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- Thread starter RiverOL
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Three Days in Niagara Falls, New York
Last updated on: September 11, 2025 at 7:55 pm by Beverly R. Green
Psalm 42:7 “Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.”
Three Days in Niagara Falls, New York
Every year, my husband gives me a short trip for my birthday. I don’t know if it’s because we have far too much stuff in our house to keep adding more “gifts,” if he knows school is about to start and I need one last boost of freedom, or if he just enjoys the adventure as much as I do and is glad for a reason to hit the road. This year he let me decide where I wanted to go. I was having eye problems and I couldn’t see a lot. I chose Niagara Falls (American side), because that would certainly be big enough for me to see.I think he was a little disappointed that we could not go to the Canadian side (I have no passport). We have been told for years that “the Canadian side is so much better.” Still, it was not a long trip and neither of us had been there for many years. Let me just say, Niagara Falls, New York does not disappoint!
We stayed in a Hilton DoubleTree Hotel. At check-in we were offered very wonderful, warm, walnut and chocolate chip cookies. Good-bye diet! We enjoyed them in our room which was lovely with a view of the river (which, to me, was just a gray blur). The restaurant was excellent–we had dinner that evening, breakfast twice (off the menu with celebratory mimosas and bloody Marys!), and a late evening stop in the bar. The pool was a wonderful amenity that was perfect at the end of each of our three days.
The very best thing about that DoubleTree, though, was its location. It was just across the street from the walking trail that led to the entrance to Niagara Falls Park. We walked that quarter of a mile five times during our three days. It was spectacular! The calm river quickly became animated, roaring, white water as it raced to the falls (watch my video)!
Niagara Falls/Horseshoe Falls/ B. Green
Our first walk over was on a beautiful, sunny, late, Sunday afternoon, immediately after our arrival in town. It was a little crowded, but not bad. The pathways through the park were paved and marked with directions–very easy to navigate–and provided many, many opportunities for great photos! I was afraid that perhaps the falls would not seem as spectacular as they did on my previous visit (I was eight), but there was no reason to worry. I could only stare, amazed at this great wonder that God created. We crossed the bridge over Bridal Veil Falls, stood overlooking the American Falls, and then walked to the Horseshoe Falls, around Goat Island, and back to the hotel.
As striking as that first walk was, the real treat came the next morning. We are early risers. At 6:00 we had coffee, and by 6:30 we had dressed and tied up our sneakers to walk that path again. We passed a few runners–early birds like us; we passed a few birds–early birds like us, but when we approached the falls, it was as though that landscape was spread out for our eyes only.
Niagara Falls/B Green
As the sun rose higher, rainbows appeared … then a few more people. I have no words. We walked all the pathways around the island, found a few spots that were almost as stunning as the falls, then returned a little over two hours later, ready for breakfast. We repeated that the next two mornings. That morning walk every day was the best part of the trip.
Niagara Falls/B Green
Well, maybe the second best part. To be witness to the great majesty of Niagara Falls was an indescribable blessing. There is truly so much beauty on this great, green earth.
So, here’s the tourist-y stuff. There were not a great many restaurants other than chains, but we went to The Red Coach on my birthday. It was a-ma-zing! Other recommendations are:
Rainforest Cafe–Yes, it’s a chain, but we enjoyed it, too! The portions were huge!
Zaika’s Indian Cuisine–came highly recommended.
Maid of the Mist/B Green
Here are some activities that are available:
Tours of all kinds are offered, day or evening. Tours may include the Maid of the Mist, the Cave of the Winds, the observation tower, a light show after dark. We went on a 5.5 hour tour that included all four, plus a stop for shopping and ice cream. In addition, they picked us up at the hotel and brought us back afterward.
Aquarium of Niagara : great activity for the whole family!
Underground Railroad Museum : very educational and gave a different sense of the history of the area.
Fort Niagara : beautiful views and more interesting history.
Helicopter flight over the falls : for the daredevils!
All-in-all, we had a marvelous time and carried many beautiful moments home in our memories. It’s good to be reminded that with all its flaws, this world is still an amazing place!
Niagara Falls/B Green
Amos 5:2 “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
God bless you and reveal to you His majesty!
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Want Some Courage?
