Bodies of Water

Man-made oasis in the desert. 

In my last post I wrote how Jack Swilling made this desert a populated city with the simple act of creating and restoring water channels. Now, 144 years later, the fact that Phoenix is ​​the fifth most populated city in the United States shows that everything invested by Swilling continues coming to live.

Now, it is common knowledge that in a desert there are few natural water sources. And Phoenix being a city in the middle of a desert is no exception. However, the city maintains water equilibrium thanks to the artificial water features that have been created.

One of the best-known artificial water features located outside the Phoenix metropolitan area is Lake Pleasant. This lake is one of the most important sources of water in the area. And although the area is recognized as a regional park, the center of attraction is the 10,000 acres of water that encompasses the lake.

But, although Lake Pleasant is one of the largest bodies of water throughout the state of Arizona, the lake does not cease to be an artificial source of water. To embrace the vast area covered by the lake it was necessary to import water from the Colorado River and the Agua Fria River. Still today both rivers continue feeding water to the lake.

In any case, I am pondering on sources of water in the desert not because I live in Phoenix, but because I am going through one of those seasons we call a desert. It's no secret that I'm looking for my next professional opportunity, but what many may be unaware of is the emotional rollercoaster that the search was causing me. Throughout the last couple of months, at some point or another during this process I have experienced anxiety, impatience, abandonment, frustration, exasperation, despair, hopelessness, discouragement, faintness, defeatism, and fainting at heart.

But discovering where most of the water consumed in Phoenix originates, I realized that in the same way that people in Phoenix don’t expect rain to meet all their water needs, I cannot expect God to be the only source of encouragement in my life. Just as each man-made channel and water feature was designed, I am responsible for adding to my life people from who "rivers of living water flow" (John 7:38).

In the middle of the season I'm living, I've had to design my desert. It has been my sole responsibility to seek people to encourage me. I’ve had to identify people who can impart wisdom to me at times when I've had to make a decision. I’ve had to rely on friendships to rejoice me. I’ve had find individuals who I can cry with. I’ve had to reach out to people who would listen to me. I’ve had to attract people who infect me with hope.

So now I can appreciate more than ever how important it is to seek, find and rely on people with whom to recreate with. I am convinced that just like Lake Pleasant serves as a place of escape in the desert, the people around us serve as a pleasant refuge in the midst of our difficult situations.

Altogether, the Bible expresses it this way: "A sweet friendship refreshes the soul" (Proverbs 27:9, The Message). Therefore, although it is our tendency to look up and yearn for rainfall, we should look around and find the people who represent water amid our emotional drought. The truth of the matter is that we cannot ignore the wealth of life, encouragement, and hope that each person holds. 

Desert Engineering

Usually people associate civil engineers with nothing more and nothing less than bridges. And although every bridge requires a civil engineer to be designed, civil engineering encompasses more than the design of bridges. So the question is: what is a civil engineer?

A civil engineer is a visionary. It is an individual with the ability to visualize the potential of any space, field, and land. But the specialty of all civil engineer is to bring a vision to life. A civil engineer is a creator. This is someone able to develop and urbanize places plagued with nothingness.

I am a civil engineer. My first professional work took place in a civil engineering services consulting firm. My job was to produce design drawings for the future development of residential and commercial projects. In retrospect, my tasks were simple and technical in nature; yet, my favorite part of the job was being on a team that developed a vision.

I remember my pet project was to design the plans for the construction of a bank. I was responsible for designing the layout of the ground. My priority was to outline the appropriate topography. In case you are wondering, topography refers to the arrangement of natural and manmade features of the terrain. This included providing the appropriate design for drainage. Why am I telling you this? Because I sounded like a broken record every time I drove with my family by the bank telling them that I had designed that bank.

Lets just say that the true mark of a civil engineer is the satisfaction of creating a reality based on something that initially was an idea, concept, or drawing.

Now, several years later I'm in Phoenix, but my engineering curiosity will not rest. Something very interesting in this city are the water canals that run through it. So, the question that grew in my mind was where did these waterways originate?

My curiosity grew because as I drove across the city in my Yaris, the times when I didn’t cross over the canal were very rare. It seemed the canal was everywhere! I say "the channel" because I thought it was the same maze of water passing through the city everywhere I drove. Then, one day I couldn’t stand the curiosity and I decided to learn about the Phoenix water system.

But discovering the origin of the canals, led me to something better than an epiphany.

The Phoenix canals originate during the time when the Hohokam occupied the area centuries before the city was founded. It is believed that the Hohokam people were peaceful farmers who began to build canals to provide irrigation to land in order to carry water from the Salt River. The purpose of these canals was to create arable land in the desert. But due to times of drought and severe floods, the Hohokam had to leave the area.

