The Climb

I’ve been a little bit quiet this week with my blogs. We have had a few birthdays and Calum had some annual leave before the kids went back to school. We have tried to make the most of the dry spells, and get some family days out.

For Calums birthday this year, he got to choose what we did for the day. The best part was, the kids weren't allowed to complain about it! He decided we would pack a picnic and climb the Cairn Table, a local hill to us. It’s about a 20 min drive from our house, 5.5mile climb in total and usually takes about 2-3hrs. We all set off in old shoes and warm jumpers, he warned us it would be cold and windy at the top. Calum climbed it 2 yrs ago with Caleb and Nathanael, and they were freezing at the top.

We set off from the car park at Muirkirk, and made our way onto the path. As usual Josiah ran on ahead, how he ever manages to run so much in a pair of wellies, I’ll never know. Any walks we have done during lockdown he has always run on ahead, leaving us in awe at his energy. This time, however, we doubted his ability to keep up the pace. I warned him that he should maybe slow down and walk with us, as he would get too tired, but he said he didn’t care. I certainly cared! It would be me that would have to listen to him moan all the way because the climb was too hard. However, there was no persuading him and off he ran again.

As usual when climbing a hill, when you are at the bottom, you can’t always see the top. You begin climbing and you can only see the first part of the hill in front of you. When you reach the top of that hill, the next stretch of hill lies before you and that goes on and on until you eventually see the top, at the end of the last stretch.

Josiah discovered that too. He ran on ahead, up the first section of the hill. So pleased with

how well he was doing. He climbed the few steep parts and soon, to our amazement made it to the top of that slope, way before us. Much to his disappointment he soon realised that he wasn’t at the top afterall. Another stretch of hill lay before him. Patience is not Joisahs strongest point and he was quick to let us know his frustration. After a quick moan he turned and ran on ahead to tackle the next stretch. Same thing happened again at the top of that incline and at the next one too. To our surprise though, after every disappointment he turned and continued on, running all the way to the top. I know, if he could have seen the very top of the hill when he started the climb, he would never have managed so well. He would have complained all the way and taken any enjoyment from the walk. The size of the hill as a whole would have completely overwhelmed him. He would certainly not have started off with such a light, springly attitude, preparing to run as far as he could.

I couldn’t help but think of this in relation to my life. How often God needs to remind me to be patient and content in every part of my life. Not to give my mind over to worry and anxiety about the next ‘climb’ that I will face. I need to just give all my energy and effort on the current ‘hill’. There is no point in wasting time and effort, thinking about the next part of the hill when I’m not even there yet.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Matthew 6:34

Micah, my other son, he is taller, he could see much further up the hill than Josiah. He struggled with the climb. He was so puffed out, he said he would die by the time he got to the top. His dramatic attitude is definitely not from me! I walked the west highland way when I was 6! He wanted us to leave him and get him on the way back down. I think part of his problem (aside from spending most of his time lying on his back playing a gadget) was he was always focusing on the end of the climb. He was too taken up with how far he still had to go, instead of concentrating on taking each section at a time. It made him just want to give up.

Occasionally I go through phases of running. I’d love to be a runner, but so far I’ve never managed to keep it up. I am determined to try again once the kids return to school. We have a hill near where we live, heading out of Ochiltree towards Auchinleck. I break the hill up into sections when I’m trying to run up it. There are sign posts at various intervals and I tell myself I just need to make it to each signpost. Occasionally, I can’t help myself and I take a quick glance to the top. No sooner have I done that, when I start telling myself I’ll never make it to the top and resort to walking. I’m a bit like Micah. I really should concentrate on each individual section and be content on getting to each goal instead of being overwhelmed by the entire hill. I’m not the most patient either. In my life, I don’t like to wait, I like to know what is coming next, overthink it, imagine it, plan it, stress over it and even get emotional about it.

So often when we look back on our life, we are so glad that we didn’t know what was ahead of us. Circumstances which God has permitted us to go through. Trials he deliberately brought us into. If we had known some of these things were going to happen, the dread or worry as we anticipated it would have been overwhelming. When I think of the start of lockdown, I consider all the parents that received the news that their children were going to have to be schooled from home. Never did we think it would be over 20 wks that we would have our children here in the home 24/7. The business owners that were forced to close their doors in March and step into the financial unknown for the foreseeable future, or the employees that left a job, unsure if it would still be there at the end of lockdown. Sadly, there were those that dropped loved ones off at hospitals, unaware that they would never see them again. If we knew every time what lay ahead of us, we would never be able to cope. God never shows us the whole path ahead of us. He just reveals little segments at a time. He doesn't claim that it will be easy but he does promise to stay with us.

“He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8

Over the last few months as Caleb and Nathanael have anticipated exam results, I have been so aware that they are nearing the end of their current phase in life. Next year, God willing, Caleb will finish school for good and Nathanael will begin his last year. The thought of this has brought tears to my eyes as I think of them moving out of this phase and onto the next hill they have to climb. What are they going to do? Where will they go? What if they move away? When I start thinking like this, I try and remind myself to be patient and not to think ahead. I don’t need to know what lies at the top of the next hill. I only need to trust God and rely on the comfort that He knows.

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Halfway up the hill we stopped to eat our lunch. As we started walking again, Miram was surprised as to how much better she felt because she had eaten. The rest of the climb wasn’t as tough because we had all eaten some lunch and it gave us that little bit more energy. We are reminded so much today to take some ‘me’ time, re-charge our batteries etc and it’s exactly the same for christians in our journey of life. But as christians, the best way to recharge our batteries and get the necessary fuel is to spend time with God, in prayer and to read our bible. This is vital to help me through each phase of my life. When I was a little girl at Sunday school we used to sing a chorus that said; read your bible, pray every day and you’ll grow, grow, grow. It’s so true. We need this, to give us the spiritual food to grow as christians, to give us the wisdom, energy, peace and determination for each phase of our lives that we face. So often we read of stories in the news, of those that have been ill equipped and attempted to go hill walking. They haven't had the appropriate clothes or footwear and haven't had the necessary food to give them the energy to complete the climb. They end up in difficulty and usually need rescued by the emergency services. It's the same for me when I don't spend time with God, I end up weak and exposed to all the problems around me. The journey becomes difficult and I get overwhelmed with the climb. I don't know what people turned to during lockdown to help them get through it. To give them the energy they needed to face all their difficulties. I can say that whatever you face in any phase of your life, God will never disappoint you.

"I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." Hebrews 13:5

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7

My friend Ruth wrote this song. It's a lovely reminder that whatever phase we are in, God is always with us and He is always good.