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[ 1 min read ★ ]
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I press on toward the goal for the prize
of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus—Philippians 3:14
In some respects, we know the men we’d like to become. For one, we’d like to be courageous for God, not simply surviving these lives, but living boldly in them. Well, we absolutely can (Romans 8:31-39). The thing is . . . it’s hard. We’re easily distracted—by our drives for achievement and advancement and accumulation. And we’re easily made afraid—that we’ll be embarrassed if we act boldly for God; that we’re not qualified to stand with him; or just that we’ve never done it before and don’t know how to start. Yes, it’s difficult becoming courageous and, actually, it’s meant to be.
God didn’t create two types of men—some cowardly and some courageous. No, he leaves the cowardice/courage decisions to us. That said, we cannot simply choose for courage and instantly become courageous any more than we can instantly become . . . say . . . orators or outdoorsmen. If we want to become either of those, we must practice. We must start small and fail and succeed; we must work and learn. So it is with courage. We become courageous men by practicing courage, by accumulating experiences, small at first, of actually being courageous.
So, there are two types of men, but it’s those willing to practice and those not, resigned instead to lives of safety. The good news, brother, is that becoming the former doesn’t require an inordinate amount of time or a major lifestyle change. It just takes a bit of resolve.
[/td]of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus—Philippians 3:14
In some respects, we know the men we’d like to become. For one, we’d like to be courageous for God, not simply surviving these lives, but living boldly in them. Well, we absolutely can (Romans 8:31-39). The thing is . . . it’s hard. We’re easily distracted—by our drives for achievement and advancement and accumulation. And we’re easily made afraid—that we’ll be embarrassed if we act boldly for God; that we’re not qualified to stand with him; or just that we’ve never done it before and don’t know how to start. Yes, it’s difficult becoming courageous and, actually, it’s meant to be.
God didn’t create two types of men—some cowardly and some courageous. No, he leaves the cowardice/courage decisions to us. That said, we cannot simply choose for courage and instantly become courageous any more than we can instantly become . . . say . . . orators or outdoorsmen. If we want to become either of those, we must practice. We must start small and fail and succeed; we must work and learn. So it is with courage. We become courageous men by practicing courage, by accumulating experiences, small at first, of actually being courageous.
So, there are two types of men, but it’s those willing to practice and those not, resigned instead to lives of safety. The good news, brother, is that becoming the former doesn’t require an inordinate amount of time or a major lifestyle change. It just takes a bit of resolve.
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Okay, so what do we do?
Practice. Do something. Don’t overreach (and set yourself up for failure); but don’t reach too short either (and render your efforts pointless). Choose in the middle—something intimidating, but not overly. Here are some suggestions: face a phobia; spend time with someone the rest of the world avoids; serve in a way you’ve never served before.
[/td]Practice. Do something. Don’t overreach (and set yourself up for failure); but don’t reach too short either (and render your efforts pointless). Choose in the middle—something intimidating, but not overly. Here are some suggestions: face a phobia; spend time with someone the rest of the world avoids; serve in a way you’ve never served before.
- Joined
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How to Handle Your Child When They Have a Tantrum
During a recent counseling session, Monica, 40, complained about her two-year daughter Abigail, crying too much and being unsure about how to handle her. This is a common concern of parents with young children whom I meet with for counseling.Monica put it like this, “My husband Kyle and I disagree about what to do when Abbey cries. He thinks we should let her cry it out and I don’t agree. When we do, she just seems more agitated and it escalates. When I comfort her, she calms down quickly.”
In a recent article for the website Motherly, writer Sarah R. Moore provides a roadmap for how to handle your kids when they’re crying — and crying for attention. Many parents can relate to the temper tantrums and trying behavior exhibited by their children, particularly when they’re toddlers. And to be sure, friends, family and frequent online posts about this reality are in a frenzy to give parents advice.
Many young parents find themselves frustrated and searching for solutions when confronted with their children crying, but the conventional wisdom leaves something to be desired. Moore points out that these episodes are often characterized as “attention seeking” behavior, and that too often parents are counseled to ignore these kind of outbursts. However, Moore writes that “it may help to reframe them.”
