Mountains

This weekend I was at a field training exercise(FTX) for ROTC.  It was basically two days of playing Army in the woods. Not too bad. At the end of the second day we had a small ruck march to our buses.  It was about two miles, with about 40-50 pounds of gear in our packs.  Still not too bad.  On this two mile jaunt I had time to think.  I thought about the food I would eat when I got home, the hot shower and warm bed waiting for me, but most importantly about mountains.

I have always loved mountains.  My family has spent many vacations in the beautiful Rocky Mountains.  But there is one vacation and one mountain in particular that peaked (get it?) my interest on my walk.  It was a few years back, we were in Buena Vista, Colorado for vacation with my dad's family.  One of the main goals of the trip was to hike Mt. Elbert, the highest mountain in Colorado.  So we did.

Here is the problem.  There is very little I remember about the hike other than getting to the top.  I remember that the view was absolutely breathtaking at the peak and I was very proud of accomplishing such a task, but that is it.  I have little to no memory of the scenery along the trail, of the great conversations that surely happened, of any interesting people we met. Nothing.

Last night as I thought about this I became sad about the experience.  I had gained what everyone that attempts to climb a mountain wants. I made it to the peak, but I had not great story to go with it.  The reason this thought bothered me so much is I realized how much this can become the Christian life.  Always looking at getting to the peak of Christianity.  Reading the Word more, doing more missions, loving more people.  These are all great things, but so often I get caught up in the act and the goal they accomplish I forget that God gave us these things to enjoy. 

I so often live the Christian life as just one mountain to climb after another.  That is so far from what it truly is.  Staying true to the analogy the Christian life would be one mountain.  Eternity with God as the peak.  It is not about reaching peak after peak. It is about walking the path, enjoying and rejoicing in God for the gifts and life he has given us.