It's Me!
This is actually Kim posting this time, not Jared. A huge thanks to him for taking the time to post stuff for me. He's pretty great. Really great, in fact. :)
Soooooo....wow, it feels like it's been forever since I was sitting back in Oxford, Ohio preparing for this trip. Yet at the same time, the last 330 miles of hiking has seemed to fly by. I am currently at the library in Erwin, Tennessee, taking a "zero" day for the first time because my blisters have become too bad for me to walk. I think a day off will do the trick.....at least I hope so. Yesterday was very painful.
But before I get into the trip......I feel disconnected from everything that's been going on in Oxford and beyond since I've left. I've been reading emails from church, and it just seems that things have been very devastating and crazy.....hard to believe everything that's been going on. I feel sad, I feel selfish. And besides Chad and Mark, my mom informed me that one of my old softball coaches took his life about a week ago by shooting himself. I feel very far removed from all of this, but it makes me wonder where God fits into everything. As you know, I've been struggling with my relationship with God, and that's one reason I wanted to come out and hike the trail in hopes of seeking Him. I am realizing that this is not what I am going to find out here any more than what I could find in Oxford, although I do feel like I am learning a lot of things. It's just different. But I can't run from reality...that I am struggling to see God in things....that I don't understand so many things and why crap happens and how God works sometimes. My deepest sympathies to everyone at home who has had to endure all this hardship and death.......I wish I was there.
Kind of odd to switch from that to the trail, but here I go. It's been a lot of ups and downs out here, both literally and mentally. I think of Glenn every time I think about the "hiker culture" out here just because he always seems so fascinated by cultures and societies and things. It definitely is it's own little world of hiking crazies. I've met some really amazing people, and people hike the trail for so many different reasons. It's just a total change of lifestyle: wearing the same clothes all the time, not taking showers very often, sleeping in tents and shelters, hitting up cool hostels and eating lots and lots of food when in town, seeing some very incredible views, learning how to decrease pack weight (learning how to live more simply, really), "trail magic", hiker festivals, just all kinds of new things for me. It's a lot of fun. Other than that, I don't have a whole lot to write about because Jared has so faithfully been updating my blog, and the letters I send him pretty much sum up everything. I hope to be in Damascus in about 7-8 days I'd say, so that will put me about 4-5 days ahead of schedule I think. Damascus should be cool, too. It's a huge mile marker on the trail.....a really big "trail town." It should be exciting.
So I guess I will leave it at that and start another post with a few pictures so far. Thanks for all of your prayers and thoughts and calls and letters. I am so thankful for the community of friends I have. I think one thing I am definitely learning on this trip is how much I take for granted, friends and otherwise. I really have it made in so many ways. Thanks for loving me.
Missing you all.
Soooooo....wow, it feels like it's been forever since I was sitting back in Oxford, Ohio preparing for this trip. Yet at the same time, the last 330 miles of hiking has seemed to fly by. I am currently at the library in Erwin, Tennessee, taking a "zero" day for the first time because my blisters have become too bad for me to walk. I think a day off will do the trick.....at least I hope so. Yesterday was very painful.
But before I get into the trip......I feel disconnected from everything that's been going on in Oxford and beyond since I've left. I've been reading emails from church, and it just seems that things have been very devastating and crazy.....hard to believe everything that's been going on. I feel sad, I feel selfish. And besides Chad and Mark, my mom informed me that one of my old softball coaches took his life about a week ago by shooting himself. I feel very far removed from all of this, but it makes me wonder where God fits into everything. As you know, I've been struggling with my relationship with God, and that's one reason I wanted to come out and hike the trail in hopes of seeking Him. I am realizing that this is not what I am going to find out here any more than what I could find in Oxford, although I do feel like I am learning a lot of things. It's just different. But I can't run from reality...that I am struggling to see God in things....that I don't understand so many things and why crap happens and how God works sometimes. My deepest sympathies to everyone at home who has had to endure all this hardship and death.......I wish I was there.
Kind of odd to switch from that to the trail, but here I go. It's been a lot of ups and downs out here, both literally and mentally. I think of Glenn every time I think about the "hiker culture" out here just because he always seems so fascinated by cultures and societies and things. It definitely is it's own little world of hiking crazies. I've met some really amazing people, and people hike the trail for so many different reasons. It's just a total change of lifestyle: wearing the same clothes all the time, not taking showers very often, sleeping in tents and shelters, hitting up cool hostels and eating lots and lots of food when in town, seeing some very incredible views, learning how to decrease pack weight (learning how to live more simply, really), "trail magic", hiker festivals, just all kinds of new things for me. It's a lot of fun. Other than that, I don't have a whole lot to write about because Jared has so faithfully been updating my blog, and the letters I send him pretty much sum up everything. I hope to be in Damascus in about 7-8 days I'd say, so that will put me about 4-5 days ahead of schedule I think. Damascus should be cool, too. It's a huge mile marker on the trail.....a really big "trail town." It should be exciting.
So I guess I will leave it at that and start another post with a few pictures so far. Thanks for all of your prayers and thoughts and calls and letters. I am so thankful for the community of friends I have. I think one thing I am definitely learning on this trip is how much I take for granted, friends and otherwise. I really have it made in so many ways. Thanks for loving me.
Missing you all.
1 Comments:
I am glad that you are learning much and enjoying the time on the trail you are having. It sounds incredible!! But, you are right, you can't run from things or even think the hike will solve it all. Good to realize that...
God is there admist all the pain and suffering. I know it is crazy to try and figure out how He fits in it all or how and why things happen, why people suffer etc. I firmly believe that God does NOT cause illness etc. I know that is debatable by some, even Christians who will argue that God allows us to suffer to teach us stuff. I don't buy that, (but no disrespect meant to anyone who does hold that philosophy) I read an awesome book last summer called "Healing the Sick" by T.L. Osborne (b/c I had struggled big time with where was God in all that stuff) I will say one main thing of the book that he says: Just as Jesus died for our sins on the cross, it also says that "By His Stripes, WE are HEALED." We tend to focus on Him dying for our salvation, but He died for our healing as well. And another verse where Jesus taught us to pray: "On Earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." We are to pray that. Is there sickness in Heaven? NO! So, there should be NO sickness on Earth. (another good book "When Heaven Invades Earth" and "The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind." By Bill Johnson ) Yet, people do get diseases and die, but again, I think it is NOT God but the enemy who does this. Why would God want us to suffer and teach us stuff by giving us cancer or something? It is still hard though and I do not claim to fathom it all... I just try and cling to my faith and His Word and say I do not understand it all but you do and all...
Well, that got heavy there for a few... anyhoo, those were my thoughts, but we all love ya and miss ya and please know that wherever you are, God is there. He is very real and near to you and He wants to be even realer (is that a word? LOL) to you... He loves you MUCHO and He says that it doesn't take a trail trip to find Him. He has always been there and always will be there. Cling to times past when He has been there for ya. Remember those times He blessed you. I think it is somewhere in His Word where He tells us to do that.
Blessings to you and I hope to hear again from ya on this blog!
Luv,
EM :-) <><
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