Moore observes that parents are well served to keep in mind “that if a child is wanting more attention, regardless of the form that takes, it’s because they’re craving connection with their trusted adult—attention-seeking is attachment-seeking.” This behavior is not only “completely developmentally normal,” and “not a reflection of how ‘good’ or ‘bad’ a child is… Rather, it’s a reflection of what behavior their brain is capable of manifesting in that moment.”
When viewed through this more holistic and empathetic prism, a child’s tantrum is more about crying out for connection than crying. Instead of ignoring tantrums, Moore offers three straightforward strategies for avoiding a parenting style that may lead to more intense and frequent tantrums.
First, Moore notes that ignoring a crying child teaches them that “our love is conditional.” Because many kids are not “capable of hearing instruction or correction when they’re acting out.” Further, she suggests that you “connect before you correct,” instead of ignoring negative behavior. Creating a calm, “emotionally grounded” environment is far more productive that turning away during a tantrum.
Next, Moore notes that when “an adult physically or emotionally ignores a child who’s struggling, the child has no model of ways to better handle whatever they’re experiencing that’s causing the negative behavior.”
The bottom line is that children need context for their behavior and to ignore an outburst is to “miss an opportunity to help our kids’ brains grow.” By modeling “emotional regulation” parents can lead by example to teach kids that there are more appropriate ways to express their feelings.
Finally, Moore recognizes that behavior is a form of communication, and that tantrums are simply the expression of a need on the part of the child. She counsels parents to be mindful of that fact that “even when we don’t like the way a child is expressing what he or she wants, the underlying need that they’re trying to convey doesn’t magically go away if we ignore it.” I wholeheartedly agree with this statement and the premise behind it.
With this understanding informing parenting decisions, it’s easy to see that a resolution may be easier to achieve that we think. In summing up this strategy, Moore writes that “whatever it is, if we can find the root cause, it’s much more effective to address that than to pretend it’s not there—we risk sending the message to our child that their needs don’t matter.”
As a result of this advice from Sarah L. Moore, the next time I met with Monica and Kyle for a session, I advised that they follow the steps she advocates rather than allowing her to continue to tantrum and ignore her. Fortunately, they were able to find success with these strategies and Abigail’s tantrums lessened over time.
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5 Books That Shaped My Rule of Life and Quiet Life Pursuit
Later this week, I am headed to the beach to celebrate my wife, Katie McLain, and her birthday. One of the things I am most excited about, besides being with our family as we celebrate, is the chance to read. Our beach trip earlier in the year is often more packed with activity, but this one in the fall season is full of downtime and togetherness. Each year when we go to Ocean City, Maryland, for this trip, I look forward to time in a hammock overlooking the inlet and bay, just steps from the boardwalk and beach. It’s one of my favorite places to settle in with a book and let the slower pace of the shore reset me.
This year, most of my reading will be tied to my doctoral work at Kairos University, just like it was last year, because I am in a three-year program studying the practical and theological implications of the Lord’s Prayer. I also plan to do some thinking on my goals for my revised Rule of Life, something I do around this time each year. I have been working on some five year goals and what spiritual disciplines I plan to practice to sutain where I feel God calling me towards. In thinking about this upcoming trip, I was thinking about books that have mattered to me on developing a Rule of Life. These are some of the books that have shaped me recently in my pursuit of what Paul calls in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 a quiet life.
A Quiet Life as a Theme
A few years ago, I began to take this verse seriously:This invitation to a quieter, simpler way has become something of a life theme for me. It stands in sharp contrast to the noise, speed, and consumerism of our culture—and even at times our churches. It is a life lived well with the stillness described in Psalm 46:10. To lead a quiet life is not about withdrawal, but about presence. It’s about cultivating habits that allow us to live attentively, faithfully, and generously in the world God has placed us.
Living with a Rule of Life
Around the same time, I began living with a “Rule of Life.” It was a way of staying dedicatd to this new way of living for me, helping me to remember what to say “yes” too, and what to say “no” too. A Rule of Life is not a set of legalistic rules, but a prayerful framework of habits and practices that help us align our lives with Jesus. It’s like a trellis that supports a growing vine, it doesn’t cause the growth, but it gives shape and direction to what new way of being and committment we want to model in our lives.For me, this daily rhythm has become a lifeline. A good Rule of Life helps sustain the kind of faithfulness Paul describes in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, that I feel called to. My Rule of Life steadies me when life feels chaotic, keeping us grounded in prayer, Scripture, and practices of love. I think it is important to have a Rule of Life, and it is something I often talk to guests about at Water Street Mission.
