Ascension Day

9 May 2013

Today was a “red day” in Norway – a holiday commemorating the day Jesus ascended into heaven.  It’s known as “himmelfartsdag” which literally translates as “heaven speed day” as I guess they assume he was going up there quickly when he rose into the clouds.  Everything was closed today because Norway honors important Christian days in history.  That will change someday, I’m sure, as there is already much discussion about removing some of the “red days” in May because Pentecost is also in May, as is the 17^th of May, and Labor Day.  Norwegians want their days free spread out a little more throughout the year because the five weeks of vacation they get throughout the year, doesn’t seem to be enough.   They have it so good, they have no idea.

Clouds were in the sky today but it didn’t look like it would rain so I called my friend Tina and we decided to go for a little walk.  I had seen a trail from the road as I drove by a place near our house, and I wanted to go for an explore.  She’d never been to the area I was curious about, so she and her husband, Are, Kory and I all set out to see what we could see from the top of the hill.  Kaleb and Daniel opted to spend their day with their computers – no surprise there.

As we approached the trailhead, Tina (peering over a sheer drop-off with Kory above) was pleased to see it was a trail she had heard about many times, but never knew where it was, so that was a real bonus.  All of us were blown away by the views it provided  - 360 degrees of breathtaking scenery as far as the eye could see because the cloud cover was so high, thankfully.  And best of all, it’s just a few minutes drive from our place and only about a 20 minute walk to the top, so it’s easily accessible.  I was thrilled beyond words to have “discovered” it and it won’t be the last time we go there.

I made chocolate chip cookies this morning so Tina and Are enjoyed those, sitting on a rock on the peak, while Kory ate his orange and was glad to be alive.  We all took lots of photos and just sat there, absorbing in all the beauty.  No wind, mild temperatures and good lighting with the overcast skies.  It was near heaven, I tell ya and my soul got fed more than even yesterday’s outing.  This is why we come to Norway – to sit in the mountains and enjoy God’s handiwork.  Oh, how creative He is.

We found a quicker way down the mountain than the way we had climbed up, so next time we’ll go that route.  It was a nice long walk back to the car along neighborhood streets and we had a chance to talk while we walked – the perfect combination for me – getting my physical exercise in at the same time I’m being social.  I need more social interaction!

All was quiet around our place when we got back home since Kaleb was gone and the mall was closed.  After dinner we drove over to Odd’s house so Kory could deliver some wood he bought a few days ago for more home repair projects for Odd.  They were watching a soccer game on TV so all eyes were glued to the set.  Not much social interaction going on there, so we headed over to Tina’s house to pick up Kaleb and stayed about an hour visiting with them.

I tried to write some articles today but my brain just wasn’t participating.  In one way, it’s good for me to keep writing, but in another, the pressure is sometimes more stress than I want in my life.   It’s so easy to get discouraged and start questioning everything.  This is where I have to pray that God will “hold captive every thought” or else, surely, the dark side will win.