Conversations On The Trail

My middle son Jackson recently got into hiking and camping, which happily coincided with my renewed interest in both.  

Not long after I returned from my long, solo road trip, Jackson made me promise to go on a hike with him, and I couldn't say no.  

We planned to drive to Colorado Bend State Park, about an hour north of Llano, TX and decided that on our journey back home, we would stop at one of Texas' oldest and most famous barbecue spots, Cooper's BBQ in Llano. 

Of course, it decided to rain that day, which dampened my spirits a bit more than Jackson's.  

And by rain, I mean it poured on us as we hiked, which definitely made things cooler but also turned the ground into a muddy mess and the rocks we traversed over periodically into slip-n-slides. 

I was doing my best not to be grumpy about the whole thing, even as I nearly fell a score of times.  Jackson has a naturally cheery disposition and is so undeterred by the elements that it seems shameful to complain about it. 

It was incredibly moving that he was genuinely happy to share the experience with me, and I decided to put on a brave face and soldier on as best I could. 

In the end, it was worth it. We saw some incredible scenery and falls, and on the way home, we stopped at Cooper's and ate more than our fair share of barbecued brisket, sausage, and sides. 

We also left huge damp spots on the benches where we sat from our soaking wet clothes.  

What made the day special wasn't the watery hike or the amazing barbecue.  It was the hours that we spent talking with each other, sharing stories, laughing, getting serious, and enjoying one another's company. 

As I reflected on the day with my son, I thought about how it was a spiritual lesson of sorts in that it helped me see more clearly the importance of connection and relationship, not just with others but with God. 

Even when our circumstances aren't ideal, and the journey isn't as comfortable as we might have hoped, we can count on our traveling companions to lift us up. Even if we are traveling alone, we really aren't alone; God journeys with us. 

I have discovered that the "conversations" I've had with God when I have felt alone in my travels through life are often the very thing that deepens my faith.  

Whether it's my expressions of wonder, questions that plague me, heart longings, or frustrated complaints, I find comfort in speaking with God through prayer, silence, outbursts, pleas, and more.  

Our prayers can take many forms, as you might imagine, and we ought to employ as many as possible when we have conversations with God on our journeys.  

May it be so for us all.  And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all, now and forever. Amen.