The Ohio River...

The Ohio River at dusk, from the Twin Bridges at Henderson, KY

Great novels have been written about men and the sea - and I totally get that - having been raised within walking distance of the Pacific Ocean. The draw to it's beauty, the lull of it's rhythmic waves, the pull of it's tides - it's all beautiful!

Then thrust me into an area south in Florida (or farther!) where the waters are the  most beautiful of blue-green, and translucent, like glass, as they tumble lazily on the shorelines of whisper-white sands... oh, this is relaxation at it's best!

So why am I so amazed (again) at the pull of this silent, dirty, seemingly ugly river, The Ohio, that slugishly moves along from Pittsburgh, PA and spills itself into the Mississippi River. There's nothing lovely about it in of itself. When it reaches this part of Western Kentucky it's muddy, filled with yuck (and worse) from all the industry and cities along it's banks. There's not a beautiful color to it, although it's darkness reflects the sky wonderfully, and in stormy weather it takes on the colors of a threatening sky, white caps blowing upstream. There is even something wonderful about watching the barges navigate The River, carrying coal (and other things, I suppose) under it's mats or laying on top, sometimes so many boats run together it is amazing to see them move so swiftly together. I'm thrilled to watch them go through the locks along The River too, men running back and forth, from barge to barge, manipulating these monsters through the slim canals.

What is NOT a surprise, is how, at sunset, it reflects the perfect blue sky tainted with God's handiwork. It's unmistakable. There's something about this place that captures the bluest of blue at dusk, as if God ordained it to become lovely then, and the darkness of The River captures the hues of the painted sky, and mimics it across the river.

That's when I love it most. As if it's doing best, what God created it to do. Not creating commerce, or filtering toxins, or providing recreation, or city water. It's reflecting the handiwork of God.

I want to do that too!

May I NEVER forget to worship The Creator - and give Him ALL glory for the created...the work of His hands, His mind, His will...