“When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.”
– Carl Boberg, translated by Stuart Hine
Proverbs 3:27 says, “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” In its immediate context it is speaking of repaying or returning to your neighbor what you owe them. But if you’d allow me a bit of poetic license, I’d like to offer a meditation on something that is not only good, but lovely, excellent, and beautiful. I would hate to be found guilty of withholding this from you, when it is within my power to act. Of course I’m talking about Yosemite!
Yosemite National Park is known as the crown jewel of the Sierra Nevada range, as well as the crown jewel of the National Park system, along with Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. Seeing is believing! The Yosemite Valley Floor, at the heart of the national park, affords spectacular views of such iconic landmarks as the Half Dome and El Capitan granite monoliths, Yosemite and Bridal Veil Falls, the Merced River and the Tunnel View lookout. Day hikes of varying lengths from the Valley Floor bring you to the iconic Vernal and Nevada falls, Half Dome summit, Glacier Point, Upper Yosemite Falls, Mirror Lake, and Tenya Creek.
If you went to Yosemite by yourself and enjoyed even a few of these landmarks, you’d consider it a trip worth making (4.28 million visited last year). Better still, however, is to share the experience with family, friends, or both! Carrie’s and my families grew up making annual pilgrimages to the Yosemite Family Encampment, a woodsy lectureship featuring Bible classes, hiking, worship services, river rafting, evening devotionals, and bike rides. It was like a giant church family reunion with lots of shared meals and plenty of free time. It was where Carrie and I first remember meeting. As our own daughters were growing up, we made at least ten Yosemite trips with my sister’s family, always sharing adjacent campsites. I wish I had a way to tally the aggregate family joy we’ve experienced in Yosemite since my parents started going in their 20s.
In addition to numerous family trips, I’ve been making “guy trips” to Yosemite. About fifteen years ago I came to the realization: Yosemite is my Disneyland, a place I joyfully return to and never grow tired of (cheaper, too!). Since then, I’ve gone to Yosemite fall and spring, enjoying its sights and sounds with a variety of friends. Around 2021, Doug Hurley and I merged individual fall trips into a guys Yosemite trip, where we are this weekend.
Lest you think this is just a self-indulgent piece about something Andy loves (that too!), I’d remind you that I’m trying to “not withhold good from those to whom it is due.” What kind of minister would I be if I hid from you the place where prayer is just a local call, where my wife was baptized as a teen, where my spirit has been renewed countless times, and where my faith in our Creator has been transformed?! Yosemite is THE place I picture when we sing the second verse of the hymn “How Great Thou Art” (see above). Yosemite is good for your body, your nervous system, your psyche, your mental health, and your soul! If you’ve never experienced it, I encourage you to go soon. God will meet you there!
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