I know you think I am away in a foreign country, walking in livid conditions, staying in small inns with limited service. Just getting by day to day. Let me give you today’s details. Woke up after a great nights sleep in a beautiful small hotel in a stop in the trail, not a village, just a stop. The hotel was warm and cozy, the breakfast was a continental choice buffet and added cook to order food, including pancakes and waffles. I had the bacon and eggs, they were very good. After walking a little over 12 miles today, I arrived at KingsHouse hotel. This place is a nice hotel that caters to weekend getaways and WHW walkers. The room I was assigned has a king bed, a desk table and chair and a couch by the large window viewing the hills. The shower and bathroom are just as nice. This room is one probably always assigned to hikers, it has hallway bench with hangers to hang up the hiking apparel (stuff) and to place the hiking shoes upon. Finally, it has a Dyson fan to assist in drying out that stuff. Tonight the group I have fallen in with tried the restaurant, we ate a 2 and 1/2 hour meal, all food was good and presented nicely. Now I am back in my room thinking, this is the life………
I think this trip, as all trips do, remind me that these trips are like a box of chocolate, as Forrest Gump’s mom told him, “life is like a box of chocolates you never know what you will get”. That is part of what makes these adventures so fun, you just never know what surprise is around the corner. I know our everyday lives are the same, some drudgery, some normal habits, some planned times and then that box of chocolates, life jumps out and gives you a surprise. Sometimes it is smooth milk chocolate, sometimes rich dark chocolate and even every now and then some bitter chocolate. What makes life rewarding is how we respond to all these things. When life pulls us down, we have to be willing to lift ourselves back up, when life is too normal, we have to be willing to step out of the box, when life is wonderful we have to be always thankful and when life is a box of chocolates, we have to be flexible enough to enjoy all the flavors.
When I think about the way God has blessed each and every one of us, including or especially me, I am reminded that even when I think I am in control and I can choose the chocolate I want out that box, I am not. God is the one in control. God is the one that makes sure were never have more negatives that we can deal with. God is the one who provides our needs, not necessarily what we want, but all our needs. Also, God is the one that provides the so many blessings we receive in this life. When I am away from my normal life, there is time to think about the many blessings that we have in life. I am not going to list mine here, but I do want you to slow down long enough to think about what God has given you, I am sure the list is long and if you ever tried to write them down, the list would always be incomplete. God does lead us and I am so glad of that.
Now God is leading me to get some rest for the next 2 days on the trail north. And by the way, the temperature is supposed to be a high of 45 tomorrow, so I guess we are sharing in that Texas weather this week.
Psalm 37:25
Quote of the day: see above
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