(Almost) Silence & Solitude

And so in mountain solitudes o'ertaken,
As by some spell divine--
Their cares drop from them like the needles shaken,
From out the gusty pine.
-Bret Harte

The mountains were almost blue in the summer haze. Only the sound of rippling stream waters and the calling of the whippoorwills broke the silence. Dappled sunlight fell softly onto the pages of a book. Flickering firelight steadied my thoughts. A solitary walk down the lane gave a 'song in the night.' The dusk of evening became pink and purple, as the luminiscent moon brought sweet memories.

You might have guessed by now that my vacation was wonderful. Restful and refreshing. But as I told a friend yesterday, when I went away, the battles went with me. Battles of self and sin and seeking God's voice. It is easier to hear the voice of God in the mountains. And I'm comforted that even Christ Himself withdrew to a lonely place sometimes. And I'm even more comforted to realize that the sweet peace I seek is not found in a geographical place. My peace is found when I begin to pray, when I speak the precious name of Jesus, when I walk and talk with the Friend like no other. Thank You, Lord.