Monday, October 19, 2009

Morning Dew



"Does the rain have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew?"
Job 38:28

Sunday, October 11, 2009

I'd take a home in the mountains if I could

Last weekend I went on a retreat with a Christian student group here called Navigators. Not quite knowing how to say no to an earnest invitation, I somehow found myself sitting in the back seat of a small car next to a Norwegian boy and his guitar. I was carried off into the snow-capped mountains residing an hour east of Bergen. Little did I know all the adventure awaiting me in this small, isolated cabin in the mountains.






After a long night of attempting my Norwegian, I was one of the first to go to bed. Apparently 1:00 am is still too early for these socializing fanatics. I was also the first one to rise out of all the girls sleeping in my room, which meant that I was the first one to romantically push the window curtain aside and gaze upon the first snowfall of the year. My Narnia was here.

So what better way to experience Narnia than to go walking in it? I finally experienced my first true Norwegian hiking experience. Why?

We chose our path. There were no man-made paths or wooden signs with a map telling you to stay on the "blue" trail if you want an easy hike, or the "red" trail if you want the difficult one. This hike was simply about laughing with nature...participating in the wild, joyful party that happens every day without you or I knowing it. It's always happening, whispering little invitations in our ear to put aside our shovel and dance for a while. What joy comes to those who accept this childish insanity!

And if that isn't enough to tempt you to pull out those old hiking boots, the fresh berries are. Along with these small red berries, there were many patches of blueberries I saw along our hike--so ripe that juice gushed out of them the second you touched them. All day long I got to look down at my red-stained fingers and recall the sweet memory of our hike.


Inside the cabin, there were candles burning continuously in every room, a fire in the fireplace, a bottomless pot of coffee...

and many games of chess.
When not spending time with Jesus, they are spending time with each other.



Who wouldn't take a home in the mountains? A Norwegian home, that is.