There have been moments in my life where the grandeur of a location has left me in awe of HIS majesty. Estes Park in Colorado is one of those places. Others include the Central Coastal Drive on Prince Edward Island and a small cathedral in Salzburg, Austria. In those instances, it is as if the only viable response is to look to the sky (or fall to my knees) in worship. I CHERISH these experiences because it is as if He is whispering reminders of His love, His power, and His creativity.
I also SEEK them out. The primary purpose for my trip to Colorado was to attend a conference with Leslie Ludy, which I will write about later, however I decided to arrive two days early and spend time exploring His creation and meditating on His Word.
The first day did not go quite as I had envisioned it. I arrived at the airport, and attempted to pay for my cab with my debit card. Only to be informed that it had been declined. Knowing, or at least being somewhat confident, that there was no logical reason for it, I asked the driver to run the card a second time. Declined, again. Fortunately, I had enough cash to settle the debt. After passing through security, I contacted my bank and was informed that my card had been compromised and they had cancelled it. I was grateful, but was also thinking that it would have been wonderful if they had notified me BEFORE I had left my house. At least then, I would have brought my checkbook! So, with absolutely no way of covering my expenses, I boarded the plane and spent the entire flight praying for provision.
If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE budgets and schedules and planning. I DO NOT love not knowing how I will pay for my rental car...or hotel. However, each time I started to worry, HE whispered gently in my ear to TRUST Him. Trust is something that I have always struggled with. Because, again, I love to know what the plan is. How sweet it is to surrender those concerns and rest in the confidence that HE will provide. There is no possible way that I could have orchestrated all that fell into place. He, through Susan, a lovely women from Wells Fargo Bank in Windsor, saw to all my needs. What was intended as an attack to divert my attention from the purpose of my trip instead served as a reminder of His faithfulness.
I ended the day at Loodles Coffee Books & Art, a shop owned by one of my mentor’s brother. Mark is an incredibly talented artist who uses his gift to create spectacular children’s books. I highly recommend you check them out. Also, if you’re in Windsor, you should definitely stop by for a cup of chai. SO good.
I grew up riding horses, and have missed it desperately while living in the city, so I decided to it would be fun to take a three-hour mountain trail ride in Estes Park. It was great fun! My horse, Mr. Wilson, was quite accustomed to being the lead horse; however, the wranglers were training a new lead horse and it was quite difficult for him to accept his demotion. There were times that he thought it wise to try to pass this usurper and regain his rightful position. Unfortunately, he often attempted this when we were scaling rocky paths that were (no lie) about one foot wide. Oh, and there was that time that the lead wrangler (who was directly in front of me) dropped her water bottle and spooked her horse--who proceeded to rear up. And, because Mr. Wilson was tailgating, he was equally surprised and did this graceful maneuver where he reared up and turned in one swift movement. I feel it is appropriate here to thank my dad for teaching me to lock my knees on the saddle during such an occurrence. Apparently it is like riding a bicycle--you don’t forget how. Honestly, it was pretty exciting!
At the top of the mountain, the views were magnificent. SO worth the time and effort. Although, I’m pretty certain that Mr. Wilson would note that MY efforts paled in comparison to his!
The drive to and from Estes Park from Windsor was also quite breathtaking. For much of it, the road winds through Big Thompson Canyon, which reminds me a little of Keene Valley, New York, only bigger. Chris Tomlin’s song, “Indescribable” comes to mind. “From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea creation's revealing Your majesty! From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring every creature unique in the song that it sings...you are amazing, God!”
I spent the evening on the beautiful campus of Ellerslie. Meditating on His Word and journaling about the experiences of the day. I was also blessed with the opportunity to visit with my dear friend, Annie, who graciously allowed me to borrow her patio and her lovely view! The cumulation was exactly what I had been seeking.
P.S. You can view more photos of my trip on my Beginning blog under "Photographs: Colorado." However, it is impossible to truly capture the experience. For that, you’ll have to convince Mr. Wilson to give you a ride!
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