All Are Climbing

I’ve been hiking lately. Nearly daily, I climb the mountain with no earbuds. I’ve wanted to be wholly present to thoughts and inspirations, so I’m working to literally silence distractions. What I’ve noted is that connection with other hikers is invited when I hike earbud free. I’ve exchanged short conversations with others on the climb:

• A lady who was climbing on her 44th birthday for the first time in years. As we chatted, we encountered another birthday girl turning 30 who had hiked the same hill for 40 straight days.
• A young girl seeking clarity in her life climbing for the first time in years. She wasn’t very far into the initial steep climb when she stopped me on my descent, shared her plight and asked me how much farther to the top. I told her- “Far enough to talk with God as you go if that’s something you would like to do.” She seemed to be mildly entertained by my comment and understood she had a ways to go. 😉
• A team of forest firefighters on a training route, fully dressed in gear and equipment, smelling of stale wood smoke, hiking in single file line formation. Their pace was quick and they seemed happy and friendly.
• A couple in their 50s on their third time up the climb that morning, training to hike the rim of the Grand Canyon. 
• A lady who was 93 hiking with her daughter in her 70s. They paused, taking in the view of the valley where she’s lived for 30 years. She reminisced as she pointed out to me places of memories. 
• A group of ladies from out of state on a girls’ trip. I hiked with them and chatted with them for a while. They were all in the throes of raising young families. We talked of simple delights and debilitating exhaustion in parenting. I quickly noted varying degrees of strength within the group- physically, emotionally and spiritually.
• A lady who sprinted by me saying “There’s a serpent!!!”
  “Where?” I hollered back.
  “In the rocks…” was her reply. 
  There were rocks everywhere- on both sides of the trail, and on the trail. My head swiveled as it scanned all of the rocks. 
  I picked up a large rock, cradled it in my hand, and prepared for battle with a snake on my path. I forced myself to forget the message received nearly 40 years ago by my one-day softball coach (I was cut from the team after the first practice.) I was prepared to strike down the snake with a single pitch.

And then there was the most memorable- 

• A young mother with three children in tow. There were two older boys, perhaps 7 and 5, and an infant in a carrier on her back. 

This image took me back. It was a reminder of the me I was over 20 years ago as I heard her encouraging her boys to keep going. Each individual or group I met was climbing. Each one with their own story, resolve and struggle. 

I had made a goal to hike 5 days a week while I transitioned into yet another new zip code noting plenty of time on my hands. On a sunny, perfectly warm hiking day I decided I was ready to climb higher than my normal turnaround spot. Once I got to my top spot for the day, I could see farther than my previous hikes. 
I had climbed an additional 650 feet in elevation and despite all of the buildings and landmarks being smaller in my vision, they were more clear. Clarity came because the shrubs and mountainside that was typical in my peripheral view were no longer there. My focus had shifted. 

There were no peripheral distractions.
Clarity followed.
I could see farther….
(Read it with emphasis on the metaphor of climbing life’s mountains.)

What do I know?
The lens I earn as I climb-
Is far more encompassing than the one before I’m entrusted with a climb. 
What I do with the expanded vision is a choice…
Does God need me to share my story?

What about your climbs and increased vision?
Who do you share your story with?

In the past few days- I’ve spent time reflecting on the young mother I saw with two young boys with beat red faces and the younger of the two tiring as they neared the end of the trail. I stopped to visit for a moment as the boys rested in the shade. Sometimes it feels like yesterday that I was in her shoes. 

If I were to cross my former self in a season of life where I felt drained of my mental, emotional and physical strength every day- I’d like to tell her a few things-

• You’re doing better than you think you are in raising your family and in life. 
• Offer yourself more grace- it’s the legacy you want to live by, in extending it to all- and it begins with becoming adept at offering it to yourself.
• Every hard day comes to an end and the efforts and sacrifices that made it hard- are completely worth it. 
• Worry less about the things that won’t matter in 20 years.
• Bedtime stories are a treasured time to reconnect with your little person physically. They are worth it – every single night and the sweet prayers that follow will do more to grow faith than you could possibly imagine. 
• Your children see you through God’s lens. Listen to how they love you. It’s how God loves you. Lean more steadily on that vision and crowd out any voice that communicates anything contrary. 
• Take time to take care of yourself and never feel guilty about time spent strengthening yourself mentally, emotionally, physically, socially, intellectually, and especially spiritually. 
• Keep believing, keep trusting in God and rely on the strength and power possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 
• Keep climbing. Every mountain you climb is a blessing because of the increased scope of lens earned in the climb. 

Think about your own mountains…
If you could go back to your former self in the middle of a hard climb…
What would you say?

Imagine as you reconnect and realign with God through prayer, being blessed with an ability to see through His lens. Maybe not the distant scene- in a full-encompassing view- but perhaps a glimpse of where and how He needs you to see today. 
I’m learning to become watchful for serpents. I usually think of the word serpent in conjunction with the adversary. The lady hiking who hollered a warning message definitely intended to warn me of imminent danger. But it gave me pause to think about how just like my hike had rocks everywhere, so in life is the adversary everywhere. If I’m picking up a rock to fight off a potential snake, What kind of tools am I picking up along my journey to fight off the powers of Satan?

Be kind to yourself as you climb any of life’s mountains. Be cognizant and full of grace with yourself and your fellow climbers. All have a story of struggle and heartache. All need compassion and empathy as they stretch to find clarity amidst the tiniest of victories.
One thought.
One step.
One purpose under God’s great design on this beautiful earthly journey…

-JC

Oatmeal (Raisin -if you must) Crumble Cookies

½ cup soft butter
½ cup butter-flavored Crisco
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cup quick oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups of raisins 

Cream butter, Crisco, and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla extract; don’t overmix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Stir in Raisins. (If Raisins aren’t your favorite. Omit. You can add baking chips instead. I would strongly recommend butterscotch.) Scoop out approximately 24 balls of dough.  Gently roll and flatten slightly. (For a richer flavor and smoother texture, refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.) Add 1 Tablespoon of Crumble Topping to each cookie.
Place dough balls onto greased individual baking dishes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 12+ min. Let set. Share.

Crumble Topping
½ cup Biscoff cookie crumbs
¾ cup toasted rolled oats (toast oats in 400 degree oven for 10+ minutes)
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 Tablespoons cold cubed butter

Cut all ingredients together until crumbly.