Increased rainfall and a heavy snow-pack year has made for very full rivers. I had a hair appointment down in the town of Eagle so I decided that I would incorporate my workout into the surrounding area. The Greenbelt is a beautiful paved pathway that meanders along the banks of the Boise River for miles upon miles that bikers and joggers enjoy. Running would not be my first choice for exercise, but we have committed to doing a 5k this summer with my extended family as a part of our reunion. So this morning I hit the trail. The beaches where we play on during the summer months are completely submerged. Our favorite rope swing is still hanging, but you must swim out to even reach the tip of the rope. The trees that are generally perched on dry ground are now covered in feet of swift running water. It truly is an amazing sight to see how strong and overcoming a river can become.
As my pace steadied and I found my rhythm, my thoughts kept pulling me back to the rising waters and the trees that were now hoping their roots were deep enough to withstand the external forces. There have been many moments in my life when I have felt the swirling waters rising around me. My anxiety becoming overwhelming and life’s pace seems to be running wildly past me. I have felt exhausted from the weight of a heavy winter that then turned into a rushing spring and yet I kept praying for the warmth and calmness of summer and fall to arrive. I have found myself frozen from fear, not knowing how I could ever withstand the rapids of my challenges. I have wept over the unknown debris and obstacles that could collide with my world and unearth my roots, sending me rushing down the whitewater. Our realities and the worrying can be so consuming!
On my third pass while running my loop I noticed how strong these trees were. They stood as if there was little going on around them. The water levels were rising, but they knew that they were grounded deeply with their foundations. Their many years of efforts to grow deep root systems had allowed them to establish peace despite a trying situation.
The sunlight beamed through the tops of the trees allowing light to reflect off the water and warm my face. I knew that today I was in the right spot for God to teach me. Perhaps I could’ve got His message at the gym with loud music and a hundred people all around. His promptings, to do something different with my morning, helped me to understand that I must continually fortify myself and my family. We must not become complacent in the little things. We must do the hard work to ensure that we will still be standing when the floods hit.
Our family is so similar to many of yours, we go to school/work, attend sports or activities, come home, eat, do homework, and a few chores, go to bed and then start all over again the next day. If we allow the daily grind to become a ritual, we are missing out on the opportunities to learn, grow, love, serve, dive deeper into each other’s emotions, find the joy in our similarities and differences, and loose sight of why we are here. We are sent here to find happiness and joy! There will be trials and heartaches and those times we must take extra care of one another. As we have faith that each day can be better by choosing a positive attitude and allowing God to show us His miracles all around us, we can find peace amongst the rising waters around us.