Another relaxing day.

It was another relaxing day, if you call walking three miles up a mountain trail that climbs 1000 feet up. My parents and I visited Yosemite National Park today. I went there during my last visit and was in awe of the beauty of this park. Today was no exception. Driving down into the valley as the mountain faces towered over us once again inspired an abiding sense of awe in me. The beauty of the edifices still amaze me with their majestic stances in the land. Trees and plateaus covered many of the open lands and up into the top edges. It was absolutely beautiful. Every time I go, I am in awe of God's artistry when He created the world. He definitely was the artist.

This trip around we decided to take the trail that lead us up to the Verona Falls. At this time of year, usually the falls are small and empty since most of the snow and ice from the winter months have melted and the land is dry. Yet these falls were full and beautiful.

The first part of the journey lead us up to a bridge that allows us a beautiful view of the falls. The hike was a steady uphill climb to a bridge that was .8 miles from the opening of the trail. The trail was pretty easy up to the bridge, but the incline at times made my muscles burn. At the bridge, we decided to continue our trek up the trail to the top of the falls, another .7 miles up the mountain. It was a good thing we did not know what we were getting ourselves into. The next part of the trail took us up 600 feet, a very steep incline that worked the leg muscles a lot.

At one point, my parents had to call it quits, knowing that the upcoming section of the climb was not feasible for their health. I decided to continue because I wanted to go to the top. It definitely was a climb, going up a steep, rock staircase that did not seem to end. I had to stop several times to give my legs a moment of rest and my heart time to slow down. I definitely had my workout.

Now, through my trek, I began to philosphize the last part of my journey. It never fails that I can take a daily journey and turn into an spiritual one. But I started out on this trek with a purpose in mind. I wanted to see the top of the falls. I had never been there. I did not know what I was going to find at the top; I just knew I wanted to go there. The journey started out easy, a slow incline to encourage me onward. This continued for awhile, the journey teasing me that I can actually do this and do it on my own. The hardest part did not come until later, after I had become used to the climb, the incline and the terrain. The hardest part came when the end was near and the promise of the end was within grasp.

Many times along that journey upward, I wanted to quit. I was tired. I was worn out. My muscles were quivering with the excercise. My heart was pumping hard at the strain of climbing. I had to stop many times to take a breather. I needed rest. I would look upward, at the rest of the journey and I would feel despair. The journey at times seemed endless and too much. I sometimes wondered if the climb would be worth it. Would the end be worth the struggle I had to do in order to get there?

I kept going, taking breaks when I needed them. I would look only to the one the step that I needed to take. I stopped looking at the whole picture and focused on the one step in front of me. Pretty soon, the journey began to shrink and finally I reached my destination. I was at the top of Verona Falls. The journey was worth it.

The view was spectacular. I went to the edge to glanced down at the valley where the river flowed from the falls. I could see for so far and it was beautiful. I turned around and the view was just as great. Another site of God's creation. I saw the Emerald Pools. I saw the other falls the fed into the Verona Falls. I just enjoyed the view and the truth that I had made it. My legs no longer seemed to quiver or ache. They were fine an I walked around.

How many times does God take us on a journey? We know that there is an end, a destination, but we forget that there often times a journey to get there. At first, the journey is level with few difficulties. It seems easy. We get going, we hit a few hard parts but not enough to deter us from the destination. We get to one part where we can see part of the beauty of that promised end and we are encouraged to continue on. Then hard times come, the journey becomes difficult, tiring, weary. Often times the journey seems endless and despairing. We get to points where we wonder if the journey is worth it or maybe we should just quit and go back down the trail.

Some do quit, never reaching the end or experiencing the beauty of the end. Some allow the despair of the journey to wear them down until they are immobilized. Some find a great spot to rest but never continue on. They are content to stay where they are safe and rested. Others continue on. They take the rests at points they need so they can take the next step. They look to the next step and take it, not worrying about the end because they know it will come. And they get to enjoy the blessing and the beauty.

This journey to California was very much like my trek up the mountain at Yosemite. God lead me on a new journey. During the first months, the journey was easy and fun. Then as times continued, the journey got a little tougher but still bearable. Then I had those times when it was difficult and I wanted to turn back. I wanted to go back to my home of fifteen years but then I took a moment to rest and allow God to speak to my heart. He reminded once again of the beauty at the end of this journey.

I don't know what it is yet. I am still on this journey to the end of the next stage. It has been fun and hard. I need to take breaks and rest. But the anticipation of the beauty at the end keeps me looking at the one step in front me so I won't despair at how many steps are left.

I can't wait to describe the beauty at the end. I will let you know when I see it.