Bear Tracks

   

I had been looking forward to a nice hike up in the mountains. We were spending a few days in nature with friends, and the hike up on the mountain was high on my wish list. The setting was beautiful and the scenery from the top was breathtaking. We collected delicate flowers, an orange feather, took many pictures of the view, and had fun exploring when we decided to go for a hike. While exploring we started noticing different tracks. Some human foot prints, deer prints, some we new belonged to dogs, and then we saw them…bear tracks! They looked pretty dry so I assumed they weren’t recent, but as a group we became naturally a little more alert of our surroundings. One member of the group expressed that it was probably a good time to go back to our car, but not everyone agreed.
    We continued exploring the trail, taking in the beautiful scenery, the mountain top views, the different type of birds with their songs, and enjoying the fresh mountain air when we stumbled upon another set of bear tracks...smaller bear tracks. We thought they might be from a cub and where there is a baby bear, there is most likely a mother bear. This time there were more expressions of concern and even fear. Some in our group strongly expressed the need to go back and as I learned that day, fear is contagious. I finally asked who wanted to go back and it was decided that the majority was ready for a u-turn.

    We hiked back where there was a restaurant and more people, a safer place to explore. As we were looking around we found a map of the trails in the area. When we looked at the trail we had come from, we noticed that in the middle of the loop there was a lake. A mountain top lake! How cool it would have been to have seen it. It must have been beautiful. As we all pondered on the idea of a lake on top of the mountain, someone suggested going back and finding the lake, but by then it was time to get back to ground level. Just then we realized that we had missed a great opportunity because we allowed fear to dictate what we should do. Fear had won and we missed out on something that could’ve been really cool.
   

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world. We were definitely defeated by our fear of possible bears and may have missed out on a very nice experience. I’m not saying we should be careless with wild life. We should be very cautious and alert, but there were other groups on that trail, before and even after us and the tracks didn't seem too recent.
    Fear can be very debilitating in our lives, not only when hiking in the great outdoors. Think about the fears you have. Maybe you’re afraid of flying on an airplane, so you miss out on experiencing beautiful places that are far away. Maybe you’re afraid of changing careers, but you may be missing out on a great professional experience. You may be afraid of telling that special someone that you like them, but you may miss out on the relationship of your life! Maybe you're afraid of restoring an old friendship damaged by hurt feelings, but you’ll be missing out on the peace and joy that comes from forgiving and being forgiven. Maybe you're afraid of committing to a life of following God, but you'll be missing on your greatest adventure for this life and for eternity. Perhaps your fears are preventing you from running after your dreams, but you may miss out on the mission and purpose of your existence.
    Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, once said: “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.” It’s amazing what we can do when we overcome our fears. Don’t let fear get in the way of your dreams or of reaching your full potential. You and God can do all things together. We fear what could be, often an idea that is only in our mind, but if we overcome that obstacle, we will have wonderful opportunities. So get up and face your fears head on. Perhaps on the other side of the trail you’ll get to experience a beautiful mountain top lake. 

"Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10 

Purpose

    Sitting here in my office with the window open, I can hear the sound of water drops falling from the roof onto the stony ground. I think it rained last night, or maybe even early this morning. Gray clouds gently pass by taking the rain with them and giving way to light blue skies. The sun still hides behind the tall mountains to the east. It’s early in the morning and I enjoy a still quietness around me while most of my world still sleeps. At some distance I can hear the occasional sounds of phoebes and little gold finches greeting the early hours of the morning. It’s a new day, with new promises, promises of love, life, and mercy.
    This past week, what had been threatening to happen for several months finally happened as my mother closed her eyes to life on this earth. During these last few months, prayers for healing gave way to prayers for wisdom, then prayers of surrendering of the will, and finally to prayers for peace, strength, and comfort. Someone told me that my mother prepared herself and her family for this moment. Looking back I can see how true this statement is. For the past few months, she helped us realize what a good life she had, but also what a better life awaits her. To her last breath, she was working to help us prepare for a life without her daily presence in this earth and for an eternity together in Heaven. For now she rests from the cares of this world. The time spent with her and our conversations, made me realize the vanity, but also the purpose of life here on earth. We humans are constantly running to and from, so busy with so many things. Think about your day yesterday. What did you accomplish for eternity? Were you so busy with your daily activities that the 24 hours you were given were wasted with things of no true value? Those precious hours, an incredible gift from God, will never be recovered. What about the 24 hours that we are graciously being given today? I was looking at the little birds the other day and thinking about their lives. They are busy gathering their food and feeding their young, but also spend so much time flying, enjoying the sky, and singing from tree to tree. They know their Heavenly Father is taking care of them and they will lack nothing they truly need. I know humans are more complex creatures with more complex emotions and way of thinking, but there is something to be learned. I envy the birds’ contentment with life. They’re not busy worried if their nests obey the rules of Feng Shui, if it’s minimalist enough, or even if their homes are full to the brim with a bunch of cool stuff. They are content with their lives and so they have time to spend exploring the skies and singing praises to their Creator. I envy that!
    These past few months I have been blessed to see through my mother what a life completely focused on Christ truly is and I must say it’s beautiful. Even simply laying in bed, my mom showed us what the real purpose of our earthly life is. In the midst of our daily activities, Christ must be the center of it all, and sharing Him with those around us starting with our family is our purpose. Everything we do every single moment of our day must be for Him and only the complete surrender of our will to Christ will prepare us for life eternal. And there is nothing more I desire than eternal life, a life without sin and suffering. How wonderful it sounds! I’ll get to walk on streets made of gold, spend forever with my mother and my father, and continually praise the One who gave everything so He can enjoy eternal life with me! But I must share this reality with others because Heaven is great news! Jesus’ burden while on this earth was the salvation of others and He said I should trade my burden for His. This means I too must have the salvation of those around me and sharing His love for all as the center of my mission.
    The sun has finally appeared lighting the roof tops of the houses around me. The sky is now a beautiful blue and there is a choir of birds outside greeting the day. The scent of a brand new morning gently makes its way into my office through the open window. I just heard the sound of a car driving in front of the house. My world is slowly waking up and soon I’ll enjoy the blessing of the voices of people I love so much. All I can say is that God is good and I am tremendously blessed! 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever."

Isaiah 40:8