Take a hike

The night was crazy. Not in the good way either. Our event turned into something it shouldn’t have. What should have been vision casting turned into sulking about the past. It wasn’t ugly…but it wasn’t productive either. After the “funk” of that night, I needed to escape from the heaviness that was starting to build a haze around my heart.
I needed to run away to someplace, away from the craziness, away from the funk …just away, just quiet, just peace. A wonderful friend who could see the effects recommended we go to “the falls”. We made the drive to the parking area (about 5 minutes) parked and followed the trail. Along the way we met Scott and Little Abby his daughter who is 3 ½. We walked the rest of the 5 minute hike alongside them. Scott is a firefighter and told me that they are always rescuing people who climb up too high and then are afraid to come back down. Hahahaha that is funny! Who does that?!?!?! But I guess it happens. After some small talk he and Abby went on their way and Dave and I were left to check out the beauty of the falls. David went right up to it and looked straight up. Looking at the falls compared to David put everything back into perspective. God is God and I am not. THANK HIM!!!! In that moment I knew everything would be ok.
I made a small climb and for a while just sat. I sat in the shade and just enjoyed the silence of the place where I was at. I started to get cold so I climbed a little higher and sat on a rock that was actually pretty high up. Did I mention that I am deathly afraid of heights? Anyway, I sat on this rock and enjoyed the sun for a little bit. I started to feel uncomfortable so I decided to go to a little higher place on the rock that was more comfortable. Ahhhhh. It was like that part was designed to fit my butt perfectly! So there I sat on my rock and just let the sunshine kiss me. It felt so good. I was so proud of myself for climbing this high and conquering the rock. I was looking at the view from my rock and it was absolutely beautiful. The sun shining down, through the trees and right on my rock! I took a good look at my new perch. The moss that was growing on it, and the plants growing through it. I thanked God for putting it there. I know I am not the only one who has ever sat on this particular rock and parked there, but it was there for me to enjoy today. As I enjoyed it I spotted another rock that was just a little higher (not too much). It got better sun and sort of looked like a chair. It took me a few minutes to get up the courage, but I ended up climbing a little further up and sitting on the new rock for about another half hour and just enjoyed Gods presence. While I was looking up at the perfectly blue sky I noticed that there were other spots available. I wasn’t ready to make that climb that day, but I know it is there for me when I am.
We are all walking a some sort of a path. Sometimes we meet people along the way. Some are meant to stop and chat with and enjoy for a while. They share their stories with us. We share ours with them and then we part. Some will stay strangers. Some are forever by your side. There are times when we are being called higher, and so we climb. We climb to a new height (even if it IS a little scary). We have to be careful though, that while we are climbing we aren’t climbing too high. We need to know that the places we stepped are solid beneath us so that there is no fear of climbing down to help someone else up.
When we find a spot, it is ok to be comfortable in it, just realize we are on a hike. Although it may be a great resting spot it is not the end of the trek. If we end our voyage in the comfortable spot we will collect moss, we will collect junk, and even though my rock had life coming out of it in some places, it only grew through its cracks not by its climb, and the very places it actually had growth were the places that anchored it to its spot…forever. We are the same way. If we stop for too long things bolt on to us preventing us from movement, inhibiting us from our own growth and ultimately anchoring us into a spot where we are no longer resting but are paralyzed. So friends, I encourage you when the comfortable becomes uncomfortable, set your sights on higher ground, on better rocks, and find your place in the sun…or should I say the Son.
Thank you Jesus, for kissing me with your light, and showing me how to get to higher ground.