ON THE TRAIL AGAIN
After the holidays, baking, rain storms, it was finally time. It was a beautiful morning for our yearly winter hikes. Kev chose an easier one but we still got in six miles. Up, down, flat, the trail kept going. I know Kev had a little trepidation with our first hike since the diagnosis with my heart but I needed to start doing everything I love. I didn’t grow tired. I was almost 20 lbs less than last year and I could feel the difference. At the end of the trail we tried to take a picture with the new selfie Jake got me for Christmas. I swear you would have thought we were doing a comedy clip ; setting it up, trying to put the camera in the clip, keeping it from falling down, getting the camera in the right frame, and pushing the bottom on the remote button. It seemed so easy when Jake did it for us. After so many pictures of the bushes, we finally decided we would just hold it and take whatever picture came up. As you can see I was cracking up and Kev, well, his expression really says it all. The quietness on the way back almost brought tears to my eyes I was so grateful for so much. The beautiful weather, my health, and all the adventures Ive been on with Kev. I knew when I married him almost 27 years ago it would be filled with a lot of them. As you’ve started out this new year what are YOU looking forward to? One of my good friends has taken her loss of her husband and created a new “ place” in her spacious house..an Airbnb! My other good friend who’s daughter suffered many setbacks to get pregnant is now due this April with their first child! My friend who survived Covid has now been moved to another ward for her rehab after two months in the hospital! And just recently, a friend of mine was bestowed money at a time when her hope was gone! God shares in Isaiah 61:3 “ He will provide for those who grieve, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair”. I look forward to more hikes this winter, time with my family and friends back east, the reunion of my girlfriends of 50+ years, the time of celebration of life for our friend Ed, of Jakes college graduation, visiting our friend in Idaho in her renovated airbnb, of Kathleen walking out of the rehab ward, of seeing our friends new grand child…but if today was my last day I can truly say God has given me the best life a person could ask for. It has, and will continue to be, lived out with gratefulness for His abundant love for me and for all of you. I pray that whatever your circumstances are right now that you won’t lose hope but rather, turn to Jesus, and let Him change your ashes of sorrow to beauties of JOY.