Mountaintop or Mole hill

 
You've all heard it:  You are making a mountain out of a molehill.    In other words, you are making a big deal about something that is really insignificant.

Let me take you back a few years.  When Keith & I were first married, we moved to wonderful Abbotsford, BC.  It was THE most beautiful place I have ever lived.  And truth be told, have always been a lot sad that God called us away from there.

Probably THE BEST thing we ever did (and we did it a few times) was to go down to Washington State and head up to Mount Baker.  To this day, my heart is still there.  We purchased a painting of Mt. Baker.  We have snow still from Mt. Baker.  (ok, it's water!) and a few years ago, when we had the chance, we took our children there. It was one place in our married "history" that we wanted to show to our children.

When we arrived at the base (it was in September), to our dismay we found that because of the huge snowfall the previous winter, we were not able to head up (by vehicle) as far as we had hoped.  As we sat at the bottom of the mountain, both our kids suggested we walk as far as we could.  As many of you know, my husband does not have full function of his legs.  However, as the trouper that he is, we decided we would go hiking as far as we

could.



I will admit. . . . I WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO LOOK AT THE PEAK OF THE MOUNTAIN FROM THE NICE WARM COZY LODGE!!!  However, the group decided we would trek up the mountain "as far as we could go".  About half way up, my son, niece and I decided we'd had enough.  We were tired, the air was thin and the bottom looked far enough away from us, that we didn't want to go any further.
 BUT, Taylor (the then "non-athletic" daughter and my husband "the handicapped guy" decided they wanted to continue on.

And wouldn't you know it they made it to the top!!!!!  From half way up the mountain, I couldn't believe that the two LEAST expected candidates had actually made it to the plateau!!!!  They had gotten to the top of the mountain.  (Okay - it was Table Mtn, not Mt. Baker but STILL!!!!!!)

Today, however, I was reminded about a different mountain top experience. . . .   Let me explain.

Recently, as a family, we have decided to do "home church".  We are still members with our church and involved with our church, but as a family have decided to go deeper.  To learn more.  To try to IMAGINE all that God has for us as a family.

So today, after Sunday School and lunch, we listened to a Francis Chan video talking about our personal relationship with God.  It is something I have struggled with especially as I watch my children grow up.  Keith & I were raised in homes that taught the scriptures, memorized them and knew pretty much every Bible story there ever was.  As my children grow up, I am realizing that some of the very "basic" stories that Keith & I knew, our children haven't even heard of!!!!  They know the "concept" of the Bible and a relationship with God, but they have never EXPERIENCED it.

As we watched the video today, there was a comment that slapped me in the face:  PEOPLE ARE HAPPY TO MEET WITH MOSES AT THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN RATHER THAN GOING UP THE MOUNTAIN TO MEET WITH GOD.   As I listened to him speak, I saw a mirror image of what my children are learning, and unfortunately, I am the one teaching them these concepts!!!!  I don't WANT to be okay with being at the bottom of the mountain, but I am SHOWING them that the bottom of the mountain is okay!!!!

I realized that I'm looking for things. . . people. . . .times. . . moments. . . that recharge my spiritual walk. . . . RATHER THAN going to the mountain and spending time with Him.  When is the last time I spent one on one time for a length of time with my God. . . . the very being that gave His Son to die, so I could live???  Did He send Jesus so that I could sit around at the bottom of the mountain?????  NO NOT A CHANCE!!!!!  He sent Jesus so that i would journey UP THE MOUNTAIN to meet Him.

As I thought about that concept, I was reminded of our holiday up to Mt. Baker.  Keith and Taylor were willing to go further.  They were willing to do the work.  They were willing to fight and toil to get to the top of the mountain.  And the view they saw?????  Well, let's just say it's one I didn't see that day.  I saw other hills.  I saw other valleys.  But I did NOT see the tops of those hills and mountains.  I did not make it to THE TOP!!!!  I did not want to push on.  I didn't want to make the difficult decisions. I didn't want the tiny path.  I wanted the easy way.  And when the path got tiny.  When it got rocky and difficult. . . . when I had to climb ladders and treacherous steps????  I didn't want to do it.

BUT. . . . let me tell you. . .. when Keith & Taylor came back down to the base of the mountain. . . . there was a glow.  (OK - not the Moses glow - but a glow!!!!)  They were so proud that they had persevered.  But even more, they just couldn't stop talking about how glorious the view had been.  Taylor had been on top of the world.  She had accomplished an incredible goal -  -  - and she had taken her father with her.  Keith, disability and all, had scaled the mountain and had been able to see the glory of the scenery below.  The rest of us couldn't.  We had not gone the lengths it took to see it.  We had wanted to DRIVE to the top.  And when we couldn't, we bailed.

The image of God as I recalled that time and the image Francis Chan brought up today about Moses was not lost on me.  I know I bailed on going to the top of the mountain there in Washington.

However. . . . today. . . I have a choice.  Am I going to settle for looking up the mountain and thinking about how great it would be?  Am I going to settle for the stories that others tell me about the wondrous encounters they have had at the top of the mountain?  Am I going to commit to making the journey up the mountain despite the difficult paths that might come my way?  I guess the biggest question I need to ask myself is:  DO I WANT MORE????

Taylor & Keith made it to the top of that flat mountain - TABLE MOUNTAIN!!!!!  SO PROUD OF THEM!!!!!!

I know my mantra for this year is IMAGINE.  Am I really doing that?  Because if I am content at the bottom of the mountain, I am not imagining at all.  I am CONTENT.  I AM COMFORTABLE.  I need to grow.  I need to be more.  I need to IMAGINE all God has for me, and I cannot do that at the bottom of the mountain.  I need to meet Him at the top.  I need to meet Him!!!! I need to SEEK HIM and Scriptures tell me, I WILL FIND HIM!!!!  But I cannot rest in the present.  I need to be seeking more.  I need to be climbing the mountain.  I NEED TO GET TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN WHERE HE IS!!!!!

(To listen to Francis Chan's video - please feel free to click here)