Up the Mountain
I faced a mountain the other day.
Literally.
I stood at the bottom and cast my gaze upon the path that wandered upwards along the grassy slope. When my eyes met the top, and the path disappeared, I gulped and said, "I can't go up that mountain." I was already physically tired, and frankly, a soak in the resort hot-tub sounded more relaxing to me.
We had travelled a few hours from home to enjoy a weekend get-away at a ski resort. We strolled the stone-paved streets of the little village, roamed through the shops, and tasted the cuisine of the village restaurants. This was a vacation, after all.
And then there was the mountain.
It loomed over the village like a great wall, decorated with splashes of colour as on a painted canvas. Trees wore Fall's hues with grandness. It was peaceful.
Except for that path.
Except for the prospect of climbing that mountain.
So, a different activity, one less daunting, was planned. We went for a little hike through the bush. What beauty awaited us there. Fallen leaves gathered upon unveiled tree roots. A wooden foot bridge crossed over a small crevice.
The path zig-zagged through the bush and lead us higher and higher.
And wouldn't you know it ~ that bush path, the one less travelled, the one that we hiked instead of going up that straight mountain path ~ actually lead us to the top of the mountain.
And I did it.
I went up that mountain.
I chose to avoid what looked difficult, yet was a straight, visible path.
I chose to take what looked beautiful, yet was a path obstructed with exposed tree roots, narrow foot paths, crooked walking spaces.
While I chose the path that had more obstacles, I saw beauty.
While I chose the path that had more seclusion, I felt peace.
While I chose the path that had more twists and turns, I persevered.
I huffed and puffed and had to stop a couple times, but I did it.
I think God smiled as He watched me accomplish something I thought I couldn't.
And it didn't stop there. Up next was ~ zip-lining. (And I absolutely LOVED that!)
"The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights." (Habbakkuk 3:19, NLT)
Literally.
I stood at the bottom and cast my gaze upon the path that wandered upwards along the grassy slope. When my eyes met the top, and the path disappeared, I gulped and said, "I can't go up that mountain." I was already physically tired, and frankly, a soak in the resort hot-tub sounded more relaxing to me.
We had travelled a few hours from home to enjoy a weekend get-away at a ski resort. We strolled the stone-paved streets of the little village, roamed through the shops, and tasted the cuisine of the village restaurants. This was a vacation, after all.
And then there was the mountain.
It loomed over the village like a great wall, decorated with splashes of colour as on a painted canvas. Trees wore Fall's hues with grandness. It was peaceful.
Except for that path.
Except for the prospect of climbing that mountain.
So, a different activity, one less daunting, was planned. We went for a little hike through the bush. What beauty awaited us there. Fallen leaves gathered upon unveiled tree roots. A wooden foot bridge crossed over a small crevice.
The path zig-zagged through the bush and lead us higher and higher.
And wouldn't you know it ~ that bush path, the one less travelled, the one that we hiked instead of going up that straight mountain path ~ actually lead us to the top of the mountain.
And I did it.
I went up that mountain.
I chose to avoid what looked difficult, yet was a straight, visible path.
I chose to take what looked beautiful, yet was a path obstructed with exposed tree roots, narrow foot paths, crooked walking spaces.
While I chose the path that had more obstacles, I saw beauty.
While I chose the path that had more seclusion, I felt peace.
While I chose the path that had more twists and turns, I persevered.
I huffed and puffed and had to stop a couple times, but I did it.
I think God smiled as He watched me accomplish something I thought I couldn't.
And it didn't stop there. Up next was ~ zip-lining. (And I absolutely LOVED that!)
"The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights." (Habbakkuk 3:19, NLT)
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