WALKABOUT ON MOUNT ADAMS!!!
So about a week ago I embarked on an adventure with fellow leadership students at Warner. We did rock climbing which was an awesome experience. I labeled this year as "get 'er done." To my surprise I suceeded in all the climbs that were available for us to do. There was one that I tried last year, but didn't suceed. It was amazing how determination and perserverance can just get you through things that you didn't think possible. My friend and I tried doing another one and he went first, he took a while to start the climb but couldn't do it. Well that didn't encourage me to climb this rock face if he couldn't. But I tried, and guess what, first time up....bam, I climbed it, but don't get me wrong it was difficult. I was really pumped that day. After that we went to our base camp in Trout Lake just below Mt. Adams. The next morning our group went caving. Surprisingly to me, I have been up there before and figured out exactly where the caves are so.... if anyone wants to go caving I know where there are (hint hint Idaho friends, to come and visit), but it's got to be soon before the caves fill with water.
Anyway, next we started on the trail, Pinecrest is where we started and my group consisted of Kaylee, Scott, Elise, Lance, Dominic, Jared, Melissa, and our leaders Hannah and Donny. The second day, my buddy Scott and I got to lead our group, and of course again this year I had the wonderful opportunity to lead on the hardest day!!! Man, I wonder what God is trying to teach me, if I am going to go through another tough year, man honestly I hope not, last year was definently a growing and stretching year in all areas in my life. I am blessed for those struggles but glad it is a different season. I am looking so much for this year and all that is to come, so much..... leadership, my classes since I changed my major, living in my apartment with awesome roommates and so much more. Anyway back to climbing Adams. Our goal that day was to reach Sunrise Camp (around 8,300ft.), which is the highest camp before climbing up to the summit. Climbing up some of those hills were tough, and then sometimes I got this burst of energy when I was leading my group. But my favorite part is the view. Just being up there was such a victory within the group that we had reached our goal, but for me it was the breath taking view. Man, looking up towards Adams and acutally being on the mountain made me think, man I could seriously do this more often. Seeing the glaciers coming down and this rock formation called "The Castle" was such an exclamation of God, it was just screaming God's exsistence.
What was even cooler was getting up in the middle of the night to go pee with Kaylee. During that awesome time I saw city lights below, heard the mountain sounds with rocks tumbling down, and 3 shooting stars....probably about the best peeing experience ever I would say!! So I climbed backed in my cold sleeping bag since the heat left so quickly and then I woke up before the sun rose, which was a definite must since I was up at "sunrise," I must see the sun rise. Just a couple of us experienced the sun coming through the haze and bursting forth through the horizon. I will never forget that ever in my life. I looked like a sunrise in Africa, Hannah our leader said, she lived in Niger for 4 yrs.
That next day we packed back down the mountain, it amazes me still how far you can travel with your feet and how much of nature there is and when you bush wack, not going on trails, you could very well be stepping where no one has walked before. Isn't that just so cool.... man just writing about this experience makes me want to do something tomorrow, anyone up for any adventures, sometimes I feel like I am the only one, except for Nick Mason. Just to sum up, it is quite the experience to be on the mountain and use what you learn from your group as well as with yourself and apply them in real life when you get off the mountain. Because living life is the real test, you might have all the perserverance and determination to climb a mountain but do you have that in life and in your walk with God...do you have integrity in your life and with other people to live honestly with where you are at and live as best as you can.
So this year I am ready, there is just something about this year that has me so excited, so much to be focused on. I feel the support from my friends here at Warner and my family back home, and so here I start the new year coming back in all honesty feeling refined by God in so many ways and being so thankful for all the seasons that God gives me in life. Amen. (This picture is from my camera, but of course the batteries pooped out, so more pictures from my leaders will be coming my way soon and will be posted on my blog).