30 Days until Easter

30 Days until Easter

A few years back, Josh had a conference in Denver, Colorado.  Those who know me, know that I like to take the kids exploring during summer vacation and I  saw this as the perfect opportunity to take the kids to discover a part of the country they’d never seen before.  The only setback was that it happened to be the very first week of school.  I had never missed a first day of school in my career and neither had my kids, but I decided to do it.  I only get to do this parenting thing once, so adventure as a family defeated our first week of school.  I remember flying in and looking over at the kids as they saw the mountains for the first time.  Margo is never quiet, but in that moment she was.  We got off the plane and the very first thing we did was get a little rental car for my explorations that were about to take place.  And let me tell you, we wasted no time.  We hopped in that little Toyota and off we went to drive the highest paved road in the US.  Now being from Florida, a sand dune or dirt mound at a ball field is our greatest form of mountain climbing so let’s just say that I was a little unprepared for what the mountains of Colorado had in store.  We reached Mt. Evans and from the foot of the mountain we took in her beauty.  It was something I’ll just really never forget.  It’s one of those moments where God’s creation puts you in your place.  But then we started our drive up the mountain.  To this day, there has only been one experience behind the wheel that was more frightening.  "Ummm, hello down there", I murmur from 14,000+ feet without a guard rail on this very narrow road where my outside tire is LITERALLY two inches from the free fall!  It was an exhilarating drive.  I was so very excited to reach the top where I saw a place for us to park the car and plant our feet.  I turned around to give the kids the go-ahead to unbuckle their seatbelts to the horror of seeing Jude slumped over and a pale shade of blue.  Josh and I burst out of our seats and grabbed him.  I thought he had choked on something.  We were yelling at him to wake up and he wouldn’t.  One of the guides noticed us and saw Jude.  He calmly said, "Get him down the mountain.  He’s got altitude sickness.  His body isn’t ready to be up here".  So remember a few sentences ago when I talked about my second most frightening experience in a vehicle?  Here’s the one that topped it.  Going back down the mountain with this sick kid, trying to get down as quickly as we could without adding the adventure of free falling to our experience.  It was pretty amazing how quickly Jude began to breathe better and perk up, but then he started throwing up. 

I took Jude in for a check up in a little clinic.  They said to just take the journey at a slower rate.  Go a little higher in elevation everyday to get our bodies acclimated. So after giving Jude a day of rest, we spent the next week waking at sunrise and venturing out.  Each day we went a little higher, experiencing things at a pace that we could really absorb our adventure together.  I realized that racing to the top wasn’t necessarily the best way to discover the beauty of the landscape.  There was so much to learn along the way that I would have missed in our moment at the top.

Our view of the mountains from our hotel was breathtaking and that vantage point definitely had its own impact, but there is something that is so much more meaningful about getting into the mountains.  The animals, the water, the rock, the trails, the views, the trees, the smells are all so spectacular and different from the views from the top and bottom.  One of the most magical experiences was hiking up to a point that was completely barren.  We had started the hike in shorts and t-shirts, amongst grand evergreens and streams.  And somehow, we ended up in a winter wonderland.  Snow flurries swirled about us.  A view of the whole mountain didn’t prepare us for this wonder and amazement.  The way we could genuinely feel the mountain and discover her real beauty could only happen by taking the time to carefully and purposefully explore the trails less traveled.

This journey to the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of my Savior is no different.  To feel the power of His journey and ultimate sacrifice,  I must carefully and purposefully explore the trails to discover the real beauty of His gift.

Climb the mountain.  Be dipped in the water.  Taste the wine that was once water.  Sit at the table with the tax collectors.  Sail off to the other side of the sea towards the storm.  Be among the thousands who ate from five loaves of bread and two fish.  Walk on water.  Witness the line in the sand.  Sit next to Mary as Martha works.  Break bread at His last supper.  Pray in the Mount of Olives.  Put your arms around His mother, Mary, and His friend, John as they raise His cross above the crowds.  

When I went through the Sermon on the Mount, I was reminded of something quite simple.  I can do more than read words on a page or listen to a sermon.  I can climb the mountain.  This is the living Word.  I can actually show up and be an active participant.  Once we’re held by the Savior, we’re never the same.

So as I begin to journey into the last days that Jesus was here in the flesh on this earth, I don’t want to just read a story.  I don’t want to read words on a page.  I want to taste and see and feel.  As I ready my heart for the next few weeks, I look back one more time to the rest of the Sermon on the Mount.  

Pray in quiet.  No hollow phrases.

Enter everyday with a spirit of forgiveness.  

Fast, being seen only by the Father.  

Empty all judgement.  

Seek Him.  

Understand that the gate leading to life is narrow and the way is hard.  

Build a rock-solid foundation in Christ and when the winds blow and the rain falls and the floods take over, my faith will stand.  

Here it is, Lord.  Here’s my all.  Everything I have is in You.  

“My Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”  -Matthew 9-13

Although this picture isn't from our Colorado trip, it is from one of our explorations here in Georgia.  You don't see this from the bottom of the mountain.