Blue skies, the fresh aroma of pine, and the crunch of twigs and rocks on the trails of the rugged peaks are all sights, smells, and sounds that fill up my senses as I reminisce about the Sangre de Cristo range in northern New Mexico. I spent weeks of my summers in the area as a boy at Camp Blue Haven near Las Vegas. As I grew older, my parents built a cabin in the Blue Canyon, just up the road from the camp. This allowed me to spend several weeks there at different times of the year. Eventually, my mom and dad built another home (they sold their cabin) up on a ridge above the canyon and I've been blessed to spend many moons at my folks place. It's not close to town - about 20 miles in the middle of nowhere - but it's a sanctuary, away from the hustle & bustle of our modern world. It's a place to get lost, and then, maybe find yourself in the process.
As more and more people become glued to the various forms of technology we've allowed to creep into every part of our lives, finding a place where cell service is spotty and where there's something to look at other than a screen is increasingly important. We need to be reminded that the physical world around us is far more interesting than the virtual world our technology provides. Whether through hiking, camping, chatting with friends and family, reading a book on a porch, or just sitting and being still, there's much to be commended in taking time to get a way from it all.
Jesus was known to spend time alone from others, in prayer and reflection. Sometimes, he would take his disciples on "retreats" to far flung places, away from the crowds, or from those who simply wished to oppose him. Balance was certainly not lacking from Jesus' life rhythms. But it's easy in our modern world to become unbalanced and then unhinged in the process. More is often less, and less is often more, but still we seek more, more, more, and then we wonder why it feels like less, less, less.
In a couple of days I'm heading back to the Sangre de Cristo - the Blood of Christ Mountains - with a few friends. We'll spend a couple of days hiking out in God's stunning creation and we'll enjoy some time to get to know one another a little better. In the process, maybe we'll come to know our Savior and even ourselves a little bit better too. Sometimes you need to get lost to find yourself. - Shay
