Mountain Dew

The dew pooled heavy on the trees sometime during my sleep. The mountain vegetation is

lush here; thick and already breathing heavy in this early morning hour. Hearing the drops hit

the metal roof of my cabin, I woke early thinking rain had set in but learned it was only the

leaves giving way to the burden of dew’s weight. I took my coffee from the front porch swing

while I calculated the days chores in my head and pondered how long the wetness would set

me back. I could do nothing but wait; wait for the sun to rise over the mountain and hurry the

drying process, so I drank coffee and read.

I was especially anxious to get started on my to-do list because I had too many things to

accomplish and waiting seemed such a waste. But this is why I came here. I came to relax,

unwind, and renew. I had to remind myself of this and I needed not get caught up in my

manufactured rush. The cabin, nestled deep in the mountain valley, has become my refuge

from the craziness of the world. It is my time out place. It is the place where I labor with

physical work while my brain gets to rest, and this process seems to get my being back in

balance. There are fences to mend, a barn to paint, a roof to patch, grass to mow, trees to

prune, rocks to move, and the list never slows but I don’t have to think too hard about the

chores. I don’t have to fill out a project form or a resource request. Nor do I need to write a

work instruction. I just do the tasks.

The cabin is a tiny hideout where peace hangs on the mantle like a badge of victory. Peace;

both prize and price. When I am at my worst, I pay the price in peace and this is why I come

here. The mountains may hand me dew as a way of quieting me so that I can get still with my

heart, still with my thoughts and be still with God. It’s the place I feel closest to God. It’s the

place I pray harder, believe harder, and live sweeter. Hebrew 4:10 For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

Takeaways:

-You define the price of peace. Is it a prize or a price? Peace is my reward for facing the

demands of my life by working hard and doing my part, choosing to treat people well, and

following Jesus.

-Sometimes you cannot rush a process. There are things out of my control (dew) that will cause

me to sit. I must submit to the stillness in order to rest and recharge.

-Find your center. Know what to gravitate to or where to go for renewal. For me, Jesus is my

center and when I keep Him there, solutions for my stressors seem to come to me easier.