Two weeks ago, if you had walked through our back garden gate, the gardenia would have made you take notice of it because its full blooming filled the garden with sweet fragrance. And over in a neighbor’s yard, a large Ligustrum would be adding to the scents of early summer. The gardenia is only three years old, but its rich green leaves and its full bright white blooms add to what was a corner of the garden before we moved the fence to the far back, and the Ligustrum’s blooming scent sent waves of sweetness across the yards.
Now all that remains are dull brown blooms on both plants. No more does a visitor smell them before seeing them. But the abelia next to the screened porch has blossomed and its small white flowers not only attract bees but sends a soft scent more subtle than the others and powerful in the way its summons the bees. The going of one leads to the arrival of another, and that is the pleasure of gardens.
Yesterday folks gathered in various ways around the world to mark the summer solstice, but I marked the beginning of the season by observing the gardenia, Ligustrum, and abelia. Their life cycle and fading blooms are my Stonehenge sunrise, my notice that another season has arrived.
Back on July 16th of last year, I had a good start on visiting all of our state parks. I had heard from others that Stone Mountain State Park was one of the best, so I was looking forward to visiting there. It was two months after my broken back farm accident, and I was wearing a back brace full time. My walking was a struggle, but I wanted to help the recovery and strengthening process by challenging myself to hike at least one trail in every park. I stopped in the visitor center for a map of trails and waterfalls within the park, and to get my passport stamp on the way to complete all the NC state parks.
I asked the attendant last year about the most popular hiking trails in the park, and she mentioned the Stone Mountain Loop Trail. Listed at 4.5 miles, the trail goes up over 700 feet in elevation and over the top of the stone-faced mountain, peaking at the summit of 2,305 feet, and is marked strenuous. The distance was too long, and the climb was more than I could do on that day, so I chose to walk a one-mile trail to the middle falls/lower falls, listed as moderate. But I did walk a small part of the easier section of the Stone Mountain Loop Trail, enough to see a restored 1860’s farm. I vowed to return and complete the trail within a year.
Wednesday, June 18th was the day I set aside to take on the mountain that was only growing higher and steeper in my imagination. The drive was about 80 minutes from home to near Roaring Gap and the park. I stopped at the visitor center again, got a new map and two choices from the attendant. About my age, she looked fit and energetic. She said, “You have two options, get the major climbing done first or go the other way and you’ll be gradually climbing most of the way. I like doing the steep part first.” I knew I would do the same.
At about 9:30am and at 71 degrees, I started an intense climb with lots of wooden steps, steep grades and even cables to hold onto while climbing. On and on, the climbing stayed intense while I was tracking the distance on my Garmin watch. I could see what looked like the summit ahead but some of the most intense climbing required the anchored cables to help me get there. About 300 wooden steps helped out too. The sharp uphill side was .97 of a mile to the summit with mostly a decline or flat the rest of the way to what my Garmin registered as 4.41 miles total.
Nearly all those who hike the loop trail decide to take the easier but longer climb by choosing a right turn out of the park’s lower trailhead. I met more than 80 people coming from that direction. There are flat sections, but the ongoing grade is slightly upward. Of the 80 people, about 60 of them were a group of older teenage girls divided into three smaller groups of 20. The first group was intense and said little as I met them. The second group was more jovial and nearly all either spoke or waved. The third group was working hard to hike and said little as we passed. I met the same two women twice while they rested the second time after one of them had slipped on a wet rock face.
Stone Mountain State Park was started in 1969 and is listed as one of the 38 best places to visit in western North Carolina by the Bucket List Book. The park today boasts over 14,000 acres and ten other scenic trails of varying distances and difficulty. It also boasts the Hutchison homestead, a mid-1850s farm that has been restored and has lots of explanatory signage.
I did have other conversations, all brief ones, as we hiked in different directions. I finished about noon, especially enjoying the heavy shade cover. The temperature had risen to 80 at the trailhead as I left. If you go, I hope you will enjoy this spectacular trail as much as I did. By the way, you’ll walk downhill past the 200-foot Stone Mountain Falls on the loop if you choose the hard climb first. Consider stopping at the Stone Mountain Country Store on the way out of the park for the blackberry cobbler ice cream and peanut butter fudge like I did. This park ranks as one of my favorites in all of NC.
