Musings of the Victim of a Guide's Easy Laugh or God Gets Back at Queenb_write For Skipping Church
I may be completely wrong. But I'm thinking I'm completely right. Yes, I know I should be trying to find a new church. I moved to Chattanooga recently and I have to say I did more visiting new churches before I moved than since (meaning I haven't at all) and I'm feeling the guilt- big time. I have very good excuses. We Southern gals are up on our guilt and excuses, but I know I when I'm wrong.
That being said, I don't think what happened yesterday should have happened. After all, my safety was at risk. Sunday morning, I decided I had really missed my hiking which I generally do in the early spring and fall. All I can say is I must have forgot why I usually hike during that time of the year. I went to Point Park on top of Lookout Mtn. and descended down to Cravens House. It's an easy hike, about 1.5 miles. The foliage was thick, green, and abundant with lots of fallen trees due to recent rains. I was on the lookout for snakes and poison ivy. Oooooh yea....that's why I hike early spring or fall.
I knew it would be fairly easy to go back that route but on a whim I thought why not try another route back? I noticed at the end of the trail at Cravens House there was a small non-descript sign noting a trail called "Beautiful Mountain Trail". How wonderful, I thought. There happened to be a guide at Cravens House and I asked him about the trail.
His very words and I quote "Oh, sure. Just follow that right up to the stairs that go up to Point Park. No problem." Notice I quoted that for you, dear reader. Did I mention there was not another soul at Cravens House. It was about 10:00am and he was sitting in a chair, propped back against the wall with a book in his hands. I may have interrupted his good read, or, perhaps he was bored and just wanted some excitement. He probably laughed for an hour thinking about me heaving up that BEAUTIFUL TRAIL, my lungs trying to explode out of my chest. He probably thought there would be an exciting rescue to take part in later in the day.
But, let me say I made it. I may have stopped several times to wipe away the sweat dripping into my eyes, to fall against a tree and slide to the dirt on the trail, my legs shaking, my stomach wanting to hurl what little breakfast I ate. BUT I MADE IT. I can be stubborn that way. I cursed that guide halfway up that trail and all the way up to the Point. Not outside my mouth, of course. That's the good girl's way of cursing. But I made it.
I also accepted God's little nudging into realizing that I could have been in church where I would have been freezing in the sanctuary rather than wringing sweat out of my hiking top.
That being said, I don't think what happened yesterday should have happened. After all, my safety was at risk. Sunday morning, I decided I had really missed my hiking which I generally do in the early spring and fall. All I can say is I must have forgot why I usually hike during that time of the year. I went to Point Park on top of Lookout Mtn. and descended down to Cravens House. It's an easy hike, about 1.5 miles. The foliage was thick, green, and abundant with lots of fallen trees due to recent rains. I was on the lookout for snakes and poison ivy. Oooooh yea....that's why I hike early spring or fall.
I knew it would be fairly easy to go back that route but on a whim I thought why not try another route back? I noticed at the end of the trail at Cravens House there was a small non-descript sign noting a trail called "Beautiful Mountain Trail". How wonderful, I thought. There happened to be a guide at Cravens House and I asked him about the trail.
His very words and I quote "Oh, sure. Just follow that right up to the stairs that go up to Point Park. No problem." Notice I quoted that for you, dear reader. Did I mention there was not another soul at Cravens House. It was about 10:00am and he was sitting in a chair, propped back against the wall with a book in his hands. I may have interrupted his good read, or, perhaps he was bored and just wanted some excitement. He probably laughed for an hour thinking about me heaving up that BEAUTIFUL TRAIL, my lungs trying to explode out of my chest. He probably thought there would be an exciting rescue to take part in later in the day.
But, let me say I made it. I may have stopped several times to wipe away the sweat dripping into my eyes, to fall against a tree and slide to the dirt on the trail, my legs shaking, my stomach wanting to hurl what little breakfast I ate. BUT I MADE IT. I can be stubborn that way. I cursed that guide halfway up that trail and all the way up to the Point. Not outside my mouth, of course. That's the good girl's way of cursing. But I made it.
I also accepted God's little nudging into realizing that I could have been in church where I would have been freezing in the sanctuary rather than wringing sweat out of my hiking top.