As Ken Shigematsu writes, “In order to thrive in our life with God we need a spiritual ecosystem that includes deliberate practice…. Having a set of deliberate practices also allows us to build on our strengths and shore up areas of weakness.” That is what a Rule of Life is all about.
Some Recent Favorites on Having A Rule of Life
Here are a few books that have helped me think more deeply about what it means to lead a quiet life:- Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley. We become our habits, and our kids become us. Earley walks through ordinary family routines—waking, mealtime, bedtime, discipline, even screen time—and shows how these small moments are opportunities for spiritual formation. This book has helped me pay attention to how God’s love, care, grace, and presence can shape even the most ordinary parenting practices.
- The Common Rule by Justin Whitmel Earley. If Habits of the Household looks at family life, The Common Rule looks at the broader patterns that shape all of us. Earley argues that habits form us more than we create them. In response to the chaos of modern life, he offers a practical “Rule of Life”—four daily and four weekly habits—that helps us resist the pull of busyness and live with love for God and neighbor.
- God in My Everything by Ken Shigematsu. Spiritual formation isn’t just for monasteries or retreats—it happens in the everyday. Shigematsu helps us discover sustainable rhythms amidst work, family, and church. He shows how we can slow down and experience God in all of life, savoring the presence of Jesus in ways that leave us more thankful and more aware of his provision.
- Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools by Tyler Staton. Prayer is both mysterious and necessary, yet for many it feels dull or confusing. Staton’s book helped renew my prayer life, reminding me that prayer is a sustaining gift, not a burden. Through practical teaching and powerful stories, he shows how prayer connects us deeply to God’s presence and power in everyday life.
- A Personal Ministry Philosophy: One Key to Effective Leadership by J. Robert Clinton. Though more academic, this paper has shaped how I think about ministry. Clinton highlights the importance of a personal ministry philosophy—a set of values shaped by Scripture, self-awareness, and context—that grounds our leadership. It’s been invaluable for me as I think about ministry not just as a set of tasks, but as a lived philosophy flowing out of a quiet, faithful life.
As I pack books for the hammock and the shore, I am reminded that the quiet life is not about doing less but living more intentionally. I think these books can help you find intentionality, becuase they helped me. A good Rule of Life is about creating space for God to shape us through habits, rhythms, and practices that align our hearts with his.
How I plan a Rule of Life
I plan my Rule of Life like a steward and a branch—entrusted with “talents” to invest (Matt. 25:14–30) and called to abide for lasting fruit (John 15). Each September I prayerfully sketch a one-year strategic vision with simple, measurable habits, then glance at the next five years out to see where God may be inviting growth. It is about realizing where I need to revise my practices and goals, or set new ones.I often organize those habits across ten “capitals” (spiritual, relational, physical, intellectual, financial, vocational, sabbath, sexual, possessions, and place), naming the currency I will steward in each—faithfulness, trust, health, learning, generosity, craft, rest, intimacy, simplicity, rootedness. My weekly and daily rhythms follow a trellis of five practices—Silence & Solitude, Simplicity, Sabbath, Slowing, and Seeking (prayer)—so that I remain in the Vine rather than grind in my own strength. I use three questions to keep me honest: Where is the Spirit drawing my attention? What obedience is Jesus inviting now?
Who are the people the Father has placed around me to support it? Then I schedule 1–2 small routines per sphere (with start times and frequencies), review them on Sabbath, and share them with trusted friends for accountability. In short, I aim to invest what God has entrusted and to abide in Christ, so that a quiet, faithful life becomes both my ambition and my witness (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). Then I develop a Sunday through Saturday schedule in which I set what activities I will do each day, during what times, so I guard my time well.
An Encouragement to Explore
Living with the right practices is at the core of the invitation of 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 . And it’s the invitation I keep returning to—whether in the busyness of ministry or the stillness of the beach. I hope you too will explore what a Rule of Life could mean for you. Even more, I hope you will pick up one of these books, or all of them, and explore this ancient and sacred spiritual practice even deeper. Then I hope you will find a good church community, like we have at River Corner Church, to help keep you accoutnable to what God is doing in and through your life.Similar threads
