Some things really stink about growing old:  loss of strength and flexibility, loss of ability to eat whatever you want without getting fat, loss of stamina, and general aches and pains.  I was faced with some of my mortality this past weekend when we took a short trip to some local mountains.  We visited Salcantay which is about two hours from our house.  We did not attempt to climb the mountain as it is technically difficult and over 20,000 feet in elevation.  However we did try and reach some snow and visit a beautiful glacier-fed lake that is nearby.  My kids were excited to see the snow and practically ran up the mountain while Allison and I tarried behind a little bit.  My heart rate reached a brisk 180 beats per minute as I simply walked up a very steep incline at 14,000 feet.  We reached an altitude of somewhere around 14,250 feet where my kids ran around throwing snowballs while I sat on my rear so that my heart would pump more efficiently and my lightheadedness would go away.  It is something to be at your physical limit and watch your seven year old go running up a steep mountain way ahead of you!  So that is the bad news of growing old.  But of course there are good parts of growing old!  You are wiser, smarter, and hopefully more refined by the Holy Spirit if you are a Christian.  As you grow in knowledge and wisdom of God you see your perspective change so that the things of earth become less meaningful and the things of heaven grow more important.  These sinful, fallen bodies decay while our reborn Christian minds and spirits grow and expand.  In the future lies something better than the past, and our broken bodies should not hide this truth from us!

Getting started. All the kids have started running up the mountain to reach the snow you see behind us.

Standing at 14,000 feet. All four of my kids have already run over the ridge behind me.

How much further.

Family picture at the lake! So pretty!