LA year and a half ago now… (wow was it really that long ago?) my husband and I embarked on a seventy mile hike. I almost enjoy planning the trip more then doing the work of actually hiking the miles. There are so many different lessons that I learned about myself, my husband and God on that trail that I want to share with you. I’ll start with the one that has stuck with me the most since that week.
When planning our trip I made a decision. After weighing the pro’s and con’s I decided that it would be best to have a challenging first two days on the trail so that we could take our time driving back from the hike and could take advantage of a weekend at a bed and breakfast in Niagara-On-the-Lake. Little did I know how challenging that those days would be.
Sunday morning after working a night shift I hopped into the car. Kalend drove to our shuttle and I tried to sleep as he drove. Tried is the operative word there. We then stumbled through 5 miles in the dark to our first campsite. We eagerly set up our bedding in anticipation for the next days hike.
Day Two: We woke up cleared out camp and started hiking. We had a number we had to reach. Eighteen and a half miles! And we hiked and hiked and then we hiked some more. Something else happened as I hiked. I drank more water then I have ever before. For weight considerations I only carry a 2L water bladder in my pack and even with refilling it at our lunchtime break I was left with two miles until we reached camp - and no more water in my water bladder.
That last hour thoughts of water consumed me. I cannot remember ever being so thirsty. As a nurse I tried to distract myself by looking at it clinically. Oh look there is the headache - one of the first signs of dehydration and then the muscle cramps as we walked down the hill to campsite. Just so you know that does not help.
And then we get there, and the pump was broken.
I sat down in front of the pump and I was desperate. The closest stream was a mile away. I looked into the basin for the pump. There was two inches of green stagnant water in it. It had become a watery graveyard for caterpillars of every size and colour.
Kalend and I looked at each other and we both knew. This was going to be our water for the night.
Our first glimpse of water after that dry night.
Simply put, it sucked. We woke up thirsty, packed up our gear as quickly as we could and then walked a mile to get to the water. I thought of nothing else, I dreamed of what it would feel like to have that first drop of water on my tongue.
We hiked out with heightened hopes eagerly anticipating filling my water bladder. I can vividly remember taking that first sip of (filtered) crystal clear. So satisfying. But the story does not end there.
Fast forward a couple weeks I was back snuggled into my sofa my feet up - still recovering from the hike (that’s a different story) doing my bible study and I come across this verse.
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1
Immediately I am reminded of that moment hiking and how thirsty I was hiking and realize that I do not thirst for God like I did for water that day. I am thankful that I have not been in that kind of dessert. I hope that I can remember the intensity of thirst in an area where water is plenty and use it as motivation in times when I am lacking passion.