Last night James and I met up with 15 other avid hikers at the Mt. Rose Summit Trailhead after work and hiked to the top. Our hike down was in the moonlight and that was very cool!
Parts of the hike were flat, scenic with little meadows, beautifully colored yellow, purple and red wildflowers, streams and even a natural waterfall. Other parts were brutal as we climbed over 2000 feet in elevation with only a few switchbacks to make it a little easier, not completely uphill.
When I moved back to Reno, I joined meetup.com for both the Reno and Sacramento areas. I found out about meetup.com when I was in Budapest. You can find meetup groups on a variety of things from the arts to living an active lifestyle. In Sacramento, they have some amazing groups that train together for Triathlons. Here in Reno the best groups are for hiking and that's no wonder. Lots of options here in the area!
It was absolutely stunning to look out from the Mt.Rose peak and see all of Reno, all of Carson, the Lake Tahoe area and Donner. There were some magnificant views from the top. Getting there was another thing. Not only did my heart rate pound through my chest at some points, but the wind near the top made it so tough that I literally thought I was going to blow over. One of the girls on the team almost did, if not for her walking stick to keep her up. Brutal!! That's all I have to say about the Nevada wind.
The other tough spot came near the top as well. I was breathing in air that made my lungs and nose hairs burn and the wind was kicking up the Nevada dust, blowing it in my eyes. I'm not quite sure what that was all about, but nonetheless, it was tough.
Anyways, I was thinking about how much this hike parallels our lives as believers. Often times there are parts of our journey as Christ-followers that are filled with beautiful meadows, wildflowers, and waterfalls. We are completely filled with the wonder of the journey and we are enjoying it. Other times, perhaps even as we're about to reach some of the mountain tops, there is a huge amount of resistance. Sometimes so much so that it would blow you over if you weren't careful. Maybe even breathing in the venom of the brutal windy air, causing your internals to burn with a not so welcome burn.
One other parallel that I made during our hike last night had to do with James. He's done the hike three or four times before so he knew what to expect and at a few moments he could tell me what was ahead and that really helped. As we got near the tougher part, he carried my bag. He carried my bag to the top. I honestly am not sure if I would have been able to make it to the top had he not been with me and carried my bag. The bag wasn't that heavy but even the slightest weight made a difference when you experience resistance too. Not that James is Jesus, but in this moment, I was reminded that we do have a "Greatheart" (Pilgrim's Progress) or a "Braveheart" in Christ who gets us to our destination if we remain in Him. He has gone before us. He's traveled this road we're on and knows the path. If we stay close to Him, He will tell us what's ahead and when it gets really rough, He'll carry our bag.
Not only did this hike bring forth these parallels, but it also reminded me of a book I read awhile ago by John Bunyan called "The Pilgrim's Progress." An interesting classic, all about the journey.
My final theme from this hike is once again the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. James and I were a little surprised at how quick this group of hikers were hiking the trail. They were booking it! That was fine, but that was definitely not our pace. We wanted to enjoy the surroundings but didn't really get a chance to do that in order to stay with the group. At one point, though, we slowed it down and just enjoyed.
The Hare may have been fast, but it was the Tortoise who made it to the finish line in one piece. In our walk as believers it's important not to get caught up in getting there quickly. Enjoy the race. Enjoy the pace of life and learn all you can along the way. You'll make it to the finish line if you keep your eyes on Him.
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