Climb Every Mountain

I recently took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and headed to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.  It was near Berkeley that I discovered Cacapon State Park, which lies within the Appalachian Mountains just a few miles from the town famous for its mineral springs and baths.

On a perfect morning I set out on an extensive hike and realized we all have mountains to climb every day, don't we? Disappointment, hurt, pain, discouragement, frustration, worries, fear of failing, fear of succeeding, and so on. Sure, climbing that mountain is never easy. It can take your breath away, literally, and make you think twice if it's worth the trouble.  But every precarious, difficult step will bring you closer to the top and the realization that the only reward for taking the easy way in life is that it's easy.

So when you push through the pain and get to the top, take a deep breath, thank the Lord for guiding you and

dance all the way down the other side.  By staying the course you will gain rewards that you could never imagine possible: success, happiness, self-fulfillment, self-love and love of others, peace, joy, hope and faith.

The weather is certain to turn cold and we'll all struggle to maintain a positive attitude when the days are perpetually grey.  But if you recognize how short our time is here and how small our problems really are, even the greatest challenge is manageable.  We should thank God for giving us the strength to persevere and climb mountains every day.  To that I say Amen and Merry Christmas!