Next up on the local race circuit is the July 19th Run for the Greenway 5K and Fun Run. Look for it and other events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org
“And we know that God causes everything to worktogetherfor the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” -Romans 8:28
When we think of work, it typically involves labor of some kind, maybe even something we don’t look forward to. But I LIKE this version of work; the one where the Lord is doing the hard part. Only He can orchestrate the many details of our lives to give a beautiful, positive outcome. When everything comes undone, it is so good to know that He is in charge and I am not.
Bonus verse: Jeremiah 29:11-” ForIknowtheplansIhaveforyou,” says the Lord. “They are plansfor good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Currently these two verses have become almost cliche-ish. I don’t love how they’re tossed into our storms like little fix-all life preservers. However, when we take them to heart, fully trusting that the Lord has a plan, everything changes. All the work, all the plans, all the future is in His very capable hands.
“Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are His.” -Psalm 100:3
Steve Hartman tells the story of one high school senior who withdrew from her friends but found a wonderful way to reconnect. You have to see it to believe it….. ENJOY!!!
While mid-December through March is the peak season for tourists in Breckenridge, CO, due to winter sports, my husband and I are not your average tourists there. Give me mild temps in June with fewer people anywhere, and I’ll likely go. The breathtaking landscapes can keep one’s head turning around every bend – craggy cliffs of a mountain on one side, evergreen peaks on the next, and white-capped points straight ahead. Those are just sights from the main highways. Walking along trails or riding an e-bike provides more opportunities to pause and take in the grandeur of creation.
While we were away on a pastors’ and wives’ retreat, I had one morning to myself to venture out while my pastor (my husband) was writing the week’s sermon. Selecting a trail was an overwhelming decision, so I opted for a bit of familiarity, choosing a walking trail well below the paved bike trail we had explored the day before. I thought I might find a nook and read my book. I wasn’t focused on where I would end up, so I just started walking. As I became engrossed in the saturation of color and texture on my walk, I just kept walking — and walking. No destination in mind at this point. I saw evidence of wildlife that I had just missed. Dandelions carpeted much of the way, leaving a golden pathway. I came to a part of the path carved out with stones as if beckoning me somewhere – is this leading me to The Shire? Surely, I wouldn’t be lucky enough. But the puffy white clouds against the perfect blue sky (I’m sure that was at least a Carolina blue) and the earthy tones of a bubbling brook and rocky path as the deciduous trees were beginning to wake up were all enough to nourish my soul that day. I did not need to know where the path would end.
I was grateful that my mind was uncluttered from the noise of worries and anxieties. For far too often, I have traveled down paths equally as lovely but no competition for the smog of fret that clouded my view. The walk that day, however, was filled with a beautiful, quiet conversation with my spirit.
Earlier that morning, my friend Jill shared a similar feeling about our e-bike ride from one town to another. She noted a phrase that has been said before: “The journey is not more beautiful than the destination.” But we don’t always feel that way, do we?
At an earlier time in my life, I would have argued that the destination was the best part. After all, I would have the opposite reaction to homesickness. I am not certain it was wanderlust, but surely it was close.
But what makes a journey so beautiful? Is it the scenery? Maybe. Could it be the milder temps (at least in this case)? Quite possibly. I think it is the peace one carries. Peace makes it easier to see past the smog. And while we are at it, you do know that Peace is a Person? [His name is Jesus.] When you journey with the Peace Speaker, even a rough journey is graced with its own beauty. He speaks even in silent conversations. His presence alone is enough.
I was blessed to have selected an easy, gorgeous trail to trek that day, but there is no guarantee that my or your next path will be so glorious. Will you be able to walk in and with Peace?
Ashlie Miller meanders on trails, greenways, sandy shores, and even just her own neighborhood in Concord. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.
Do you like going to the beach? I do! I like walking the beach and allowing the waves to wash up around my feet. I also enjoy sitting close to the water and allowing the waves to rush up under my chair. The sound of the waves crashing onto the beach in such a rhythmic way helps to erase stress and clear the mind.