After the Hohokam migrated away from this area, the region was deserted for nearly 400 years. During this era the land would not attract new inhabitants, as it was undesirable land. But in addition to being undesirable for new residents, the land was useless. Precisely because the desert resides here and there was a shortage of water, and the land was barren and futile.

But in the 1860s, the land recovered some appeal when it began to attract a wave of non-Indians who wanted nothing more than to extract gold from these lands. Among the people who settled here, was Jack Swilling, who was a veteran of the American Civil War.

History has it that while he explored the land in 1867, Swilling casually encountered the ruins of what looked like an old canal. And at that moment Swilling's imagination came to life since he thought that the channel could be useful again. Engulfed in this idea of restoring the canal, Swilling recognized the potential of the land for agriculture. Swilling's intention was to transport the water from the Salt River through the canal because this would allow him to cultivate the land. His real motive was to sell the crop to the miners. After several months, the veteran Swilling formed a company that would begin the restoration work of old canals.

As a result, in March 1868, Swilling received payment from the sale of his first crops. And in that same month, a government agency visited the valley and noticed that the few people who inhabited the area referred to it as 'Phoenix.'

Now, after researching the origin of the water canals of Phoenix, I found that the genesis of the city is originates with a true pioneer. Although he was not officially recognized as a civil engineer, I dare say that Jack Swilling embodied the spirit of every engineer that is: creating something from nothing.

It became crystal clear to me that this individual recognized the potential that was hidden in the desert. This man inspired a population to dwell in a place where no one wanted to live. This individual transformed the desert into a populated city. He made this desert a desirable place to live.

And here lies a secret of life: We can make the desert a pleasant and desirable place when we adopted the task of creating sources of water. Just as any engineer would do, it is our task to change the design of our desert. It is worth mentioning that desert refers to seasons of our lives where we experience pain, difficulty, and loneliness.

But just as the city of Phoenix remains a city in the middle of a desert, I recognize that whatever you're going through remains to be a difficult situation. Simply stated there are some things that we can’t change! But I rest my faith and hope in that as engineers can create sources of water in the middle of a desert, you and I can find relief through any difficult situation.

To be continued...

Source: http://www.srpnet.com/water/canals/origins.aspx

Rain in the Desert

The economic model of supply and demand is used in order to determine prices for products or services on the market. First, lets briefly define what supply and demand represent. While supply refers to the availability of products or services, demand refers to the quantity desired by buyers.

Now, the model of supply and demand shows that when demand exceeds supply, the price of the goods or services increases. This economic model reflects that people are willing to pay more for a product or service that is in low supply. But, the simple fact that a buyer is willing to pay more implies that the buyer values the product or service that much more.

So, no one can escape the fact that the value of things lies in how rare it is. Plain and simple, we all cherish things that are rare and exceptional. And there is nothing more exceptional than rain in the desert.

Rainy days tend to be rare in the city of Phoenix. Because the sun shines more than 300 days a year, the city is known as the Valley of the Sun. However, if the year has 365 days, the weather in the Valley inopportunely surprises us with rain at least 25 percent of the year.

Rain truly generates excitement across the Valley because it interrupts the heat that is experienced daily by its residents. The rain generates a buzz in the valley. And since rain is like ointment that soothes the arid desert climate, many offer thanks and praise to God declaring that the spilled water is an expression of His love.

But while the rain is much desired in Phoenix, it is interesting that the appreciation for rainfall varies around the earth. The reality is that rain is not equally enjoyable in other parts of the world. Let's say that the frequent rain in a given season or place may become an annoyance; but when the season yields more drought rain becomes much more desired. I think the secret for paying higher appreciation for precipitation depends on the frequency with which it is experienced.

And this also applies to our lives. It is obvious that those who are constantly troubled appreciate a blessing that much more when it arrives. Just as those who constantly experience blessings render more appreciation for the lesson that comes as a result of tough times.

But if we meditate on the fact that we experience life through seasons, we realize that we all go through seasons that are unusual. At some point everyone has said or will say, "this does not usually happen to me.” The funny thing is that the same phrase is used whether we are living one of our best moments or whether we are experiencing a bitter season. Clearly the label "unusual" is useful to describe something good or something bad.

Now inevitably we may ask where lies the value of each of our seasons? And how can we appreciate every one of them?

I think the answer lies in recognizing that each season has its charm because "God made everything beautiful for the right time" (Ecclesiastes 3: 11). And just as we appreciate the beauty of a rainy day in the desert, we must learn to value every season of life, whether good or not so good.

So, whether you are living one of your best seasons or going through a bitter season, enjoy every moment! Allow the following words to serve as both a consolation and a warning: "There is a season for everything, and there is a time for everything" (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Therefore, since no season is permanent or will last forever let us fall in love with the charm of every moment.

