Traveling Lightly!

[Nate Flynn]

It was only 3 pm, the sun was shining, reflecting off the boulder strewn snow all around us and bouncing off the impressive north face of Long's Peak. It was early March, the mountain still gripped in winter at 14,000 feet. My brother and I had summitted around noon, starting from our campsite at 3 am. The ascent and descent had taken 12 hours, and yet we felt optimistically energetic, maybe too much, and maybe too elated at our success. As we stood squinting in the bright sun in front of our tent, unintentional garbage spread around our campsite, showing only evidence of the party the marmots had with our last rations. We had enough snacks left to share through the night but couldn't help but mention the idea of sitting at a table down in denver and sipping hot soup and munching on grilled cheese. We had our summit packs on after all, and they were light as feathers after summiting, the only necessities were a few energy bars, one bottle of water each, our crampons and ice axe. In the fog of post-summit fever, we decided it could only take us several hours to descend the mountain and hiking the last couple hours at night would be rejuvenating.

The last rays of the sun were filtering through the alpine glow at 5 pm as we finally finished breaking down our solidly anchored tent and packing our backpacks. The realization that our decision could have been ill concieved floated past our minds like the butterfly from the sleeping pill commercial. We turned our headlamps on and marched off. By the time we reached Granite Point, the wind was pushing us back up the mountain, as if to say we should know better than to be attempting this at night, in a raging storm, and exhausted. After being knocked down by the wind several times, we retreated to the rocks nearby trying to find shelter. The temperature continued to drop rapidly as the barometric pressure of the storm continued to lower. Returning to find a campsite was not an option given our little strength left. With our fingers numbing, our faces stinging, we knew we had one more shot at the ridge before our chances were shot, and surviving a night in the wind tunnel would not have been possible. We used our remaining strength to push through the wind gap, over the rocks, and down past the crest of the alpine ridge, taking a little over an hour to move 200 feet over flat ground. Dehydrated, starving, and fatiqued, hallucination quickly set in for both of us as we trudged downwards. We later acknowledged that we both had sensed a third person walking with us during these hours. We continued in a trance through the night, sliding down snowslopes, passing out, waking up to the dreamy mist, wallowing through deep powder looking for the trail at tree line, falling asleep while leaning on our trekking poles at 3 am, and walking into the parking lot as the sun rose.

Thinking back to our decision, we had based it on feeling lightweight and pack free. After breaking down camp, we were burdened with cumbersome weight and proved to be our downfall, and almost brought an end to both of us.

Thinking spiritually, the Chrisitan life is compared to a race that God has set before us, and the Apostle Paul encourages us to "strip off every weight  that slows us down", and "we do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus," who has already finished the race for us.

I was encouraged reading an excerpt from Ruth Bell Graham today on this Christian life:

 The Christian life is like climbing a mountain. For some people the climb is a gently sloping ascent; for other people the climb is like attacking the north face of the Eiger. Whether our climb is easy or difficult, we need to be in shape spiritually and to travel light. To be in shape spiritually, we need spiritual nourishment and exercise. We need to spend less time reading about the Bible and spend more time studying the Bible. Then we need to apply what we learn-carefully and vigorously-to our lives, to live out daily what we have taken in. Some of us have too many meetings to attend. Beware of the barrenness of a busy life. When the disciples were sent out two by two, they traveled light-without purse, bag or sandals (Luke 22:35).

As we approach the new year, let's allow the freedom we have in Christ to strip away those heavy loads, whatever they may be. Leave them in the hands of the Healer, and only take your summitt pack with you.

In His Grace,

Nate.

 

[John Becker]

Hard lessons teach us lasting priciples. I'm so glad the mountain didn't claim you and that God saw fit to keep you pushing on!  Thanks for this challenging reminder to travel light and be free of all that so easily entangles us and weighs us down. I really need this challenge right now as so many things are burdening me and weighing me down with stress and fatique. Even during these crazy times we need to stay true to our true identity and purchase given by our loving Father.  Thanks for the post Nate!