I occasionally work in the mountains. The scenery is amazing. Snowcapped peaks and deep forested valleys are a feast for my eyes.
Then there was that one winter day a couple of years ago.
As I was leaving Granby, it was starting to snow. By the time I made it to Winter Park, it was coming down steadily.
Those who know the area know what’s coming next. Berthoud Pass.
If it’s snowing in Winter Park, it’s a blizzard on the pass.
But I had to get home and there was a steady stream of traffic heading to the pass, so I went for it.
My little Mazda 5 had good tires and I’d crossed this pass many times before. I wasn’t too worried. Maybe I should have been.
I concentrated on the taillights ahead of me and followed the tire tracks in the snow. Traffic was moving slowly so keeping up wasn’t a problem. There is a passing lane most of the way up the pass but there was no way I was going to pull out into the deeper snow.
The higher up the pass I went, the heavier the snow got.
I began to lose traction, but a careful foot on the throttle kept me going.
Then the taillights ahead of me disappeared! The tire tracks were almost impossible to see in the blinding snow. My sweaty hands gripped the wheel tightly as I forged ahead, knowing the drop off to the left was steep and long.
Through the haze of snow, taillights again appeared – two fuzzy dim red dots not far ahead.
I stuck close to those taillights.
My white knuckles and feather-light right foot got me over the pass. The snow was much lighter on the other side.
Sometimes our lives are like that drive over Berthoud Pass. The weather of our trials or distractions clouds our vision and makes our path slippery.
We could choose to stop until the weather passes. But we could end up stopping the progress of others.
We could forge on blindly on our own. But we could end up going off the proverbial cliff into destruction.
Or, we could choose to stick close to the light guiding our way.
During the darkest time of my life, I was depressed and scared of what the future held. I was tempted to crawl inside my shell and ignore everything and everyone.
What I chose to do changed my life. I dug into God’s Word and sought the help and companionship of friends.
I came out on the other side of that time with a clearer vision of the path of my life and deeper wisdom about how to stay on that path.
Are you in a dark time in your life?
I urge you to get closer to the Light. Seek wise friends. Read God’s Word in the Bible. Keep moving forward even when it seems like life is pushing you off the path!
Is your life sunny and clear?
That’s awesome! Be the light for others! And don’t forget to prepare for the next blizzard in your life.
May your guiding light always shine brighter than the storms!
The photo that inspired today’s blog was taken recently from the 52nd floor of a skyscraper in downtown Denver. Normally, this view would be of the rugged Rocky Mountains. With all the smoke from fires in California, Oregon and Washington, you can barely see the foothills!
Solano Writing 