Evaporation

Recall that according to the water cycle, the storage of water in the atmosphere is driven by evaporation, which then provides the source for precipitation. However, in order to truly appreciate a cloudy sky one must examine how clouds form.

Clouds are a mass of liquid suspended in the atmosphere. As such, clouds are a visible manifestation of liquid. Therefore, within the water cycle clouds represent the accumulation of water in the sky.

But, in order for the water to be reach the sky it must be transported through evaporation. Scientifically speaking evaporation is explained as the process that transforms a liquid into a vapor or gas. However, in the field of meteorology, evaporation is the process that removes water from the earth so as to produce a cloudy sky.

As a review, remember that: 1) The miracle of the rain is water that is poured from the sky, 2) the clouds are water accumulated in the sky, and 3) the evaporation is the vehicle that moves water into the sky. This indicates that the essence of rain is merely the return of water once evaporated from the earth’s surface.

Here lies a reality of life. Consider the anticipated rainfall as our future experiences and the clouds as the representation of storage for those experiences. Now imagine that evaporation symbolizes the breath of our words traveling to heaven. The reality is that our experiences are the result of what we offer and declare in the midst of our environment.

The breath of our words produce will. That which we desperately wait for and is slow in coming will be the result of the expressions that you send to heaven. Consequently, any statement that is uttered will influence what is to come.

It would be easy to talk about biblical principles based on the power of words. But one of my favorite examples revolves around David, who is acclaimed for having a heart after God’s heart. One of the most famous episodes in the story of David is his encounter with Goliath. The most impressive moment is immediately before David throws the stone and declares the outcome of this faceoff (1 Samuel 17: 46). It was truly the breath of the David’s words that produced his victory.

Also, this is the same David that delights readers with his poetic language throughout the Psalms. David's poetry is indeed brilliant and comes to life in every word. But it is interesting that at the start of one of the deepest and richest expressions about the greatness of God, David writes, "My tongue is the pen of a skillful writer" (Psalm 45:1b).

It's stunning to think that the writer of a story is in control of the unfolding of every event and every last instance of the narrative. A writer has the ability to visualize a story from beginning to end. Ultimately, the power of the writer lies in his ability to create the conclusion.

Then, considering yourself as the writer of your own life, you can appreciate your potential to create a desired end. Be like the writer who has control over his story. Just as David writes, let your tongue be the tool that produces your story. Allow your words be the draft that produces good will for your life.

On account of words that are gone with the wind, consent to having a greater intention to offer the wind something worth being stored in heaven. Allow the breath of your words unite with the wind in order to produce clouds that attract the miracle of rain… (To be continued!)

Now, if you meditate on things that you are speaking within the last couple of hours, days, week, months or years, the question becomes what are you storing in heaven? Let this be a rhetorical question; however, feel free to offer any thoughts on the matter.

Cloudy Days

Credits to me for the pic! 

I got up on one of those cloudy mornings in Phoenix. Almost reluctant to do anything, my phlegmatic temperament delighted itself. I wanted to enjoy the serenity of the day with the luxury of living a day of laziness.

Suddenly, my will to exercise was absent, my desire to speak with someone was gone, and my eagerness to find a job ran away. My energy fell to such an extent that all I wanted to do was sleep. (Don’t panic! I'm ok! Keep reading!)

Nevertheless, I shook away my apathy and decided to go for a walk even though I didn’t feel like jogging, much less did I feel like running. As I walked I could not stop staring at the cloudy sky. And while I admired the view, I realized that the day was covered with shades of gray.

Out of all the colors, gray represents the most neutral color of all for me. The color gray is achromatic. Gray is somber. Gray represents something monotonous, dull, boring, and indifferent. And just like something that causes indifference, gray does not inspire any interest in me whatsoever.

Similarly, a cloudy day is gray. It is a dull and gloomy day. It is interesting to note that even in commercials a cloudy day is used to illustrate the illness of depression. Imagine that if many are avoiding depression, it’s no wonder many want to skip a cloudy day that may cause it. Simply, a cloudy day is not desirable.

But in the midst of the dullness of the day, I remembered that a cloudy sky is necessary prior to a rainy day. According to the water cycle, the storage of water in the atmosphere is driven by evaporation, which then provides the source for precipitation. And here lies a great truth!

With respect to rain, it is true that it represents a miracle. Yet, it's truer that the miracle usually comes after waiting. The wait is precisely what I have decided to call cloudy days. The truth of the matter is that although cloudy days are not desirable, they are necessary because they precede the miracle of rain... (To be Continued!)

Now, the question is this: How much do you enjoy cloudy days? And how pleasant is it to wait for something?