The Pinnacle Point: Enduring to the End

Leather hiking boots sojourn up the face of the mountain. Breaths of thin mountain air alleviate gasping lungs. Aching feet cry for mercy as the trail continues onward. Anything less than a road less traveled is an understatement. Rays of golden sunlight innocently scorch white skin exposed for the fist time in months.

The road less traveled indeed! Onwardly marching, a gnarled old hiking stick provides some stability and creature comfort in an onward venture. Opposition comes in a wave of brambles, thorns, and the woodsman's all time nemesis, poison ivy.



The thicket clears, clouds enshroud the merciless sun. Your skin thanks the sun in undying gratitude! A loud triumphant shout musters from your panting lungs and somewhat stained vocal cords: hooray! You made it to the top of Mount Saint Helans!

Take a breath of that fresh pacific northwestern air, let the aromas of luscious Douglas furs and cascading waterfalls against lava rock fill your nostrils.

With much opposition comes great rewards.....

 

A man, born into a lowly and humbling birth in a a stable among unkept livestock and plow horses. The son of a carpenter, he built many things by the labor of His skilled hands. A teacher of many learned doctors, scholars, and priests. An outcast for his beliefs and teachings, about His Father in Heaven. A night of misery and atoning for all the sins and sorrows everyone in the world would ever ache. Betrayed, by one of His only confidants in which He called His apostle with the greatest token of love and friendship; a kiss. A king chosen to die as a real prisoner as the murder, Barabus chains and shackles released him. Whippings tearing tender flesh open to ooze blood over his body. A crown of thorns: a symbol of mockery to his kingship placed on his head. A cross draped over his shoulders that he would be crucified on. Rough iron nails hammered through the palms of his hands and his feet. Placement on the cross, the final step in this brutal process. "It is finished," the last utterance He would ever make on this earth.

The reward of His opposition, our salvation.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ = mountain climbing?


For real! Marked hiking paths, wilderness survival courses, supplies, leather boots, a compass, and a map. Looks like someone is set to tackle the world. All of these supplies and training sessions come from the ultimate benefactor, God the father. There is no way you could ever think to pay him back; on your own, you are completely unequipped, unskilled, and penniless. With God, you are everything.

An unfathomable price ransomed us from our personal transgressions. Look at all of the things that God provided you for the hike. There's no way to ever pay the father back for all of our quintessential blessings and supplies...what will you do with them?

Grace v. Works
So what's the right answer? Is your exaltation based on your works alone or the grace of Christ? Grace is the only way to go! God provided you all of the necessities and the tools to go hiking. God doesn't cover the rest after we try our best, covers all of it. He has our tab.  How are you going to show him you are grateful for his incredible gift? Hike!

Sharp thorns, brambles, and a touch of poison ivy are premeditate. What happens to you when in a bind? Do you give up after one stubbed toe? Do you dismay over the fact making it to the top of Mount Saint Healans takes more than ten steps? Keep trying!

You think you have this hike in the bag, but make a wrong turn. You say to yourself, "this won't happen again." You think you're on the straight and narrow and suddenly comes another wrong turn. Time after time this happens again, yet God still wants us to make it to the top.

 Triumphant sounds echo across the mountainside, adrenaline races through bulging veins. Whispers of wind dance cordially with locks of hair. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. His grace is sufficant, all you have to do is climb.

Keep Trekking

As Told From a Guy: What Makes a Girl Beautiful

Natural Light v. Flash: The Truth may be Shuttering.

A cool breeze tickles your sun-kissed skin walking on the beach. Warm sand wedges itself between your toes creating a tingling sensation. Light waves of deep blue water tumble to the shore. The lazy day seems to run on island time itself. The day creeps slowly by, until sunset makes its way to center stage. Plums of sand rises from the ground as your feet race for the car to grab the good ol'Canon camera.


On your speedy return, the lenses see sunlight for the first time in months. The camera's shutters start stealing glimpse of the silent evening sky. No need for the flasher, the natural light speaks for itself. Images truly capturing the evening's beauty as natural as the fresh seafood found along the pier.


Natural verses artificial light (the flash), which would you choose?


The  Camera flasher......
Think about the flash. It's luminance lights up entire rooms, everyone around it notices. The only problem, to much of camera flasher equals sore eyes, less of an effect, sometimes color distortion, and more importantly... it's ARTIFICIAL!

Now imagine natural lighting....
It's natural beauty and eminence might not be as dramatically recognized but everyone feels comfortable in its presence. Clicking lenses capture golden rays creating lasting images of real places, people, and events. Quality in this ideal setting is next to none.


Think about it and apply it to people. As told from a guy; what makes a girl beautiful?


