Changing Seasons

I love my apartment in downtown Colorado Springs.  I love everything about it.  It's cute, it's quaint, it's homey, and it has lots of character. But, my absolute favorite thing about my apartment is the view. I live on the third floor and my living room window faces out to the Pioneer Museum (the old Colorado Springs Courthouse) and behind that is Pike's Peak.  I like to sit on my couch in the mornings with my cup of coffee and just enjoy the view.
This morning when I settled into my big blue couch to enjoy my morning ritual, there was something very different... SNOW!  Pike's Peak has snow on it again for the first time in months and I love it!  Don't get me wrong, the peak is beautiful no matter what time of year it is, but somehow it just looks more grand, more majestic when it is covered in snow. The details on the face of the mountain are more pronounced and it vastly stands apart from the mountains around it.
I truly love the mountain covered in snow but at the same time, this change in weather signals the temporary end of some of the things I love about the warm weather.  I had set a goal to summit Pike's Peak for a second time before winter really set in, but with the harsher climate and my lack of proper gear, this may not be a reality for me and I will probably have to wait until 2011 to summit once more.
It's a subtle reminder of the changing seasons in my life. Although things may get a little colder, and the mountains are becoming harder to climb, I press on toward the goal. I am in a transition period, one that I know I will come out of just fine on the other side. I will be stronger, wiser, and more confident than ever. I will lean less on my own understanding and more on that of God's. Sometimes I don't feel like I am properly equipped to handle the rocky trails and harsh weather that life throws at me, but in the end I make it ok.
Most of all I have hope.  I'm enjoying the adventures of fall/winter and the unexpected surprises because I know that Spring will come and with it new life and new experiences.

Hmm... maybe I will still make it up the Peak this year... who knows...

Here is a picture from last year of Pike's Peak covered in snow taken from Palmer Park... I'll have more to post later :)