Those are waves I like. I don’t like heat waves like the one we are enduring now. I think it is unusual to have a heat wave this early in the year. I have a few days off and was planning to get some work done outside. That’s not happening in this heat. My new plan is to enjoy plenty of ice cold drinks and the air conditioning.
What concerns me about this early heat wave is its impact on local farmers and small gardeners like me. How do we keep the fruits and vegetables alive in the extreme heat? I know we need to water, but the heat is hard on all the plants. I need to do some weeding in the garden but it’s too hot for that.
The heat and humidity is draining on us. I was hoping to do some reading on my front porch, but that is not going to happen, either. I went for my walk the other day in the early evening. It was still warm but we have lots of trees in our neighborhood, which helped.
We all know this will not be the only heat wave of the summer. I am hoping for a little cooler weather for our Fourth of July celebration. I guess summer heat is here to stay. The air temperature is not the only challenge we face in our lives. Many of us are feeling the heat in other ways, like struggles with relationships, finances, broken down cars, air conditioner repairs, health issues…and the list goes on. This kind of heat can challenge our faith.
God wants our faith to grow and become strong. The only way for that to happen is for us to face challenges where we find ourselves dependent upon God to come through for us. I am not suggesting we purposefully put ourselves in difficult places to make God come through for us. Life will deliver plenty of challenges that will make us run to God to help us through our situation.
The key word that I have been thinking about is the word through. We serve a God who wants to see us through life’s challenges. Naturally, we would all prefer God to move quickly and instantly. Who wouldn’t be excited when God heals someone? We all would love to see our problems instantly solved. Simple solutions. Easy every time!
When we see God move in the miraculous it builds our faith in His mighty power. It builds our faith to go back the next time with an expectant heart that God will come through miraculously again. There are miracles that happen around us all the time and we need to tell those stories to build each other’s faith. We need to believe in His goodness and kindness for us and in His miraculous power.
The problem with the instant results is that there is no opportunity for our faith to grow through perseverance. Do you remember the parable about the widow who wearied the judge with her request? The judge gave in because of her perseverance. God wants to see us persevere in the same manner.
I believe that God sometimes chooses not to move miraculously because He wants to walk with us through our circumstance. He is the God who sees us through the fiery trial. He is the God who brings light into our darkest moments. He is the God of hope that can help us endure. He wants us to learn more about His character. He wants us to learn to trust Him when we can’t see our next step. He wants to build that child-like faith in us.
I want to encourage you in two ways today. First, I want to encourage you to believe in God’s miraculous power. He still does miracles and we need to pray and believe for them. Second, if you feel yourself struggling because God didn’t move miraculously for you, then know that God is going to see you through. He wants to take you into a deeper relationship with Him. He is drawing you closer. Challenges are opportunities to get to know God better. Heat in our lives gives us the opportunity to build faith in an awesome God.
Psalms 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
No doubt that there are challenges and storms and deserts in our lives and often we feel abandoned.
But God never fails, He is always there and He will cover us through that difficult time if we will just let Him.
His faithfulness is a shield and we only need a shield when there is a difficulty ahead of us.
Prayer: Lord I praise You that You cover me today with Your feathers and I yield to Your covering and Your protection and I will not panic or get fearful of my circumstances. I will rejoice in You always in Jesus name. Amen.
Last year during the long night of May 15th, I had plenty of time to think. Although I didn’t know the details of the damage to my back, I knew I would miss one of my favorite running events for 2024 and the already purchased airfare tickets wouldn’t be used.
The Reno/Tahoe Odyssey is what I call a crazy team race, but the details are what makes it a must do for me. About 220 teams of 12 runners cover 178 miles over a day, a night and part of the next day. The course is intriguing, starting at about 3,000 feet of elevation in Reno and climbing to Lake Tahoe, then eventually climbing even more to just above 7,000 feet past Virginia City, itself at 6.148 feet. From there the course gradually falls back to Reno, this year finishing in an outdoor event center.
Most teams consist of two vehicles with six runners each. My group’s vehicle just had five runners, including Nate and Sammi Williams, both former college runners, triathlete Greg Southard from New Mexico and Luis Abundis, a super high mileage runner who would do two legs of each round of six. We had a deluxe Wagoneer as our transportation and left our motels at 8:15am Friday morning for a 9am start. After a finish line celebration and photo shoot, we got out of the vehicle for the last time and back at the motel close to 2pm on Saturday. All of us were sleep deprived, hungry and dehydrated by that time and each of us had run somewhere between 13 and 16 challenging miles over that time.
