A Gift of Experience
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8 (NIV)
Experience gifts are awesome! In my lifetime, I’ve had a couple that I will never forget—nor the givers of the gifts. I would have to say that this one is way cool, but not for me. Jeannie Blackmer (Mornings with Jesus) takes us on an adventure that will never be forgotten as she and her husband ski up to Tennessee Pass.
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For Christmas I like to give experiences, so I gave my husband, Zane, a certificate for an adventure dinner. I made a reservation at a restaurant in Leadville, Colorado, called Tennessee Pass Cookhouse. The dinner is in a yurt (portable circular building) that you cross-country ski to one mile up to the top of a pass called Tennessee Pass. After dining, using a headlamp, you ski back down.
Neither of us is an experienced cross-country skier, but being comfortable on downhill skis, we quickly adapted to the skinny, wobbly equipment. We started the trek at dusk. The snow captured the ground, and a full moon slowly appeared. It was magical. The yurt was cozy, and the dinner was delicious. I thanked God for giving us our senses because they can bring us such delight.
Jesus often performed miracles that impacted people’s senses. He made the disciples breakfast on the beach (John 21:12-13). He allowed the blind to see (Matthew 9:27-29). He stopped wind and calmed the waters (Matthew 8:23-27). Experiences that remind me He is good.
The ski down from the yurt was challenging. It had been a warm day, so the ski track had melted and then frozen with no new snow, making it an icy course. We slipped and slid, feeling awkward at times, but laughing together. That night we experienced all our God-given senses, gifting us with a memory for a lifetime.
FAITH STEP: Go for an adventure walk with Jesus tonight with a flashlight or headlamp, and tune in to your different senses. What do you see, hear, feel, and smell that gives you delight?
Loving Lord, thank You for all our senses with which You have gifted us. Let us use them to exalt Your holy name. Let us take this Faith Step to be reminded of what we have been missing in our busy lifestyle. AMEN.
Pic above is an actual yurt at Tennessee Pass, Colorado. I suggest you google it and see all the pictures and the menu!