Keep On Swimming

My Daniel and I celebrated his birthday hiking at our fave spot here in TX… during record rainfall. We knew it was a stormy day, but we’re tenacious and determined and just a touch on the crazy side. Besides, it wasn’t even sprinkling when we started the hike and we didn’t know until later that it rained so much to break records.

But I could have guessed. I haven’t been that soaked… ever.

By the time we reached the first scenic view, light rain pelted our shoulders. In minutes, the heavens opened. Then opened a little more. Then really threw it down. Like Romancing the Stone, roaming the jungle with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner (minus riding a mudslide into a river – thank God!).

We were wetter than our showers that morning, wetter than a swimming pool plunge. I’m talking sheets of Texas-sized rain – and yes there’s a difference between our Texas rain and all other kinds of rain. It truly is bigger.

Hair, tank top, shorts, socks (ew) and boots – all weighted with total saturation. At one point, my Daniel said, “Every time I take a step, water squishes out of my shoes.”

Yea, it was that wet.

No lightening, though, and just a touch of thunder, so all in all, it wasn’t that bad of a hike. Adventurous, actually, and fun.

Of course, we had to be more aware of our foot placement, extra-keen on our surroundings. The path went from dirt to mud to puddles to pools in the course of a half an hour. Danger lurked nearby, but we stayed alert and smart and God protected us.

Fast forward to that evening when I’m having a mental/emotional meltdown. (Not related to the hike, but the two topics intersect eventually…) Maybe physical exhaustion left me vulnerable, but I got walloped up side the head by the Father of Lies, and his insinuations left me in rivers of tears and doubting my entire life.

Illogical, yes, but it seemed so real and relevant at the time.

I slept on it, prayed, talked to a couple of close friends who prayed and encouraged (one being mom – gotta love mom coming through during an emo-crisis!), and turned out leveling off into the right frame of mind and heart.

But it took some decision-making on my part. The biggest – don’t give up.

Although my Daniel and I had fun in the rain on his birthday, the situation was not exactly comfortable. I mean, more than almost anything, I hate having wet socks!! After a while, even in Texas, that rain gets chilly. And I can only wring out my shirt so many times before I’m ready to take it off. I was a little afraid of encountering snakes in the path-puddles, and every stone I stepped on was slippery. On one hand, an invigorating challenge – on the other, I was ready to have it done with by the end.

What if I had given up in the middle of that hike – decided I was too scared or wet or mad or uncomfortable or whatever? Of course, that wouldn’t make sense. I’d only get wetter if I sat down and quit.

Same goes for responding to the thunderstorm of lies I faced the same night that tempted me to do just that – quit. Now, that wouldn’t make sense, would it? You don’t get anywhere if you quit.

So that’s what I decided on. Even when it looks like the sky is falling, I’m not going to give up. I’m just gonna keep on swimming.

Do you feel like quitting today? Be encouraged! Keep moving. God will never quit on you!

Have a fabulous weekend, Dry Ground friends!

(photos by photobucket.com)