At the outset, the Wagoneer was loaded with water and snacks for the group’s use, plus we each had our own backpack of the things experienced runners might need. We had a small amount of personal space until each of us took his or her turn running. I had three legs, numbers 6, 18 and 30. Swapping to the next runner happened at what are called exchange points, the biggest of those happened when both vans converge to finish the legs of one vehicle and start the next set of legs for the second vehicle.
Runners ran day and night. Lighted vests, headlamps and flashlights were used to see and be seen. The slowest teams had started early, and the fastest teams started last, with the hopes that the finish line celebration would stay busy as teams completed the course on Saturday.
Weather complicated things as record highs were set in the Reno area for both Friday, May 30 and Saturday, May 31st. Verified highs of 96 on Friday and 99 on Saturday offset low humidity. A weather warning of 30-40 mph winds for Saturday didn’t prove correct thankfully. Night running at elevation dropped temperatures into the mid to upper 50s.
With all that said about the team concept for the Odyssey, I had my own concern about how I would run. Still only 85-90% back to “prior to the accident” pace, I had several poot runs in the week leading up to the Odyssey. Watching the first five legs for our group left me more time to think about my first run. I was admittedly anxious.
My first leg (6) was 5.4 miles and ended at Boyington Mill Campground near Truckee, California after a sharp climb to the exchange point. I felt especially good on this early afternoon run and suddenly the pressure was off. I could relax and enjoy the fun the rest of the way. Our group rested at the edge of Lake Tahoe on a spectacular afternoon while the team’s other runners were on the roads.
My second leg (18) was 4.6 miles from Lake Tahoe Community College to Stateline, Nevada at another van exchange point. Before the run, I was told the distance was just over 3.4 miles, but the distance grew to 4.6 with a late course update. I was decent on this one but slightly slower per mile than my second leg.
The third leg (30) was the one I had been dreading for a couple of months. The hardest climb in the event is leg 30, a 3.4 mile run up the steepest grade I have ever faced. Parts of it are impossible to run, reducing nearly everyone to walking some. I struggled but got it done and found myself with almost immediately sore quads. They are still sore as I write this recap on Monday.
Our finish-line celebration and photos took place at J Resorts Glow Plaza in downtown Reno. In some ways, we were sad that the Odyssey was over but with plenty of talk of next year. After everyone went their separate ways, I knocked out a breakfast burrito, 3 or 4 PB&J prepacked sandwiches and eventually a small pizza along with six bottles of water. All that was wrapped around a deep nap. I eventually went to bed early. My quads were no better.
A great connecting flight to home started in Reno, stopped in Phoenix and finished in Charlotte. I was back home at 5pm Sunday after what I realized was one of the most important weekends of my life. I was able to celebrate with great friends the successful recovery from the accident. Once in a long while, we have an event that we’ll never forget. My fourth Odyssey was one of those.
Next week’s area race is the Myles for a Mission 5K at Grace Lutheran Church. Look for it and other area events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org
“Verily, verily, Isayuntoyou, Hethat believeth on me hath everlasting life.” -John 6:47
“Verily” is one of those old fashioned words we don’t use very often… well, maybe never. But it does start with V and works in this context. Back in the 70’s when I first met the Lord, this verse became very special to me. It was explained that “verily” means “truly.” When said back to back it is even more emphatic. The Lord was speaking to me so gently, but with such assurance. “Truly, truly!” Believe this child! Trust Me and become a part of My family.
So I did. And He saved me.
Here’s a picture of me and David a few years later. He is the one who took me to a place where I could hear the Word of God and understand that salvation came “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to God’s mercy.” Fifty years later, we are still skipping through life together. Except for the skipping part. That would not be wise as one of us could fall and break a hip.
Verily, verily I say unto you, trust the God of the universe. He loves you and has covered your sins with the blood of His own dear Son.
Truly!
The rule of thumb is, “The bigger the corsage, the more you are loved.” Apparently I was very very loved. Still am.