Modest is Hottest: Us Mormon guys hear this all the time, it's such a common phrase that they have even produced tee shirts with this banner right across them. It may seem kind of stupid, but it's true.




Ok, let's take it back to the camera analogy. Any idea as to what natural light and the flash have anything to do with modesty?


Think of the flash verses the natural, one is real and the other is just a façade. Which would you take? Personally speaking, I would take the natural, modesty really is a virtue. True beauty doesn't need an extravagant display, it simply is there. True class, like your favorite fragrance is subtle, yet draws attention. While it might not turn heads as rapidly as the other, the presence of true beauty is always acknowledged and respected.


With true beauty (modesty), comes the undying desire to know you (the daughter, sister, girlfriend, the dream girl who every guy is dying to meet); past the outside, and find an even greater eminence in her personality. True beauty comes from an equal ratio of external looks and infinite worth.


An abrupt instantaneous camera flash or the pure essence of natural lighting. It all comes down to choices in life. God made a plan for us to choose immodesty or something that gentleman really look for in the long run. First impressions are everything; make your choice, the camera shutters are a clicking.

Just one more cookie: A tasty temptation

Sunday dinner, everyone gathered 'round the table to socialize and
grow closer. You know this saying (mom said it countless times when
you weren't listening), but really it's a time where you stuff 'till
you bust! Pearly whites sink into freshly cut watermelon slices and
devour hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks hot off the grill. Hints of
hickory smoke waif under your nose as you enjoy every succulent bite.
The kids lie down on freshly cut grass to take a short nap as the
feast digests. You spot that last chocolate chip cookie on the plate
auntie made. The thought races through your mind, "you know you're on
a diet." You try to resist that ohhhhh so good temptation. The
gooey chocolate tastes so good on your taste buds as you devour every
morsel.

The morning breaks, up and at 'um, same old, same old. Breakfast,
shower, shave, then pull out today's outfit. On goes the shirt, socks,
and then the pants. The Levi's feel a little snugger than usual.
"Hmmm," you think to yourself as you zip em' up. After all of that you
reach the button. With a little bit of effort and a lot of sucking in,
you button your drawers. "I've been dieting!" Now in total disgust you
storm back to the restroom, step onto the scale and find your pants
aren't lying. You've racked on a few pounds, the six pack vanished,
the chubs are back!

All I can say is.....TEMPTATIONS SUCK!

It's sooooooo hard to not give into temptation, how can I avoid regret?

WWJD (What would Jesus Do): Dude! Everyone has temptations. Each of us
struggle with that one little thing (fill in the blank for your weakness). 
Recognize that weak link and realize your struggles. In the KJV Bible
 Jesus Christ fasted for forty days and nights with NO food or water.
 Jesus Christ was the only one who could do this! During His agonizing fast, 
Satan (the devil), tried tempting Christ. Satan tried to persuade Christ to turn 
rocks into bread. As told in no better words comes the story of Jesus Christ's
 moment of temptation.

1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted of the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward
an hungred.

3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of
God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

 (Matthew 4:1-4)
 
Think about it, even Jesus Christ was tempted. It can happen to anyone.

MAKE A GAME PLAN: The Seattle Seahawks wouldn't have won the Super
Bowl if they just ran out on the field to play a pickup game of touch
football with the Colts. The Seahawks triumphant win came from hours
of practice, reviews of game footage, and most importantly a killer
game plan. Christ didn't start his fast without a end goal; in all
of His hunger and agony still did not give into temptation and enticements of the devil. 
How could this be!!!!!!! When Fasting, I salivate over even the thought of
something sweet. Wouldn't you? Christ didn't, because he made a game
plan.

YOU DECIDE: In a bind, it suuuuper hard to make the right choice.
Setting a game plan, means planning ahead when your head is clear.
Here's an example of a game plan I made before going to a party. "I'm
not going to do anything that I will regret even if Hannah* (my
BIGGEST crush) hits me up." I went to the party and sure enough, got
hit up by Hannah. Those royal blue eyes, red lips, short skirt, and a hint
of vanilla perfume beckoned, but I didn't flinch. What! Most guys
would have jumped on the chance! In situations like that, if a game
plan is set when in a stable frame of mind you won't flinch. You can
immediately switch into auto pilot and steer clear of the storm.
 
Ok, so we know that temptation sucks! Temptations of sex outside of
traditional marriage (between a man and woman), alcohol, and drugs
plague our world. You can avoid it! With God all things are possible.
Know it, live it, love it! No matter what you've done in the past,
there is always a way out. Through our savior all can be made right
and protect us in the future. Da' game plan is the way to go! Avoid
even that last sneaky chocolate chip cookie!


*name has been changed