To the top of a mountain, back down to the valleyside

When Travis and I began dating, he quickly introduced me to a new flavor of country music - Texas Country. One of my favorites is Darren Kozelsky, and many of his songs have become our favorites in the last three years...and one in particular is the inspiration for the title of this blog. "Cool Grass" is a song about journeying, learning, and changing - going up to the top of a mountain, and back down into the valley.

Mountains and valleys are locations that we have learned to use to describe our faith journeys - to mark important or formative events in our lives, both pleasant and not so pleasant. States apart from each other, our youth leaders - during mission trips, conferences, or weekly meetings - always used the language of "mountain top experiences," to describe times in which we felt: intimately close to God, free from worries and burdens, and free to question, discover, and be shaped. On the other hand, valleys described or marked times in which life was challenging, seemingly impossible, or even painful.

In almost three years together - and 4 months into our marriage - we have already walked up to the top of some mountains and have toiled in some valleys. The movement between the two places is what we find so special, so filled with grace. Lots of amazing events took place on sides of valleys, on the way to the top of a mountain: Abraham and Isaac rested, Jacob wrestled, Moses worshiped. Jesus taught and healed, children were welcomed. I could continue listing those women and men who labor, rejoice, and experience God's grace and justice on the sides of valleys. It is on the sides of valleys that we look behind us to see from where God has brought us, and we look ahead to see where God is leading. We look down and remember struggles, then turn our eyes upward to, as the Psalmist wrote, see from where our help comes. Our prayer is to remain ever thankful for our experiences, our movement from one place to another - our journey to the top of the mountain and back down to the valleyside.