the Mariposa Lily

In search of the Mariposa Lily........Yes I have gotten a little crazy about wildflowers here in the Rockies and more than a little ambitious about locating some of the more "exotic" ones. Thus the hike up the Carbonate Creek trail. It was on this trail that I would have my best chance at seeing the Mariposa Lily. So once on the trail our little hiking group, well at least three of us all of whom were ladies (I am not sure about the two males with us), looked and looked for the lily where it was suppose to grow. No Mariposa lily to be found.

But to our delight we did see Jon's goal.....the Mountain Goats. They are difficult to see in the wild because they inhabit the very tops of the mountains in the rocky terrain. I even bought Jon field glasses for Christmas in hopes that he could see these elusive white goats. As we ate our lunch in an alpine meadow surrounded by Elk Mountain and Mount Daly we were rewarded by seeing a couple of adult mountain goats and two little babies through the field glasses! Did I do good or what buying those for Christmas?

But no Mariposa lily.........So a couple of days later Starbuck (my yellow lab) and I were hiking up the Mike Lane road. Once we were above what I have named Hallelujah Point (because the view is such that I always shout out Hallelujah when I get there) along side of the road was ONE SINGLE MARIPOSA LILY! I started screaming and jumping around scaring Starbuck and yelling to no one because I was alone, It's the Mariposa Lily, it's the Mariposa Lily!

Now the interesting part is that this lily should not have been growing in that particular terrain according to my wildflower book. But there it was. I could not help but think that God gave me that special moment to behold this flower. You cannot imagine the gratitude and wonder that filled my heart upon seeing this flower!!!I know it may sound silly but for me it truly was a "God moment"!

O that I would have eyes that see! O that I would have a heart always open to God's handiwork all around. O that I would see not only His handiwork in nature but also His handiwork in the lives of the people I see everyday. This is my prayer! And I pray this prayer, in part due to the Mariposa Lily!