Climb Every Mountain...

Do you have music from the movie "Sound of Music" playing in your head now? Good. I sang this song to myself this afternoon as I scaled a couple of very steep mountains: one is figurative and one literal.

Currently I'm in Switzerland taking an intensive 10-day training course focusing on the inductive Bible study method and training in how to train others. Now I've done this before, but this course, like I said, is INTENSIVE. Last night I hit a wall... a mental one, and this morning it got just plain overwhelming. You see, I'm a detail-oriented person (now now, don't be shocked... lol).. anyways, what this means is that intensive inductive studying can potentially be my nightmare if I get stuck in the details. You see, I don't just see the big picture, I see every blade of grass as well! (Great for a bookkeeper, but not always so great in regards to other things.)

Last night and this morning it was truly my nightmare. To us detail-oriented people if you give us a list and tell us to look for things, we'll find EVERY LITTLE thing before we move on to the next item on the list and the process can be overwhelming. Just the list of observations was enough to send my head spinning because I see all the details (read, categorize, label, find the who, what, where and when in context and content, find the verbs, types of verbs, subjects, objects, repeated words, phrases, key words or phrases etc etc etc).

So high was my frustration and sense of being overwhelmed this morning that I went off to a place by myself and prayed. [The ironic thing is that we were studying Hebrews 12:1-13 which included wonderful phrases about discipline not being easy but is in love and for our good, training and benefit.] At lunch I was close to tears when another lady who also struggles with details encouraged me that it's OK if I don't find everything right now and it is not considered sloppy to do what I can and move on (did I mention I have perfectionist tendencies too?). Another lady reminded me to not "get stuck on the details."

Now to those of you who are big-picture thinkers and not necessarily detail-oriented this may seem academic.... and to some extent I agree, but it took someone to remind me of this fact along with a hike up the mountain to get the message through my thick skull and to begin to internalize it.

I was still feeling a bit overwhelmed by all this (and yes, wondering if I'd just simply fail) when I met up with some ladies to hike the mountain again. (We hike up several hundred feet in elevation each day after lunch, exploring and appreciating the amazing beauty of the Alps.) As is usual the main group separated from me fairly quickly as we headed up the steep incline and I had to take my time. Frankly, it's frustrating that I always seem to be off the back, but still I move at the pace I can handle and stop for a breather when needed.

As I hiked up the ever steepening climb I thought and prayed through the frustrations of last night and this morning. I thought on the passages in Hebrews that we'd been studying. Then it hit me that this learning process is hard like climbing the mountain, but that I need to be mindful of my limitations, go at my own speed and take breathers when needed. The most important thing, though, is to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus throughout the process. The lady this afternoon said as much, that I need to do what I can do and that is enough and not failure. It's all about Him, not the lists or tasks.

Eventually I did make it to the top and rejoined the group under the Swiss flag on a craggy peak with a breathtaking view. The hike up was so hard, but I made it and as I looked over the valley, the rolling green foothills and the snow-kissed mountains I was filled with hope and renewed vision. I was reminded that the things in life that grow us happen in the steepness of the foothills where it's not always easy and where sometimes we need to rest. We will make it to the top, but though the view is spectacular and our vision amazing, we can't live there. We must take in the view and then carry it with us back to the hills and valleys of life.

So OK, my language has gotten a little flowery at this point but I learned a lesson in both of these mountains I climbed today. This learning process may be challenging and sometimes difficult, but in the end it is for my benefit. I need to embrace the process, take my time and walk with the Lord each step of the way.

As I write this I'm VERY aware of how sore my muscles are, yet I know that given a bit of rest they will be stronger for the next mountain that I scale... moving ever higher while walking with my Savior. Sing with me, "Climb every mountain..."

Thank you for praying for me in all of this.