My personal encounter with geology was, literally, mind expanding. Thinking in geologic time, tracing the fascinating deep history of our Earth, and handling evidence of life – life buried in sea floors that were lifted into mountains then worn by rivers into the hills and valleys we see today, was no less than a spiritual experience for me. The real “rocks of ages” are a portal to the wonder and mystery of the universe and, in my estimation, provide a greater springboard to spiritual growth than the creationist’s “Rock of Ages.”