Fresh Breezes

On Saturday, a friend of mine from the small group study wanted to hike with me.  We had originally planned a "family hike" for all the families of the moms in the group.  Due to extreme heat and another event that was going on at the church, we had to postpone that particular hike.  I decided, since it was going to be a nice day, to hike anyway, even though there were only the 2 of us.  I was a little hesitant with hiking in the heat. But, I chose a mountain I had done before (twice...the last time being in 2004), and it was only a 3.8 mile hike up and back.  Our part of NYS was having a heat wave with high humidity and although the humidity was a bit lower on Saturday than the previous 3 days, it was still 92 degrees.  And in the part of the Adirondacks (southwestern region)where we were hiking,  it was 91, so it really wasn't much cooler than down here in town.  We hiked anyway.  There were  4 other cars in the trailhead parking lot, so that was a good sign.....

After only 1/4 of a mile, I had to stop.  I was panting, dripping in sweat...it was literally pouring off my arms and legs and I felt as though my heart was racing.  The trail was a LOT steeper than I had remembered it.  It was Carla's first time hiking this mountain, and my third.  I was still on pain meds and an antibiotic for the root canal/infection.....and my knee was doing ok, but I could tell this was gonna be a tougher hike than I anticipated.  I was a little concerned because I don't usually have trouble on a mountain climb. The only thing I can think of is that it was hotter than when I typically hike, it was the first time I had done a mountain since October, and I was still recovering from the oral surgery.  Plus it was.so.HOT!

Trail up to summit as seen from level 1 of firetower
c. faithe MTPics 7/23/11

The urge to get to the summit and feel that cool breeze is what kept me going.  

I had to stop. OFTEN! I chugged 32 oz of water just going UP the mountain! I found my self stopping every few hundred feet!  I was a bit embarrassed and told my friend to just keep going....that I was ok with her going at a faster pace, as long as she was ok with me being a lot slower.  Again, this is not like me!

However....it did give me time to ponder a few things on a spiritual level.

You see, I am a naturalist by spiritual temperament.  So being in the woods, hiking up a mountain trail, is exactly what my spirit was craving.  Even with the extreme heat.

And it gave me time to think:

When we are hiking along on life's journey.....sometimes, the heat really gets turned up, doesn't it??  It might be the challenge of a new job, an illness, another stressor, a grief/loss, a marital problem, a parenting problem, an emotional hurdle or a spiritual emptiness....whatever it is, when the heat is on, the going gets tough!  

Are we allowing the wind of the Holy Spirit to blow through us??

Do we stop to pause, take a drink from the Living Water??

I had to stop often and drink deeply from my water bottle......I craved water that day....I was sweating it out faster than I could put it in!

This is how we need to be in our daily lives.

We need to be drinking of the Water....that Living Water...Jesus...in order to reap the benefits of the Holy Spirit blowing through us.....By being immersed in the Living Water, we will be refreshed and able to hear what the Spirit is saying to us.

As I reached the top of the mountain, and the trail leveled out a bit, I could feel the cool breeze start to dry the sweat on my arms and legs.....what refreshment!!

And what a sense of accomplishment. Yes, it took me a lot longer to hike up that trail.....sometimes it takes us a long time to go a certain distance in our spiritual journey.


Once we reached the top, we couldn't believe the difference in the setting.  Yes, the sun was out in full force.  But that constant wind was a delight.  

C. and Faith
Summit of Hadley Mt
23, July 2011

When the "heat is on" in your daily life.....whatever the challenge is that you are facing, remember to drink of the Living Water....only Jesus can refresh your soul......with the wind of the Holy Spirit......

allow Him to blow through you today.......and be refreshed!

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  John 7:38

Tenant Creek Falls
Hope Falls, NY
Southern ADKs