Recently I've been going up to church during the week just to be alone for a little while in Bud's office. I go in and check the mail, answer phone messages, tidy up a bit, and just sit in his chair to think, to cry, to pray. I love it there. It's his place, his place to study, to pray, to think, to work. I find comfort there. As I'm there, I'm starting to go through his personal things and bring some of it home now to save. I found one of his posters that he loved. On it is pictured a rust-colored rocky cliff and two men rock climbing on it at dizzying heights. Also inscribed on it are the words, "Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2." Bud loved that poster.
It all started back in 1986 when he and I and little Jeremy took a trip to Yosemite National Park in California. While we were there for the week, he took rock climbing classes. I would wheel Jeremy in the stroller to the base of the cliff, look up at my husband way up there hanging only by ropes, and pray! On Saturday his dad came up from San Francisco to climb with him. That was the beginning. He went on to climb in many other places. Also he loved the challenge of hiking mountains. From the Colorado Rockies climbing peaks over 13,000 feet, to the autumn Catskills ablaze with color in every direction, to the blustery heights of Mount Washington. He loved the mountains. I used to ask him why? Why do you do this? It's a lot of effort. It's not safe." And he would say, "Because it's there." Not what my safety-loving heart wanted to hear. I like my feet on solid, low lands!
Seeing that poster again helped me to understand why Bud loved the mountains. They pictured for him his eternal God. Psalm 90:2 says, "Before the mountains were brought forth or before you had formed the earth and world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God." The mountains reminded Bud of his own mortality. God was eternal, existed before those mighty mountains He created. The psalmist said he looked to the hills from where his help came. The mountains reminded Bud that God was his help, God was eternal, and His creation of the mountains declares His majesty to our own feeble minds.
Mountains....mentioned many times in the Scriptures. The mountain on which Moses received the ten commandments; the mount of Transfiguration of Jesus; Jerusalem on the mountain; the Mount of Olives on which Jesus prayed before His crucifixion.
The mountains....I'm glad Bud climbed them.
It all started back in 1986 when he and I and little Jeremy took a trip to Yosemite National Park in California. While we were there for the week, he took rock climbing classes. I would wheel Jeremy in the stroller to the base of the cliff, look up at my husband way up there hanging only by ropes, and pray! On Saturday his dad came up from San Francisco to climb with him. That was the beginning. He went on to climb in many other places. Also he loved the challenge of hiking mountains. From the Colorado Rockies climbing peaks over 13,000 feet, to the autumn Catskills ablaze with color in every direction, to the blustery heights of Mount Washington. He loved the mountains. I used to ask him why? Why do you do this? It's a lot of effort. It's not safe." And he would say, "Because it's there." Not what my safety-loving heart wanted to hear. I like my feet on solid, low lands!
Seeing that poster again helped me to understand why Bud loved the mountains. They pictured for him his eternal God. Psalm 90:2 says, "Before the mountains were brought forth or before you had formed the earth and world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God." The mountains reminded Bud of his own mortality. God was eternal, existed before those mighty mountains He created. The psalmist said he looked to the hills from where his help came. The mountains reminded Bud that God was his help, God was eternal, and His creation of the mountains declares His majesty to our own feeble minds.
Mountains....mentioned many times in the Scriptures. The mountain on which Moses received the ten commandments; the mount of Transfiguration of Jesus; Jerusalem on the mountain; the Mount of Olives on which Jesus prayed before His crucifixion.
The mountains....I'm glad Bud climbed them.
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