Tablon
Hello all, once again. Just want to let everyone know that we made it back safely from our trip to Guayaquil. Thanks for praying for us. We also had a great time with the missionaries there and it was interesting to see the work there. I hope to post some pictures from our trip in the next few days or so. Sorry we didn't post anything while we were gone. We will be making up for it in the next few days.
The pictures I want to post on this blog are from a small day trip we took a couple of weeks ago. It was to another mountain called the Tablon (my o needs an accent mark, but you wouldn't know the difference unless you speak a little espanol). Anyways, Tablon means big table. It's kind of like a mesa that you would have in west Texas. We had a really nice time there. We went with Ramon and his family. He is the guy that has been helping us in some of the work and hopefully will continue to do so. Please pray for him and his family. We had a picnic up there and Ramon and I went on to climb the mountain as we were taking turns carrying his youngest son. It was such a beautiful place and it was great to get out in God's creation for a while to be reminded of God's power and grace.
Here are some pictures from this trip. This first one is of the Tablon itself. 
The next couple of pictures are from where we went to the top-well, not exactly to the top, but as high as we could go. We went right there to the edge of it and it was so windy by the edge.
In the background, is the Puntas, or the points. That will be another trip. I have heard that it takes a while to get up there.
This is a picture of Ramon and his family along with Christine.
Here is a picture of some llamas that we saw while we were up there. They were just so beautiful. They came running up to us and kind of stood around and I took some pictures of them.
Isaiah 44:21-23-"Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you.
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you."
Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.
This is a passage of scripture I read not too long after our trip to the Tablon and it struck me as very interesting. If you read Isaiah 44, which I encourage you to do so-it talks about idolatry and really the futility of it. The passage talks about how God and His power are real but that idols are only fake. One way Isaiah points out the futility of idols in this passage is that he gives an example of someone that would make an idol-he says, in summary, someone takes some wood and and makes an idol, with the rest of that wood, he burns it to make a fire to cook with or warm himself with-how foolish is that! The conclusion of this passage that really struck me as interesting (in the part that I highlighted in red) is that the things that people have taken to worship as idols or false gods are actively involved in the praise and worship of the Creator. These creations should not be worshipped, they only point to the worship of the One True God. This is what Psalm 19 talks about, verses 1-4-"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun," So, in the end, I encourage you to enjoy God in nature, in His creation and give him praise in it. Put him first in all things. As he is Lord of all creation, let him be Lord (boss) of your life. Notice the changes that follow. As I am talking about idolatry, I'm not just talking about a little carving of wood, I am talking about anything that would put itself in front of God...anything that would be more important in our lives than God.
The pictures I want to post on this blog are from a small day trip we took a couple of weeks ago. It was to another mountain called the Tablon (my o needs an accent mark, but you wouldn't know the difference unless you speak a little espanol). Anyways, Tablon means big table. It's kind of like a mesa that you would have in west Texas. We had a really nice time there. We went with Ramon and his family. He is the guy that has been helping us in some of the work and hopefully will continue to do so. Please pray for him and his family. We had a picnic up there and Ramon and I went on to climb the mountain as we were taking turns carrying his youngest son. It was such a beautiful place and it was great to get out in God's creation for a while to be reminded of God's power and grace.
Here are some pictures from this trip. This first one is of the Tablon itself. 
The next couple of pictures are from where we went to the top-well, not exactly to the top, but as high as we could go. We went right there to the edge of it and it was so windy by the edge.
In the background, is the Puntas, or the points. That will be another trip. I have heard that it takes a while to get up there.
This is a picture of Ramon and his family along with Christine.
Here is a picture of some llamas that we saw while we were up there. They were just so beautiful. They came running up to us and kind of stood around and I took some pictures of them.
Isaiah 44:21-23-"Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you.
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you."
Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.
This is a passage of scripture I read not too long after our trip to the Tablon and it struck me as very interesting. If you read Isaiah 44, which I encourage you to do so-it talks about idolatry and really the futility of it. The passage talks about how God and His power are real but that idols are only fake. One way Isaiah points out the futility of idols in this passage is that he gives an example of someone that would make an idol-he says, in summary, someone takes some wood and and makes an idol, with the rest of that wood, he burns it to make a fire to cook with or warm himself with-how foolish is that! The conclusion of this passage that really struck me as interesting (in the part that I highlighted in red) is that the things that people have taken to worship as idols or false gods are actively involved in the praise and worship of the Creator. These creations should not be worshipped, they only point to the worship of the One True God. This is what Psalm 19 talks about, verses 1-4-"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun," So, in the end, I encourage you to enjoy God in nature, in His creation and give him praise in it. Put him first in all things. As he is Lord of all creation, let him be Lord (boss) of your life. Notice the changes that follow. As I am talking about idolatry, I'm not just talking about a little carving of wood, I am talking about anything that would put itself in front of God...anything that would be more important in our lives than God.
posted by Ben & Christine Haley at 11:11 PM
2 Comments:
Hi,
This is an experiment to see if I can leave a comment.
Tablon is very beautiful. Will we go see it when we come to visit you?
Love,
Mom
mom, we'll see about going. it's pretty cool but there might be other places that y'all would rather go. we can see it from our house, though. it is kind of a far drive on a rough road, but we'll see. love and miss you. can't wait till y'all come.
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