And See Yourself Running With Them: Danford Island Park

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"Dwell on the beauty of life.

Watch the stars, and see yourself

running with them."

- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

This landscape was commissioned as a wedding gift - this is Danford Island Park, where the bride and groom were engaged.

Danford Island Park has such a wonderful history - this sweet little park, snuggled along the Grand River in a small mid-Michigan community, was once the site of little more than a crumbling, outmoded dam. Thanks in large part to community support and a dedicated fundraising team, what started as a derelict eyesore became a perfect site for nature walks, boat launches - and engagements!

I think that's a great metaphor for the life journeys that we all undertake - a marriage, a new job, or even just a new day. I hope that we all see opportunities where others see eyesores - and dedicate ourselves to making the world just a little better wherever we go.

If you look very closely in the ripples in the water, you can see some of the bride and groom's favorite Bible verses hidden in the river's current. Here is one that I picked to add to the collection:

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
- ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭21