take this love, take it down

"take this love take it down
climb a mountain and turn around
and you'll see my reflection in the snow covered hill...
well a landslide brought me down."

I listened to Fleetwood Mac for hours and hours the summer of 2000, while taking a Mongolian Jeep over green countryside with sparse roads and many yaks. The 5 on my summer SMP team had spent countless hours together, running kids camps, traveling, rubbing up against each other and finding the meaning of "team" even when culture shock and personality differences made for many colorful conversations.

"I've been afraid of changin cause I built my life around you"

I write this because I'm finally having time to think on the countless hour drives through the Upper Pennisula I take daily. I think of this because with thinking, I have time finally grieve. I remember this song because I was on a team with 5, and Pete Flitton, one of us, died last month after a long and severe battle with Cancer. Peter's website

Cancer also claimed a dear family friend, Fred Menz, in May. We never get used to death. I dropped a camper off on his 2 week trip today from the funeral of his best friend who was killed in a car accident a week ago. I know that the wilderness is a powerful place to deal with powerful emotions, but it will be hard, so very hard. I spent my grieving time for Grandpa Taylor last year on the shores of Superior, grace filled and extremely lonely. Death, you will not win. Dear friends who grieve the loss of loved ones, my prayers are with you, as well as my heart. May the Peace of Christ that passes understanding be with you.