Ballad of the 17-Mile Hike (Part 1)

Hello sweet friends!

Boy oh boy, do I have a story for you! This is only part one because I know I'll  be able to dig lots of learned lessons from this crazy little adventure my husband and I had. We traveled to Asheville this past weekend for a camping getaway. We're fairly outdoorsy, so after taking a night to explore the downtown area, we set the next day aside to go hike in the mountains. Little did we know, we would need the entire day!

The problem was that we didn't take a map. It sounds so silly of us now, but at the time it felt very logical. Go up mountain, come down mountain. Map, shmap, what could go wrong?

Dear Laurel Mountain Trail. We hate your guts.

No, my husband didn't climb that rock for fun. That's our trail. Not the easiest.
(Click to enlarge).

When we first began our hike up this path, there were a few additional cars parked at the bottom, it seemed there were two different ways to begin the trail, and, (and!) a mountain biker making his way past us on the same route. So our thinking was, Surely this path can't be too long if a mountain biker is climbing it. And the other entrance must be an exit. It probably loops.  Two hours later when we were still hiking upwards, our thinking became, Surely the second half of this path will be significantly steeper back downhill. There's no way a mountain biker could go for this long both up and down.  Three and a half hours later, still moving up, we began contemplating turning around, and probably would have had there been some sort of look-out point to see the view. But deep down we really believed there would be a stellar view just around this ridge... Ok just around this one... Ok it's gotta be around this ridge.

Four hours in. We make it to the view. And our path?

Ends.

ENDS!

Who in their right mind would build a 7.5 mile path one-way up a mountain, and not say so at the beginning? And where in the heck did that mountain biker go?

At this point after so much hiking in the hot sun, our steps were super sloppy and our water bottles almost empty. If it took us another four hours to get down the path, we wouldn't make it back before dark, and this was clearly no path to attempt in dim lighting. There was a one mile trail to an inn at the mountain top, so we decided it'd be worth the effort to go and fill up our waters and see if we could call the park ranger to take us back to our car. We were given water but laughed at for our park ranger suggestion. (Not enough tax dollars. Touche, Ranger Man.) So after one small crying session (on my part, not my husband's), we knew we had to forge our way back down the path and hope none of our oxen would die. (Oregon Trail reference, anyone?)

"How do you feel about this trail?"
(Click to enlarge).

It is absolutely amazing what the human body can do given enough adrenaline. We had already walked almost ten miles, and still, our pace was extremely fast. When given a clear patch of trail, we would even run to save time. I am not in shape enough to accomplish this. I promise. We made it back to home base in two and a half hours! (Take that, trail!) I've competed in D-1 varsity sports, I've ran a half marathon, I've even pulled two all-nighters in a row studying for college exams-- but this was still probably one of the most exhausting things I've ever done.

Now, finally, here's the lesson learned. (Besides using maps, obviously). Back at camp, we took showers. We ate hot dogs. We sat, and sat, and sat. I have never taken a shower more gloriously refreshing. There's never been a hot dog so hearty and delicious. And I'll never find another chair as comfortable as our fold-up camping chairs. All the hard work from our hike made the day's graces seem so much more magnificent and enjoyable. Simple pleasures became wonderful, renowned events. We had much more gratefulness and were significantly more thankful because all of the struggles leading up to those small, lovely moments.

What if it's like that in Heaven? I'm not suggested that we earn our rewards in Heaven by 'working hard' during this life, but I think, if we do sacrifice and strive and push hard for the Lord, then watching the Kingdom come to fruition will be so much more beautiful. We'll know we had a part. We'll know we weren't trying to take anything with us, and that we're only leaving behind remnants of God, not ourselves.

1Corinthians 9 says: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize. Run that you may obtain it. Do not run aimlessly. Every athlete shows self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath. But we, an imperishable."

There are treasures and beauties and magnificent views just farther ahead, Beloved. There are far, far better things to come. Keep going. And stay strong. It's just around this ridge...

Agape,
CC

View from the top!

(Click to enlarge).

And just so you know, right after we finished... that mountain biker finally passed us again, finishing as well. Now THAT is one in-shape dude!!