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So what's on my mind this week? I just returned from a wonderful week in The Great Smoky Mountains with my 80 year old mother. Oh, what an adventure we had...
My SUV climbed up the steep and curving highway to get to the mountain top town of Franklin, NC. From there we turned off the main road onto a narrow paved road which soon turned to gravel and dirt. Kicking the car into 4 wheel drive we began the ascent to the very last cabin on the tippy top of the mountain. We navigated narrow, sometimes washed out road that had many switchbacks.
We reminded ourselves that this city girl from the hills of western PA and her mother from the mountains of WV were homesick for the mountains. I secretly prayed we would not meet anyone coming down off the mountain. At last we arrived at our destination and what a sight to behold. We were really up there and the purple hue of the mountains stretched out in every direction. What an awe inspiring sight we beheld! The beauty and majesty of the view around us made me gasp in disbelief. This was going to be a true mountain top experience.
I've always been amazed by people who don't believe in the existence of God. As I stood on the wood deck of the cabin, I thought how can you NOT believe there is a God when you look around and survey His handiwork. The mountains stretched out endlessly and the sun, starting to set, lit up the sky with hues of pink and orange that filtered down through the umbrella of trees that surrounded us. The woodland animals scampered around in the trees, oblivious to the great view that they had.
With no tv, internet and questionable phone service, my mom and I spent our evenings and our early mornings in the giant sunny yellow rockers out on the deck. Glass of wine in hand, we rocked and talked and gazed out on the tree covered mountains. The dogwoods were already a deep crimson red and the tips of the other trees were just breaking out in brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red.
In the early mornings we would sit on the deck in our fleece jackets and jammies. The hot coffee warmed our hands while we literally sat in the clouds. The birds chirped their good mornings to us while we waited for the sun to rise and break through the cloud we were in. Our sleep was restful with the crisp mountain air and the crickets singing and owl hooting its lullaby. Slowly the sun would start to break through the fog with its tendrils of light streaming through the tree tops and then the first glimpse of the mountains would appear. This was truly meeting God through His creation.
If I did nothing else that week, but to take in God's majesty, that was fuel to my soul. My mom and I hiked to cascading waterfalls and strolled through quaint mountain towns. We dug our hands in the dense NC mountain dirt and found God's treasures hidden there as well. Stones, that appeared to be nothing more than muddy rocks, came alive with color when you would shine a light through them. There were colors that only God could have dreamt up.
My mom and I talked and laughed and shared with each other. We basked in the stillness of the mountains and not having to know what time it was. We met with each other and we met with God on that mountain top. I have stored up this time and will treasure it in my heart. Is there a God?...after my week in the mountains, it confirmed what I know...that my God is an awesome, creative and loving God. He made all this for our good pleasure. When has anyone ever given you a gift quite like the creation He has gifted us with?
Usually my posts are infused with scripture, but this week, I let God's creation speak for itself. My prayer is that I will never cease to be amazed and astounded by the world that God has given us. May I see His love in the beauty He has created just for you and me to enjoy. May my heart lift up a song of thanksgiving and praise. Our God is truly good...
