I went for a walk this morning. Steve dropped me off 2 miles from home on his way into town. From the drop off, it is 80% uphill, most of it a steep hill, all rising up from the shores of Lake Superior. I couldn't help but think about the amazing priviledge it is to live out in the country on a quiet road that I can walk along in the early morning and hear nothing significant except for the birds and critters and my footsteps. Now and then a car might drive by, or when I am near the neighbors dairy operation there are various farm sounds, but mostly it is just quiet. It is a kind of hard walk uphill, but it feels good to get the exercise. As the road levels off a bit nearing our home, it feels so good to get the relief.
Tommy asked me yesterday what it would be like if nothing bad ever happened. I asked him what he thought. He said it wouldn't be good because then we wouldn't know it was good. I thought about that on my walk. I wouldn't appreciate the level if it weren't for the hill. Tommy comes up with some pretty good insight sometimes.
You know, for the most part life IS uphill. Sometimes its not so steep, but others it seems too steep to make it...but then you do. The level parts, or the downhill or even the not so steep parts are so welcome and so good because the uphill was hard.
God never promised easy, but He did promise to be with us. There are some uphills in my life right now...it is so good to know that God is there with me through it all and that we don't have to scale the hillside alone. I know too that there is a meadow coming. A place of rest and respite. But I know that it will be followed by another hill. and another. But He's with me all the way.
