Sensing the Sacred

We drove into the south entrance of Mt. Rainier around 5:30 headed for our night's lodging at the Paradise Inn. The drive was quite ethereal through barely visible roads due to intense ground fog. We knew great mountains were all around us, but could not see a single rock. The outlines of trees were the only things to guide us safely on the roads. We finally made it to the Inn and got tucked in for the night.

As I opened the curtains the next morning I was pleased to see a deer in the parking lot and two grand peaks clearly visible. I knew neither one could be Mt. Rainier because they were equal in height and not covered with snow. I dressed quickly to run outside the Inn and see where the grande lady stood. I nearly fainted as I saw her rise above the fall-colored hillside. It was quite startling to realize how much she rose above the other towering peaks that in their own right were stunning.

I heard from several fellow travelers that they had been to the park several times and never saw her totally uncovered. In fact, only an hour later she was covered by clouds. After a quick breakfast and short hike we got in the car to see if we could get her reflection in the lakes down the road. Success!!! But later on a midday hike she showed her peak above a massive expanse of clouds. It was extremely shocking to see how far above the clouds she stood. The vision was mind-boggling because the amount of distance between the treed hillside and the peak above the clouds was almost impossible to connect to the fact of the rest of the mountain being hidden behind the screen.

Experiences like this help me to practice sensing the sacred. I cannot see God but can surely sense His love, direction, grace, compassion, invitations, sweetness, grandeur, and spirit. It is good to stop, be still, and KNOW that He is God. What a joy it is to know I am His child! He is so grand, but close enough to hold my hand, fill me with freedom, and dance with me through a joy-filled life!