Yesterday I took a short canoe trip up the Ohio River. The temperature was close to 100 degrees and the water was calm when I put in about a hundred yards from my house.

In the hour-and-a-half I was on the water, I enjoyed several fascinating sights from God’s creation.

Schools of minnows swarmed along the surface. Bigger fish occasionally jumped out of the water. Some even bigger ones lurked in the shallows.

The birds, too, put on quite a show. Small birds of prey swooped down to catch an unsuspecting fish. A larger hawk landed in a tree to begin his stakeout for dinner. Then I saw a bald eagle flying up ahead of me. (It might have been a bigger thrill to see a bald eagle on July 4 than on July 6, but I doubt it.)

I really enjoyed seeing these beautiful sights, but I also witnessed some things that weren’t so beautiful. Trash floated down the river and littered both banks. It’s sad to see that so many people still don’t understand the importance of disposing of their garbage properly.

It occurred to me that my canoe trip was just a snapshot of life. We experience a lot of beauty along the way, but there is also no shortage of ugliness.

How do we deal with this? The Bible says we must “…Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9).

What type of evil might you encounter today, and how will you hate it?

What kind of good do you hope to see today, and how will you cling to it?

Happy paddling!