Saturday, March 17, 2007

An Unexpected Treat

Several years ago I was traveling home from Albuquerque, New Mexico where I had been attending a vacation bible school conference for a week. I love to fly. I relish the idea of being able to sit in one place for several hours reading a good book with no one bugging me. It is even more fantastic that someone is bringing me peanuts (not anymore with the peanut allergies, I think it was sesame sticks the last time I flew) and a diet coke. I love the window seat so that I can view the world above the clouds. I would raise my hands on take off except people stare at you like you have four heads when you do that. Yes, I know this from experience.

This particular flight was an unexpected treat. Instead of flying north over the prairies our plane flew along the edge of the Rocky Mountains. I am a mountain girl at heart. I spent one week most summers while I was growing up in the San Grade Cristo Mountains at a Christian family camp named Horn Creek. These rugged mountains look over the Wet Mountain Valley to the foot hills where Green Horn Mountain sits staring back at our beloved mountain range. The camp sits at the foot of Horn Peak, the only 14,000 ft mountain that I have or will ever climb. So many summers I walked rainbow trail experiencing how big God is by being in the scenery He created and recognizing how incredibly small and seemingly insignificant I was and accepting the heart stopping truth that He loved me enough to die for me. Those were huge moments in my spiritual growth. I would sit on the edge of the back seat of our family car driving my parents absolutely nuts hanging over the back of the front seat so that I could get the first glimpse of the mountains and I would stare out the back window through tear filled eyes as we left a week later. This is my favorite place in the whole world.

As we were flying along the mountain range I saw out the window of the seat in front of me a huge mountain. For some reason it seemed extremely familiar to me. I love geography and maps so once I figured out that the monstrous mountain was in fact Pike’s Peak I was able to work my way back through my mental map and pick out Green Horn Mountain then the Wet Mountain Valley until my eyes rested on The San Grade Cristos and Horn Peak where my little family camp nestled at its foot. I gasped as I realized that God had given me a wonderful present. I hadn’t been there for years and years. I had often thought of that place with tears knowing that I would probably never be able to go there again. I had no idea that morning as I boarded the plane that I was going to get a 15 minute bird’s eye view of my heaven on earth.

I stared out my plane window for as long as the view allowed and then sat forward with closed eyes and tears of absolute joy streaming down my face and thanking my God for this kiss on the cheek. It was like He had His hands over my face and said, “TA DA”. I could almost see Him smile as He watched me just enjoy the view. What an amazing God we have that He wants to thrill us with His love.

1 comment:

jayn said...

TA DA!!!

Not only did God give you a TA DA moment - but he gave others a treat in doing so - in using your unexpected treat to "treat" others. How selfish of me to love being blessed with your spiritual gifts Anita. And so, keep writing - so God can keep using you to reach me, and so many others.

Love - Jayn