Monday, December 27, 2010

LOW ALTITUDE SICKNESS

I love the outdoors.

And my favorite place to be is in the mountains.

Several years ago, “The Hub” and I went on vacation to Colorado. We love staying in a place called Ouray. It’s an old mining town from the 1800’s. It has survived through the years. It’s got some tourist shops and restaurants, and yet, it still keeps a quaint image of its beginnings.

One of our favorite things to do is rent a jeep and travel into the high, high mountains above Ouray – exploring all the old mining sites that lie as silent monuments to a bygone day of golden dreams.

I am fascinated by it all. The history – my mind soars with imagination.

And if that wasn’t enough, the scenery is breath-taking…literally.

On portions of the bumpy, hard-scrabble trail, we are over 13,000 feet. We are in the heights – where snow is everywhere, even in the middle of July.

Oxygen is sparse, and it’s difficult to walk around. Huffing and puffing has nothing to do with blowing any piggy houses down – just sayin’… And it’s easy to get tired, quickly.

On this one particular trip, everything was swell – until we started coming back down.

That’s when I got sick – really sick.

I had the most awful headache – I can’t even describe it. I’ve had headaches all my life. And this was by far the worst. At first, the pain was more than enough. But then the nausea set in. Oh boy…

By the time we reached our campsite again, I was almost speechless – it hurt to talk, and my stomach started flipping – literally.

“The Hub” was quite worried.

We waited it out. And by mid-morning of the next day, I was feeling slightly better. I gingerly ate a few pretzels, and tentatively sipped on water.

A few days later, we talked to a couple of people and told them what had happened. One of them had had the same thing happen. It was definitely altitude sickness.

But here’s the weird thing –

The cure for altitude sickness is to get to a lower altitude quick. The odd thing about what happened to me is that I didn’t get sick UNTIL I hit the lower altitudes.

ODD, huh?

I got thinking about that fact last week when I was in the mountains with my sons. I felt fine up there. But when we returned home, I started to get a headache. And a little queasy. Not at all like my Colorado experience, but the same phenomenon. Going to lower altitudes…

I’ve determined that I suffer from low-altitude sickness.

I seem to thrive in thin air, far above the murky haze of sea level realms.

I think it’s like my soul.

I wasn’t made for the murky haze of earthly realms.

Caught up in the concerns of daily living. Mired down in the troubles and worries that surround me. All stuffed up in my heart with sin. Getting a headache trying to figure out my life. Feeling queasy about the future…

No, I wasn’t made for low altitude.

I was made for the heights. I was made in the image of the Almighty God. I was made to soar.

“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31)


Are you suffering from low-altitude sickness?


BLOG = “Blessedly Leaning On God!”

13 comments:

  1. Another beautifully written masterpiece by you! I'm sorry that you have felt sick after coming down the mountains. But that's just it, you are soaring so high, emotions rising even higher by the wonder and the power of God's love. Coming down from such a high does leave one feeling weak.

    I love the verse you've used here from Isaiah. I have a picture of an eagle soaring high in the mountains with the Scripture Isaiah 40:31 quoted on it. I have it hanging on the wall in my lounge room.

    In reply to your question, yes, I do suffer from low altitude sickness. "Caught up in the concerns of daily living. Mired down in the troubles and worries that surround me. All stuffed up in my heart with sin. Getting a headache trying to figure out my life. Feeling queasy about the future…" I would appreciate your prayers.

    Sharon, May you continue to draw near to God and rise up like the eagle soaring in the power of God's love.

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  2. Hello Sharon,

    It is good to be back.

    As I was reading this - the thing I asked myself was how do you get sick - coming back down to where you started orginally? You weren't sick to begin with - right? You got used to the air above you.

    And of course I am on major pain pills (lol), but I am getting better every day.

    Love,
    sandie

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  3. Dear Sharon, Would it be okay with you if I printed your story out to share with family and friends. Also with your blessings, I would love to quote some of your words here, on my blogspot, as a reminder for myself. "I wasn’t made for low altitude. I was made for the heights. I was made in the image of the Almighty God. I was made to soar." In His Love, Kerrie. xOX

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  4. Parsley - WELCOME!! Thank you so much for visiting! I'm glad you enjoyed this - and I sincerely hope you come back again soon. I hopped on over to your blog, and I enjoyed it so much. I look forward to following you. (Your dogs are adorable!! I love dogs, too!! In fact, I've written several posts about my sons' beagle, Marty. If you'd like, you can find them by checking out the label "Marty" at the bottom of my blog!)

    Kerrie - I visited your blog earlier, and it's my pleasure to follow you. That Scripture from Isaiah is one of my favorites. One time, high in the mountains above Colorado, I saw an eagle soar across a valley. It was breath-taking (blogged about it - "In the Shadow" 12/9/10 if you're interested). I will pray for you, Kerrie. It's so hard living on this difficult old earth sometimes. We have to stick together, and encourage each other. We can help each other soar...

    (P.S. Yes, I would be honored if you shared my story! And of course you may quote my words. Thank you for the compliment...)

    Sandie - Welcome back to the land of the living, friend!! To answer your question, no I wasn't sick where I started out. For some reason, it seemed like once I went higher, the coming back down did something weird to me. My theory - my body adjusts to the higher altitude, and feels at home there. Then, when I return to lower places, it says, "NOPE! I like it up there better!!" HA... (Planning to email you tomorrow - I know you're looking forward to that!)

    Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

    GOD BLESS!

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  5. Hi Sharon,

    Wow, what a surprise to find my friend and sister Kerrie, in Australia on here. You both have eagles and soaring featured and I too love that scripture and have many family stories relating to power beneath wings. Well, as you will probably have already gathered I too, suffer from that low altitude sickness, the prayer topics Kerrie gave you, could have been mine and it seems yours too. So, as we enter 2011, it will be good to pray for each other along those lines. Thank you for visiting me and I wish you A VERY HAPPY HEALTHY 2011. Hugs Nita

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  6. Nita - Kerrie is a wonderful person. I feel privileged to have her visiting my blog, and adding her very insightful comments. Yes, I know that you're like me - a little "down in the dumps" during these cold winter months. I look forward to supporting each other in prayer. That is the treasure of blogging - the friends I've made. And I am so glad that you are one of them! We'll help hold each other up - and together we will soar with the Holy Spirit's power beneath our wings!

    A very Happy New Year to you and your family. I hope that Callum's ear is feeling better SOON!

    GOD BLESS!

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  7. Hi Sharon,

    Yes, I have been a bit down in the dumps, but the comments you and Kerrie have been sharing have been uplifting to me. I pray often for the three of us about our low altitude sickness. Also the Lord has granted me some very special moments this Christmas, it has been largely a very happy family time, apart from Callum's not being too well and the sadness I have seen in my grand daughters eyes, because it is hard for a 4 year old to understand why mummy and daddy cannot be together with her for christmas. Take care Sharon and thank you for being my friend on here. Hugs Nita.

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  8. Nita - I'm so glad that I'm offering an encouraging word. I'm very glad to have you (and Kerrie) understand the winter "blahs" and to know that we're all supporting each other in prayer - priceless! I'm glad that you've had some nice family time - I've enjoyed seeing some of your pictures! (You and your brother are just TOO cute, by the way!) Glad to hear that Callum is feeling better. I'm so sorry to hear about your grand-daughter. Yes, those things are so hard. I will pray that God will bring comfort to her young heart, and that she will understand that her mom and dad still love her deeply.

    I treasure your friendship, Nita - GOD BLESS!

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  9. I absolutely love this...
    "I’ve determined that I suffer from low-altitude sickness.
    I seem to thrive in thin air, far above the murky haze of sea level realms.
    I think it’s like my soul.
    I wasn’t made for the murky haze of earthly realms."

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  10. Anita - Thanks so much. Sometimes when I write, words just come out. I don't really think about them. This was like that - and I think God just really spoke them to me. And they make my heart soar...

    GOD BLESS!

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  11. Hi Sharon -

    Glad you are feeling better. Also glad that you have a diagnosis. Yes, I agree - you have eagleitis. No bill - just facts...

    No, my sickness is more of the sick of the devil deceiving people kind...for certain, GOD has a sure remedy for "whosoever will."

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  12. Sandra - Thanks for not billing me. I should have known that you would know all about "eagleitis!" And I am also SICK of the enemy - thank goodness that God has a cure - and that it cures us FOREVER!!

    GOD BLESS!

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"So [I] have been greatly encouraged in the midst of [my] troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives [me] new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How [I] thank God for you!" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Thanks for your comments - it is such a joy to be sharing my journey with friends like YOU!

(NOTE: Anonymous comments will be removed. Thank you for understanding.)