Climb Higher

Out of my kitchen window in Haiti was the most amazing view of the mountains. I was never able to capture their beauty from my camera, but this is a shot from our neighbor's back yard. Every morning, I would wake up and quote Psalm 121: 

I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

One observation I made right away in Haiti was the noise. Every morning around 4:00 am, the yard workers came to sweep the giant fallen palms out of our yards. This was actually before the hens began crowing. There were goats and pigs and peacocks. These are sounds I grew accustomed to and miss. However, the black birds there sound like screaming children and they "screamed" every dawn and dusk. There was the sound of our generator. Sometimes after midnight, we would hear the loud music far off in the mountains of a celebration or a voodoo ceremony. Sometimes, we would hear people down the mountain closer to town. Sometimes, during political strife, we would hear gunshots.

So, for refuge, I would occasionally climb up to my neighbor's flat roof and spend time with God (as well as eat kenep from the tree). Up there, I had a new perspective. Instead of feeling closed off by my neighbor's homes, I saw up to the top of the mountains. I saw the tops of the palm trees.  I could see for miles around me. The noise and busyness that normally surrounded me turned into space and peace. 

kenep

As we are now in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, as our family continues to wait in the States, we hear the supportive prayers of others telling us to keep trusting, dig deeper and push harder. These prayers are confirmation as God continues to tell me to climb higher. We need to seek God more. We need to keep our eyes focused on Him. We need to lift our heads to the one who has weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance. Even though all you can see and hear around you is chaos, climb higher. Climb and keep your eyes fixed on the LORD. 

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;  for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters.

Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
    Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
    who does not trust in an idol
    or swear by a false god.

They will receive blessing from the Lord
    and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face, God of Jacob.

 Lift up your heads, you gates;
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory?
    The Lord strong and mighty,
    the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory?
    The Lord Almighty—
    he is the King of glory.

 (Psalm 24: 1-10)