Spooner Lake was born in the early 1920's as a water reservoir. It has evolved over time to became a pristine wild-life sanctuary on the north-east corner of Lake Tahoe. You can find it at the intersection of State Route 28 and US 50. For many the hike around Spooner Lake is an easy, first-time Sierra hike. For me it has become a beloved early-morning, "Worship Walk." Often when I am visiting Tahoe I will get up with the dawn and head on over to take a quick 2-mile hike around the lake. It is a great way to acclimate to the higher altitudes and to keep in shape for the more strenuous hikes we take through out the region. More than that though these early morning walks have become for me a sweet time of solitude where I can re-orient my heart toward the things of my Maker.
Earlier this week Anthony and I got up early one morning and headed over to Spooner; he to train with a four mile run and me to "warm up" with a brisk two mile walk around the lake. I started the walk with my ipod, listening to some of my favorite worship music. But then, half-way through the walk I thought, "Why am I listening to recorded music when I could hear God's very creation singing their worship to him." So, I turned off the ipod and turned on my "listening ears." I prayed and asked the Lord to show me the wonder of His creation and creations response to Him. I thought about the verses in the Bible that speak of creation praising God...Psalm 148, "Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies,' Psalm 19, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands," Isaiah 55:12, "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands," Psalm 66:4, "All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name," And so many others!
As I thought of these verses the wind rose, the aspen leaves quaked, the chickadees sang love songs to their mates, the Canadian geese honked at their babies. It seemed as if all of creation joined in a symphony of praise to their maker. I couldn't help but think of the extravagance of God's love; He who gave us eyes to see glorious colors and light and mist and the clouds veiling the face of the moon, He who gave us ears to hear the chirp of a cricket and the splash of a trout as it jumps to catch its breakfast, and He, who gave us NEW LIFE and transformed our hearts so that instead of rejecting Him and all of His ways as would be our nature we are now able to embrace all that He intends for us and accept with grateful hearts the pouring out of His mercy and grace.
Worship-fully I walk around this treasured little lake and add my praise to that of all creation.
This layout is a compilation of photos I've taken at Spooner over the years: