September 2
2013
Perserverance
The best laid plans often go astray. But often times God has other and even better plans for us in the place of those original plans.
Perseverance is the key.
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14
Generally when I read this verse I think of the high and lofty things the Lord has called me to – love, forgiveness, service……but in truth, for me, many days perseverance really is most important in the little things of my day to day life.
I must persevere in order to get out of bed and start my day. I must preserve in order to get to work. I must persevere to get my housework done and feed my family. I must preserve to pay my bills. I must preserve to be in the Word. I must even preserve to follow through with fun activities that we have planned.
In truth, when you are dealing with a mood disorder, especially as the summer shortens and the fall approaches, perseverance isn’t the key to high and lofty things – it is the key to being more than a survivor each and every day. To live the abundant life that Jesus calls us to.
If you have noticed the weather has changed! There is a distinct “fall” feeling in the air. My body feels it and so does my brain. I believe I may have been better suited to generations before when you went to sleep when it got dark and got up when it was light – none of this electricity stuff……….
So, a story of the gift of perseverance……
On Friday we had great plans to hike Cape Split. As a matter of fact we have had plans several times this year to to go, but as of yet, it hasn’t happened. We woke up Friday to gray, dark, damp fog and drizzle. So much for our “get up early and be on our way” plans. It was a good day to stay in bed.
But remember, perseverance, even for the fun activities. We laid there for a bit and came up with a new plan. Start with breakfast out, make our way to the valley and maybe get to hike a shorter trail if the weather improved. If not, wing it.
So, up we got……reluctantly though 🙂
Off to Sam’s for breakfast. Lovely.
Weather was still awful!
Off to Frenchy’s in Sackville where I scored 4 pairs of dress pants and a pair of casual pants + an awesome pair of leather pants (yes, leather for the motorcycle!), all for less than what I would normally pay for one pair of dress pants. BLESSINGS!
Weather is still awful and now wet on top of it all.
But we head off to the Valley anyway.
Stop at Windsor for tea/coffee and dig into our bag of snacks.
Now it is RAINING!
But we are in the car and on we go.
We stopped (finally after all these years) at the discount fabric place along the way – WOW, can you say quilter’s heaven?!!!!!! Browsed and drooled although no purchases, this time.
Onward we go. As we approach Blomidon, the sun comes out and the clouds begin to part – still damp and drizzling by times, but there is hope!
Off to Coldbrook to the driving range to hit a bucket of balls. I hit mostly 100 yards. John didn’t hit much farther as he is having “trouble” with his game – but we had fun.
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| So serious! |
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| Totally not serious Queen of the Driving Range |
By now the weather had cleared and we headed for Blomidon to tackle a hiking trail. The Joudrey trail starts at the bottom and goes right up the cliff – very steep – doesn’t look so steep on the map……..
Well, off we went. First 20 minutes almost killed us between the huffing and puffing, massively increased heart rate and frequent stops for water and to ask “whose idea was this anyway” as we hiked steadily upward at almost a 90 degree angle.
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| First View – just starting out |
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| REST SPOT – had to eat a sandwich here to get some strength! |
John was trying to blend in with nature 
We found blackberries – tons of them. So, we ate the rest of our sandwiches and picked two plastic dishes
full. BLESSINGS!
Top of the mountain – well, not quite, but up to the back of the campground and somewhat level.
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| Need a rest… |
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| Headed back down -so pretty |
Half way down again – full of sandwiches and blackberries and looking good!
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| Hunter and Gatherer – I conquered the mountain and I picked blackberries! |
Almost to the bottom again!
Hiking was awesome! We stopped for fish and chips at the fish and chips truck and then headed for home. One last stop at the Farmer’s Market for ice cream. Love these cows!
Day complete! So, the moral of this very long and winding tail is this – we could have stayed home in bed, deterred by the weather and our general malaise. BUT GOD…….in the last years, God has taught me much about perseverance and about learning to live in the MOMENT. Because many days, more than a moment at a time is overwhelming. And a bunch of overwhelming moments happen when I think too much about the moments ahead rather than stopping to take time to feel/live/breath the moment I’m in.
So on Friday, we CHOOSE to live one hundred thousand moments and in doing so experienced one hundred thousand blessings!
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
Deuteronomy 8:10
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Psalm 103:102