Remedy for Wandering Thoughts in the Worship of God

After moving to Utah and starting a new job I quickly began to have terrible times of private and public worship. In private worship my mind would dart all over the place, mostly back to work. In public worship my heart would easily harden and forfeit the grace available in assembled worship.

Through a bookstore sale I picked up a copy of A Remedy for Wandering Thoughts in the Worship of God. This old puritan work lives up to its title. It's not lengthy by puritan standards but brims with remarkable analogies and pointed statements that deeply convict and then comfort.

If you struggle to keep focused during worship, seek out the remedy here.

Family Vacation and Faith's Birthday

We hit the road last week enjoying Utah's summer adventure town, Moab, and then down to the Jemez mountains near Santa Fe for a couple days of camping with friends. Along the way, Faith turned five!

Just north of Moab is the Arches National Park; the shaded Sand Dune arch is tucked away inside a slot canyon and was the favorite place in the park to play.


The balanced rocks have inspired countless Road Runner cartoons.


They've also inspired some man-made rock-balancing.


I took the older children on a half-day white water rafting trip down the Colorado River. Here's Eli and Grace embarking.


Isaiah enters the river with a little more flair.


After Moab, we continued heading south for some camping; along the way we stopped at Four Corners for the traditional photo.


That evening we ascended into the Jemez Mountains (about 8,000 ft) and enjoyed friendship and fellowship with our church family from Albuquerque.


They even remembered Faith's birthday and presented her with a cake; but she's still a bit shy and tried to hide from the attention in my shirt.


Birthday presents have a way of drawing her out though.


It was a great trip and wonderful to see our friends in New Mexico again.