Education with Heart & Soul

The planning for our Summer trip to Colorado began back in January of this year. I had signed up my two youngest boys for a camp in Estes Park CO that would allow me to also visit with my daughter & her husband and my newest granddaughter for two weeks. To say I was thrilled about the idea of spending some quality time with my granddaughter while my boys put down their phones to spend quality time with God in the mountains is an understatement.

The months of planning and preparation contributed to my increased excitement for what was to come. It felt similar to when I was a child, anxiously awaiting Christmas morning. Isn’t it true that the lead up is almost as exciting as the event itself? Why is that? It’s all about expectations. Expectations about what is to come.

Less than a week before I hit the road with my boys, my husband let me in on a little secret. He planned to fly out to meet me one week into my stay, and we were going to be taking a trip of our own. You see, we were celebrating 30 years of marriage while I was gone. Five years earlier, I planned a trip to several National Parks for our 25th wedding anniversary, and it proved to be one of the best trips we’ve ever taken. On our way home from that trip, my husband remarked that “we need to do this again for our 30th,” in which I quickly responded with – “I agree, but next time you are planning it!” With the help of one of our daughters, he did just that.

While I was a little disappointed my time with my daughter and granddaughter were going to be cut short, the idea of having a week alone with my husband and zero pressures or responsibility was definitely something I was excited about. My expectations about the trip had changed, but as I began to imagine our trip in my mind, my expectations grew. This trip was going to be perfect!

As we embarked on our journey to UT to visit the National Parks (a trip on my bucket list), I was thrilled. We love traveling, and even more so, we love hiking when traveling.

As we planned each day and prepared for our hikes, we packed snacks and made sure we had the proper attire and enough water. All things that would help ensure we had a successful hike.

For anyone who hikes, you know the feeling of starting out on a trailhead not exactly sure of what is to come. Yes, you have a map and are given some details of the hike, but without ever having done it before, you really have no idea what’s up ahead.

You start out fresh and motivated, only to come upon some steep climbs that leave you gasping for air and at uncharted elevations, wondering why there is a knife in your chest. Stopping along the way to check the sights and to catch your breath, you are both filled with excitement and wonder, but also at times questioning why you ever thought this was a good idea when you could very easily be laying on a lounge chair poolside with zero difficulty or challenges. But you continue the climb and make your way to the top, where, after a few minutes to catch your breath, you quickly forget all about the struggles and challenges you just endured to get there.

Now I realize, not all hikes are the same, and depending on where you’re climbing, they can vary greatly, but in their essence, they have similar components. The analogy of climbing a mountain in relation to our lives here on earth is not lost on me. At different points of my hikes, I was made very aware of how the difficult moments are very similar to the most challenging times of my life. If I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, I would get there, eventually. By there, I mean, the place where the struggles either ended or took a break long enough for me to look around and take in the beauty of what was around me. To appreciate that I had just gotten through some very big challenges and that I’m still okay. I’m still here.

This is true in life as well. We need to take the time to take a breath and remember, we’re okay and we’re still here. That even though we might be enduring some very difficult things, we’ll be okay and we will get through it.

I believe one of the most profound things we can do to lighten the load we carry as we climb is to adjust our expectations of the path ahead. Once we come to grips with the truth that there will always be challenges ahead and at times, huge boulders to climb, we won’t be so quick to turn to hopelessness and despair when faced with them.

To be clear, managing your expectations is not to have you avoid the mountain altogether, but rather, to expect that you will find yourself out of breath and struggling to take the next step at times. To know at times you will question why you ever thought this was a good idea. That you will likely have bumps and bruises and very sore muscles (joints) after it is all done. But that in the end, you will reach the summit and you will find yourself stronger and more capable than you thought possible.

And what’s even more important, as you make your way back down the mountain, be sure to encourage and offer hope to those who are making the climb themselves. Let them know – “it’s not that much further” “you’re almost there” “it’s totally worth it.” That’s really the whole point–to assist others when they are struggling to take the next step. This can make all the difference.

Our anniversary trip was filled with so many great experiences and jaw-dropping sights. I truly loved it. But was it perfect? No, nothing is perfect. There were times we were exhausted and tired. Times when we wanted to sleep in but needed to keep moving to the next location. Times when lines were long and the 105-degree temperatures made us want to plan our next trip to Antarctica. But it was still amazing with all its ups and downs.

When we expect things to be easy is when we run into problems. When we expect smooth sailing at all times and are confused and resentful when we encounter suffering and pain–this is where we need to adjust our expectations. Unfortunately, this is life. It’s yours and it’s mine. Difficulties will come, but they will not last. Expect hard, but also, expect good and beautiful. Expect tears, but also laughter. It’s all necessary.

This is not about anticipating some bad thing to be lurking around every corner. It’s not about expecting the worst so we’re not disappointed. It’s about being clear that there will be steep climbs as well as beautiful mountaintop experiences. It’s also about enjoying the stroll on a well-paved smooth path with very few obstacles in your way. It’s about allowing yourself to experience childlike excitement as you start out on a new trailhead unsure of what is up ahead. And it’s soaking in the mountaintop experiences when they come but understanding that this is not where you’ll stay. At least not in this life.

But rest assured that no matter where you are, God is with you.

He’s with you at the trailhead, during the climb, and at the peak.

And only in Him, will all your expectations be fulfilled.