lessons from the transfiguration

I recently re-read Luke's account of the Transfiguration of Jesus (9:28-45).  Here are some things I learned that had not jumped out at me previously:

• Jesus' appearance changed while He was praying (verse 29, italics added for emphasis).  He had taken Peter, John, and James up to the mountain to pray, and God's glory fell on Him once he started praying.  The same verse says Jesus' clothing became "white" and "gleaming."  My Bible says that the word "gleaming" here literally means "flashing like lightning."  So pretty much VERY glorious.  :o)  The take-home lesson I got here?  Miraculous things happen when we pray.  The very atmosphere can shift, as well as ourselves.  But we can't expect God to move if we're not praying for Him to do so.
• Peter and the other two disciples had fallen asleep while Jesus was praying (is it just me or do they seem to do that a lot in the Gospels?).  It wasn't until they were fully awake that they saw God's glory manifested in Jesus' appearance as well as in Moses and Elijah who had appeared and were talking with Him (verses 30-32).  So we can't be spiritually "out of it" if we want to see God's glory.  There's no way around it...you have to be fully awake to see.
• "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles..." (Peter, verse 33).  It had to have been indescribably amazing and wonderful to be on that mountain during the Transfiguration.  Why else would Peter want to stay there permanently?  Getting even a taste of God's glory always leaves us wanting more.
• In verse 37, they "came down from the mountain." In the verses following, Jesus heals the demon-possessed boy when the disciples were unable to do it.  In verse 38, the boy is described as the only child.  In that culture and time, having boys was important and preferred; I bet having just one boy made for one very over-protective parent!  My translation says another word for "only" in this case is "begotten."  Which of course made me think of John 3:16; Jesus was, and is, also the "only begotten son."  Perhaps that's why the demon held on to the boy so tightly. 
• When Jesus rebuked the demon and healed the boy, the people watching were "all amazed by the greatness of God" (verse 42).  God shows His glory everywhere, not just on the mountaintop.  Even in the worst of circumstances, His majesty is there.  Prayer can change the appearance of the situation so that His glory can be found in the difficult and the ugly.

There's my (somewhat disjointed) take on it.  :o)