The Trek

For years & years, Mike & I hosted church groups each summer to Colorado to backpack the trails. We have a million great memories & stories from these trips & made life-long friendships with fellow back-packers. There's just nothing like the beauty of Colorado! The mountains are full of wild-life & gorgeous views at every turn. The streams are freezing cold & refreshing. The lakes up in the mountains are incredible & there are patches of snow along the trail, even in the summer. Above the tree line, I realized how small I really was in the vastness of those mountains.

We'd carry everything on our backs for the week-long trek including tents, sleeping bags, clothes & food. These packs were heavy but worth carrying since everything in them was necessary for survival in the mountains.

Each morning, we started out as a group with a designated person to "bring up the rear." As the morning went on we'd spread out a bit depending on the pace of each hiker. We'd see each other along the trail throughout the day but there were many times we'd walk quite a while alone, not seeing another person. We were constantly surrounded by the grandure of God's creation. Just incredible!

By late afternoon, we'd stop to make camp for the night. We'd set up tents, heat water to prepare dinner & relax from the miles we'd just walked. We camped by the most beautiful lakes & streams & could hear the water flowing as we fell asleep at night.

Each morning it was hard to make ourselves pack up again, as it was so beautiful! We just wanted to stay right there at that campsite because thought nothing could be as beautiful, peaceful and perfect as that place! But, we did pack our things & hike again, & sure enough, the next camp site was even more fabulous than the one we left behind!

We knew the camp site wasn't home & we weren't going to live there. We were just passing through this gorgeous place for a time. We never intended to live up in those mountains in those conditions. We were merely campers enjoying the amazing wonders. It wasn't a sad thought because we knew it from the start. This was just a summer trip, a temporary adventure.

All those miles I walked alone, I thought of my life here. I'm a camper- just like I was in Colorado. I'm not meant to live here forever, just camp for a time. I don't want to leave, for this is a great campsite. I love my fellow-campers and I'm back-packing with people I love the most & am not quite ready to move on.

However, there was nothing as great as getting home after those trips! Getting all the dirty clothes, sleeping bags & camping equipment cleaned up, taking a hot shower & sleeping in my own bed was wonderful! Truly, there's no place like home! Same is true for my life now. There will come a day when I go home. I can't get completely comfortable & relaxed until then. I'm a camper until that day. As fabulous as the trek is, it is a trek & not a permanent address. This is not sad to me, but sweet. I've known this from the start. God has told me this all along. He's made my home & it will be completely ready for me when the time is right.

This has been on my heart, & so I write it down today. If He determines my camping days are not done, & I continue the trek for now, then I praise Him. If He determines it's time to go home, then I trust Him.