Into the Wild

I'm just finishing up the book "Into the Wild" about that guy who gave away everything he owned and took off across the US to explore and find adventure. (It's a really great book, if you haven't read it.) But it's gotten me to thinking about life. I'm one prone to seek out adventure and try new things, and in the book the premise sounds so appealing and glamorous, yet in reality when he gets into the details it kinda looses it's appeal. The author talks about how he had this huge goal of climbing some mountain that few ever even attempt. Then he goes into detail of the harsh weather, the strenuous physical effort, and the fear of being completely alone with no resource to call for help while he's actually fulfilling this dream. Many times - maybe b/c i had a small taste of it this summer - I think parts of life are a lot like climbing a mountain. Sounds great in theory, and at the beginning you are filled with energy and excitement. Then you get half-way up the mountain and begin to think, what the heck am i doing? I'm tired and its gotten hard - the reality begins to set in. You realize that no one really knows where you are at and there's no easy out - but you gotta push, b/c you hope that when you reach your destination, it's all going to be worth it. Yet, along the way the Lord blesses you with getting to see snapshots of God's beauty - wildlife, nature and bonding with those you are with - all of which you'd never get to experience if you just stayed at the bottom of the mountain. Then you reach the top and quickly forget the strenuous journey you just took to get there, b/c nothing can compare to what is around you. As one of my stubborn, cussing, I'm-going-to-let-you-know-how-much-i-hate-this-the-whole-way-up-the-mountain high schoolers put it this summer when we finally reached the top, "thanks for making me come...it was all totally worth it". Which I knew the whole time, but there was no convincing her on the way up - I just kept having to tell her to trust me. That's God to us. He knows the end result, what we are "hiking" towards and sometimes there's no convincing us...He just keeps telling us to trust Him. Then every once in a while, He gives us a gift of being able to see a snapshot of His beauty along our journey.