Tag Archives: nature

Hiking

Palm Canyon Trail

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Palm Canyon is said to have the highest concentration of California fan palms anywhere in the world.

Back when we lived in the Joshua Tree area, I loved hiking and blogging about new places I’d explore. At some point, I changed my blog address, and some of those early hiking blog posts were lost. I’m working on recovering those posts and adding them back in as fresh content on this site. I’ll post them as originally written, then add the date to the bottom of the post. I’ve also added a hiking page with a growing list of cool places I’ve hiked in Southern California and beyond. Here’s the first in a series of posts you’ll see over the next few days. This one was originally written on January 2, 2017…

I’ve done quite a bit of hiking in the Joshua Tree area, but today was my first hike in Palm Springs. I drove down to the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation and took a six mile round trip hike along the Palm Canyon Trail/Stone Pools. Weather was cool and overcast, with a slight breeze, making it the perfect day for a desert hike. Here are some favorite shots.

The Fan Palms are huge. As soon as you descend into the river bottom, you’ll find picnic tables, an Indian hut, rocks to climb, a creek bed, and a maze of palms.
Hikers aren’t the only ones who can enjoy the trails. Many are designated for equestrian use too.
Palm trees and snow peaks. You gotta love Southern California.
Far back down the canyon are the Palm Springs windmills.
About three miles up the Palm Canyon Trail are the Stone Pools. There was a moderate amount of water from our recent winter rains. This was a peaceful area and would be a great spot for a picnic.
“Teddy Bear” Cholla dot the landscape high above the canyon. These cacti almost seem to glow in the afternoon sun.

When taking any of the south Indian Canyon hikes, be sure to check out West Fork Falls near the Palm Canyon Trading Post.

(This hike was originally taken on January 2, 2017. Photo journal was reposted on my blog on July 24, 2026)

Sermons

Fatal Error

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For fifteen years, my family lived in Yucca Valley — north of Palm Springs in the high desert. The desert seems harsh and almost otherworldly at first. But as you get to know it, it takes on a striking beauty and serenity. I’ve shared on this blog over the years some of the desert hikes I enjoyed like Skull Rock, Johnny Lang Canyon, and Devil’s Punchbowl.

One of the things you have to get used to is how sharp everything is! The leaves of Joshua Trees are like spikes. Reptiles such as the horned lizard have a thick, spiny skin. Roadrunners have sharp beaks to penetrate their prey. And one cactus in particular is known for its extremely sharp thorns – the cholla cactus.

Cholla cactus, sometimes called “teddy bear” cholla, looks soft and fuzzy from a distance. But up close, you can’t miss the sharp, inch-long spikes. It’s even been called “jumping cholla” because you need only barely brush against it to have it latch on to your skin or clothes. Ouch!

When hiking near cholla cactus, be prepared to pick up little balls of cholla on your hiking boots. You have to be careful when removing it (preferably with tweezers or a pocket knife) or you could be in for a painful shock.

In Judges 2, God says some of the Canaanites and their idols would be permitted to remain in the land of Israel to poke against them. “You have not obeyed my voice…So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.” (Judges 2:2-3).

The idols of Canaan, like the barbs of a cholla cactus, would cause much pain and heartache. Much of the book of Judges describes the fulfillment of this curse. I preached through the Book of Judges last year at Calvary Church. In chapter two, we learned …

  • How Christians should respond to tragedy, such as the Palisades Fire we had just experienced
  • Who exactly is the “angel of the Lord”?
  • How apostasy can creep in to a local church
  • The Cycle of Sin we will see in the book of Judges
  • How God has shielded us from his own wrath through Christ

Here’s the audio:

Thanks for listening! For more sermons, please subscribe to my podcast or visit the sermon hub page on my blog.

Sermons

Salt and Light

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Most of my life, I’ve been interested in nautical things. I’m not exactly sure why. Maybe it’s because I grew up on the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline. Maybe it’s because I received a gift from my Aunt Shay of a carved captain figure that I always liked. Maybe it’s because my mom used to read me the classic story of Scuppers the Sailor Dog.

Some of the nautical stuff I’ve collected includes ships, sailors, and lighthouses. And of all the lighthouses, one of the most spectacular is the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in North Carolina.

First constructed in 1802, Cape Hatteras now stands 198 feet tall with its distinctive black and white spiral design. It is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States.

Dawson Carr in his book on the Cape Hatteras lighthouse poetically describes why this building was necessary. He says the Diamond Shoals of the Atlantic seaboard “waited there like a spider whose web ensnares the unwary who dare to pass too closely.” Only a lighthouse could help ships “stay safely away from this ship cemetery” (p. 32).

There’s no telling how many lives have been saved by the Cape Hatteras lighthouse over the last two hundred years.

I think of that lighthouse when I hear Jesus’ words in Matthew 5. “You are the light of the world…A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others.”

Just as a lighthouse prevents ships from coming too close to shore and running aground on dangerous shoals, so we are called to be salt and light, living distinctively from the world around us. That’s what Paul has in mind as he comes to the final chapter of his letter to the Colossians.

Several months ago, I preached on this passage at Calvary Church. Together, we learned…

  • How to develop the habit and mindset of prayer
  • How we can pray for one another
  • Trusting God when he closes a door
  • What to do when you’re surrounded by darkness
  • A challenge not to waste the precious time God has given us

The message has now been uploaded to my podcast and you can listen using this link:

Thanks for listening. For a complete list of sermons, please visit my sermon hub page.

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