Wondering about this world. The people in it. The crazy things that happen here.
In the midst of this, I was offered the opportunity to hike up into the Rockies - to the summit of the tallest peak in the Rockies- Mount Elbert.
However, each moment through the journey, I was compelled as I thought about the love of God. How creative He is. How it was nothing short of amazing that I could be on this incredible journey and was able to press on toward the goal.
As I took in all he beauty that surrounded me, I felt so much love. Cute little animals, pretty flowers or were they weeds?- it doesn't matter- they were pretty. All kids of rocks and wonderfully puffy, white clouds and all shades of browns, blues, grays, greens and the sound of rushing water and the sight of still waters. Encounters of friendly people- each one with their own reason for being up there- but sharing the common goal of reaching the summit. I had a long-time friend with me. And even though we were in nature and enjoying all that it had to offer- I was thankful still for technology as we probably would not be making this journey together had it not been for the technology we shared. It was technology that allowed us to capture in both video and still picture, the incredibly beauty of the breath-taking (literally) journey that we were on. So, yeah. I felt love. Like every little detail was taken care of. Everything had been worked out. And everything was amazing.
It was challenging. Especially looking up at a false summit and seeing how steep a journey it would be and choosing to take that challenge knowing that once we made it there, we would have another steep journey ahead- one we just could not yet see. But isn't that just like life? Sometimes we are faced with a challenge and once we overcome that challenge, there before us sits the next one.
We press on. We continue the climb. We feel the burn. We get breathless. We work.
The last 20 minutes were incredible and this last part of the journey is what made it all so worthwhile for me. The last 20 minutes, when you look back and can see how far you have come and look ahead knowing that you don't really feel like taking those little baby steps all the way up to that next level.... but that IS why you started this whole journey in the first place....so you determine to finish!
This was the place where people were coming down the hill you were heading up and they were smiling at you and saying, "You can do it!" "Only about 20 more minutes." They are almost glowing and so genuine in their enthusiasm and so positive in their encouragement... and you know you CAN do it!
OH MY GOSH!!!! We reached our goal. We got to the summit of Mount Elbert and if I thought anything was beautiful on the journey up, it cannot compare to the amazing beauty my eyes beheld from up above it all!!
The majesty! So close to the clouds and still on the ground. Looking out to what seemed like as far as the eye could possibly see.....looking down at what seemed to be so far away and yet was a journey we just made! I thought to myself- this is How Wide, How High, How Deep the love of God is for me. As amazing and wonderful He is- He created all of this...... and He created me. He has a purpose and a plan and He is SOOOOO much more than good and I can TRUST Him!
It was an INCREDIBLE HIGH being up there. My mind cannot escape it still, two days later. I close my eyes and I see it and I feel it and I breathe it in! I am thankful. I am thankful I could make the journey. Thankful FOR the journey. Thankful for reaching the destination and now thankful that it will forever be in my mind.
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