Monday, October 22, 2007


This is me on a huge boulder overlooking the river leading into the canyon. West Virginia has been having a terrible drought, along with many other Eastern Coast states, with the river been nothing but a tiny stream. The waterfall you see in the picture is all that is left of the Blackwater River. It would usually be so full that Tony, the friend who took this picture, would be engulfed with water and the boulder that I am sitting on would be under water about half way.
We went to Blackwater Falls WV, a state park near Davis, West Virginia. There are more cool pictures on facebook. We went on top the biggest water fall they had, about 57 feet, found this one just by randomly taking a side trail and we found another one when we heard it and then went off the trail to go find it. This was a very sweet trip with a lot of hiking, climbing rock faces, crossing rivers by jumping across stones (with Steve slipping and falling into the river every time he tried to cross. Finally, he gave up and just waded across to the other bank where Tony and I were, it was very funny). We weren't suppose to have any campfires due to the drought but did anyways; what's camping without a camp fire? Besides we made sure that the flame wasn't TOO high. It was nice to get away from the city and school and stuff to go into the mountains where you see all the trees changing colors with fiery reds, luscious yellows, and extravagant oranges. It was good to be able to think about everything that's been happening, dealing with all the junk of ODU life.
This one place we hiked to called the overlook was just amazing. You were literally on top the mountain looking down in the canyon, seeing the river and the mountains surrounding the river. Very awesome, with some amazing clouds to just top it off. When we first got there, there was a group of college kids reading the bible and talking about it; I believe it was Psalms, not quite sure but sounded like the descriptive imagery that Psalms generally has for God and His creation. It was cool to see that and to hear it. Kind of wished I had talked to them about it, get in on some fellowship, to be apart of that once again.
We liked the overlook so much that we went back that night, being Saturday night, and man just as awesome at night during the day. Stars galore! Haven't seen that many stars in a long while; saw a couple shooting ones as well. I even read the Bible! No way! I actually had time to do it, and the motivation. Read the first three chapters, over those three days, of 1st John. I heard from a trusted source that was the "love" book so I decided to take a look. Never read it before. So far, I can see why it is the love book, and I'm enjoying it immensely. I'm getting a lot of it which is good. Chapter 3 really stuck out for me especially verses 11-19, especially this one, verse 17:
"But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?"

In this passage the "him" at the end of the sentence, is that referring to the brother that has the world's goods and shuts up his heart or is that the brother who is in need? I read it as the brother who is in need; as in if the one that shuts his heart up to the brother in need than the brother in need will not know the love of God, it won't abide in him. But take it as you will, don't be afraid to let me know or read the whole chapter and let me know what you think. Good book nonetheless.

Good trip; hopefully go on one of those again soon some time. Hope everyone else's weekends were cool. Be glad to hear about it :)