Expectations and hiking through a storm

Hello friends!  Long time no blog right?  I always have the intention of posting more "regularly" and somehow it always gets away from me.  I just wanted to share a little experience I had last week while in Colorado for work.  It feels like I usually work non-stop on work trips but when I'm in Denver I squeeze in a trip to Red Rocks Park as often as I can.  It has become one of my favorite places in the states. It is breathtaking. You think the view can't get any better than what you see when you arrive but with every turn of the trail it keeps getting more and more beautiful. For me, being surrounded by nature, especially mountains, stirs my spirit in such a deep way.  I know many of you feel the same!  I feel so close to Father and hear him speak through creation in such sweet ways.

Today my hiking escapade contained my spiritual reminder. I started off up the Red Rocks Trail with my iPod playing the new Housefires album and my journal in hand. I was soaking up the beauty of everything around me, worshipping while I hiked.  It was having a blast, singing out loud, hands in the air, probably looking like a crazy person to my fellow hikers but, hey, if you can't have fun in worship, when can you? :)  I was looking forward to getting to the top so I could enjoy the view and journal- an activity I'd neglected for the last several months.  I finally reached top, caught my breath (that Denver altitude change ain't a joke), and found a great spot with a beautiful view to sit and write.  I started processing on paper and suddenly, around one paragraph in, I started to feel little rain drops. I thought "oh surely this is just a little shower" and was certain it would pass quickly. It didn't even seem very cloudy and I wasn't about to quit journaling after just 10 minutes of being on top of the mountain!  Get it together Mother Nature!  I hiked all this way to have that time with the Lord.  Well, the sprinkle didn't go away so, persistantly, I moved myself under a tree.  I was still convinced that it was going to pass and I'd enjoy the mountain top.  Then the thunder started to rumble :/ The rain picked up and I realized that it was on its way to being an all out downpour.  So much for my girl scout merritt badge in reading weather.  I surrendered to the elements, closed my journal, got up and took one more look across the mountain before turning to head down. I thought "Man, Lord, I was really looking forward to our time together up here and journaling with you. I drove out here and hiked all this way to have it."

I felt a little disappointed as I made my way back to the trail. It was in that moment, the Lord had a word for me.  You know what he said?  Ever so lovingly and gently he said "Can you not see my majesty in the rain as much as in a beautiful sunset that you thought would be waiting for you?  Can you not hear my splendor in the thunder as much as in the wind rustling the trees?  Do you not feel my presence in rain drops as much as in the breeze?  Is my presence not tangible in all of it?  Is it not all beautiful?"  Immediately, my perspective changed  and I said "Yes!  I can see you!".  My heart shifted to a new rhythm of worship- one very different from the journey up the mountain. This one was less comfortable at first (and it was going to require me to wash my hair).  I was getting drenched and cold but my heart swelled with joy as I made my way down the trail.  I hiked back down that mountain enjoying being soaked as much as I enjoyed being warm and dry on the way up. He reminded me that in life, so often we can have a expectation of what a mountain top should look or feel like. When we arrive there, if it doesn't meet our expectation we can feel disappointed or like we've missed out on something. The Lord simply wants us to be able to change our perspective and see Him wether there is sun at the top or a thunder storm.  He is in both.  We just have to shift our perspective to see him. He is worthy of praise in what ever the top of the mountain holds, rain or shine.  He is present and speaking in both.  Maybe you've gotten to the top of a mountain you've been climbing and it hasn't been what you expected.  Maybe a job, a ministry calling, a marriage, a child... is looking different than you expected.  Take heart, shift your perspective, rise above your former expectation and find Him there.  He is there calling you to see Him and, most likely, what he has to show you about himself is better than what you were expecting any ways.  He's good like that. Then He might even have you hike back down for some dinner at Chipotle!  Tell me that's not heavenly ;)

First steps on the trail

Climbing...

Made it to the top!

This view!!  I could have stayed there for hours (but you've read the post, you know what happened :)

My favorite picture from the trip.  "Where can I go from your presence?  Where can I flee from you?  Even if I run to the highest mountain you are there."