Life in the Foothills

Because this is the last Sunday after Epiphany, before Lent, the homily at church was the one about mountain top experiences. This goes along with the reading from Mark 9:2-9 (or Luke 9:28-36 or Matthew 17:1-9, depending on the liturgical year we are in), which talks about the transfiguration. The sermon was about how we need mountain top experiences, life's grand, glorious moments, where we get a glimpse of "the big picture," feel close to God, etc., but how we cannot stay there. We then have to go down into the valley and get on with the work that we are supposed to do. The mountain top experiences remind us that there Is a big picture, and that is is beautiful and worth striving for, and give us strength, determination, and joy to do what needs to be done. It is a good sermon. But today the wind was blowing hard as we drove up the mountain to church, snow was whipping around, and when we got out of the car it was cold. The mountaintop is gorgeous, and I don't want to live in the (figurative) valley, but the foothills are such a comfortable place in which to live. The kids are well, we are having chicken stew with dumplings for dinner, and life is Good.