tent for it might be safer there.
Then of course there is the sunsets. One of my envies is of the commercial fishermen who get to watch the incredible orange, red, mauve sunsets spread across the ocean skies.
Many of them have photo collections of such displays.
Pelican sits in an inlet of water so we see only a slice, and often we comment, "can you imagine the sunset those fishermen are having tonight".

The skies to me is GOD having it his way. The great creator is ever creating.
In the book of Nahum there is a verse that says The Lord has his way in the whirl wind and the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
The skies are the constant reminder he is ever present, actively involved in every thing that is going on down here.
Over and over in the Bible GOD has said lift your eyes.
The skies for me, give the GOD perspective that yes, he is bigger than a bread box and that GOD who raises the sun, flips the star switch on at night, can make 100 mph winds and wisps of fog that shroud in clumps of trees on mountain sides is the same GOD that is inside me.
It is the "greater is he that is inside me, than he that is in the world" perspective.
The open skies, the mountain top perspective plays an important role in reflecting GOD to us.
Men, when they have great burdens will go for a walk, stand on a high point, look in the distance. Or at least in their mind look beyond themselves to he who is greater, our Heavenly father.
When excruciating trials hit, or sorrow of such intensity crushes our soul, inner anguish just takes all life from you. Lift your eyes, behold the one that has known and felt every tear you've ever shed. Every fear that has grieved you.
Look to the skies behold he is alive, he has not forgotten you.
Every molecule of who you are is ever before him. he is the one who restores life from sorrow.
In Mexico the rainfall is so little that it is truly a world of levels of dust.
Once the rain comes it floods the streets and all the dust and dirt is washed a way and it feels like the whole countryside has taken a bath.
In Pelican Alaska the boardwalk is washed clean, In Poulsbo Washington the pavement is washed clean.
Lord create in me a clean heart that lifts my eyes up to you. May I live beholding all you are!