Walking with Jesus Oct 6, 2012

Oct 6 2012 – Day 32

Miles  5.3

Total   119.3

Goal for now 500

 

This week has been a little lacking and the reason is just not going to do. All of this hiking started because of my fascination with one man’s walk of the Appalachian trial for two reasons one to deal with the change of losing his wife and to walk with God. I read his entire book and it was for him life changing but it came from the long hours through not just the good weather and seeing Gods beauty but most of all, just as in life, it was the storms, the long wet nights, hard rocky climbs, and foot blister that he learned of the God who sees and cares for us.

I say all this because my reason for not completing my goal of 15 miles this week (12 was my total) was two days of our first cold, misty and dreary weather. To try the best I can to get some kind of feel for this life changing event of the AT trail I must get past this fair weather walking. Taking that many days off makes me wonder of the will to keep this adventure going. The first thought of this reminded me of this book and how after several days walking in very hard terrain with wet, cold weather he chose to take a 0 day in a warm hostel nearby.   He talks a lot about how hard it was to get back on the trail. So taking days off because it is not 70 degrees and sunny days more than just keeps me from my weekly and monthly goal. It also does damage to my will and determination to the long distance goal of 500 miles by April 1. So I want to get on with this. Get the rain gear and warm cloths ready for the coming cold and even snowy weather.

I walked to Arbuckle’s Park and it was just beautiful. It was a bit cool and I wore a jacket the entire way but it was a great walk. Tomorrow is Sunday, and with the weather so beautiful, it will be hard to take a 0 day but I am guessing one of the secrets to success of this adventure is taking a day of rest and quite time to read, study and spend time with other people that love the Lord. But no matter how you look at it 119 miles is very satisfying.

Oh, one more thing, there has never been anything I got the crazy desire to attempt, whether it is CDA, art classes or hiking an imaginary Appalachian Train My Billy is always behind me and cheering me on. There is no one who has ever done that for me except of course God. Thank you Billy.