Life at 11,000 feet

This is repost of a previous blog/ New blog Account:)


The mountain air is cool, but the rich blue Colorado sky allows the sun to warm my skin! I sat on a rocky ledge looking out over the vast landscape of God's Masterpiece we call the Rockies. I see a lake in the valley that appears to be minuscule; A lone ranch truck several miles away seems like the matchbox cars I played with as a kid. It's as if the world stops turning and time is standing still. In those moments the world down below fades away. The joys, frustrations and worries of the busy life I left behind is replaced with the tranquility & peace that is attained at nearly 11,000 feet. The air is thin but the wonder of the moment is thick! I want to stay there forever, but the climb calls me to move on! I will climb to what feels like the top of the world.
It's been six months since I experienced that moment & felt the rush and exhaustion of hiking to over 11,000 feet in the Rocky Mountain High Country. In about another six months I hope to be making the same journey. I count the days with great expectation, knowing that God willing I will once again be able to experience the exhilaration of hiking the Rocky Mountains.
As I sat in my office on a chilly March day longing to pack up and leave today I ask myself the questions: What makes me long to be in that place? What about that place is so captivating?There are lots of possible answers, many of which are valid possibilities. There is the camaraderie of the band of brothers that I experience as I make the trip with my brothers, uncles and other friends; there is the fact that I don't have to work as I spend my days hunting, fishing & hiking, paying no attention to the clock; the list of reasons go on & on. Yet I believe that one of the main reasons I find this trip so captivating is the solitude that I experience deep in the mountains. It's both the tough part & the amazing part of the journey. There is something about being out in the middle of God's creation that brings my Heart & Spirit in tune with God's Spirit. I hear God speak to me in the solitude in ways that I never hear in the busyness of modern life.
A year would be a long time to go without taking the time to experience the solitude we often need to hear God speak. We are so noise driven as we try to drown out our pain with the static of the TV, the music on our IPOD or the background noise of the radio. I know because I'm the same way: it's like I must have noise at all times or things seem out of whack.
My challenge to EVERYONE who reads my ramblings is that you take the time to listen. I realize this will be tough for many of you! For the students in my youth group this will be a huge challenge because you have been raised in a culture where noise in the norm & quietness is the exception. I hope all of you will make an effort to spend some moments in solitude today, allow yourself to hear God speak. He probably is already speaking to you, the problem is that you are not hearing his voice. You might be surprised what you learn about God and what you learn about yourself if you just take the time to listen.