The Climb

Today I made a choice to get my tired self out of bed early. Actually it was the sun shining into my poorly covered bedroom at 5:45am that left me with two options. Continue to lay there wishing it was still dark or start the day with a bang. I choose the bang. However after a few attempts at finding everything I needed to hike, I gave up and got back in bed. Great bang Tara. My attempts to fall back asleep fail. I hear our dog bark. On my way down the stairs I find the piece of what I'm missing for my hike. Settle the dog and off I go.

I started with a steep climb. Halfway up I questioned my poorly chosen start. Maybe I wanted to remind myself just how out of shape I truly am. Or maybe it was the lack of caffeine in my body not allowing my brain to function properly. Regardless I made it up the initial climb and began my journey. One tired limb in front of the other. Music going. Truths being sung.

“You will not abandon me”
“prone to wander Lord I feel it”
“I will call upon your name and keep my eyes above the waves”

It starts to get a little easier.

Along the climb I have to move aside for the runners. The crazy people who just aren’t challenged enough with the fact they have a mountain to climb. I grumble inside. I hate them. Not really. I just want to be them. After awhile I realize I don’t have water. Stupid Tara, who does a hike without water? Or coffee? Soon I’m envious of all the water bottles I see hanging on peoples hips and backs and hands. And I just want water. Everything would be easier with water. Then I start to take notice of who doesn’t have water. Who else can do this climb without water? Really Tara? You are going to turn a simple hike into this? Disgusted with myself I look down and continue to climb. I will get to the top I say. Eventually it doesn’t become quite as much work. Or maybe the work is overshadowed by the beauty of the ground below becoming smaller. Suddenly I remember how good it feels to have blood moving through my body.

Eventually I make it to the top. Along with the runners and those with water bottles and those without and I just soak in the view. Pray for grace to conquer the many mountains I feel that are too great to climb in life. The fight to want to go faster then my body will allow, the covetousness that creeps in when I see others have something that I want that would make my climb easier. The fight to just pull up the covers and not face the mountain of a day. Grace is waiting though as I climb. God is with me and I believe the view will be breathtaking and worth it when my climb is done. One day.