The Trials of Bear Potty

A couple friends of mine took their children on a hike this past weekend. A real hike. A 5 mile hike. A climbing to 800 feet of elevation type hike. With 2 kids type hike. A kids are 6 and 4 type hike. Actually she should blog about their excursion because not only did their truck lose it's battery power, they were 12 miles up in a remote area, they had to coast in neutral down a steep hill, she got a migrane and their 4 year old daughter got stung by a bee. Nuff said there. I would have been curled up in a ball unconsolable.

It became obvious that the trail was less than well hiked. It sounded like it was fairly non-existent and from all appearances hadn't been traveled in a very long time. Lots of brambles, berry bushes and overgrowth - a typical unused Oregon trail. As they journeyed they came across a huge pile of bear potty in the middle of the "trail." As you know bears enjoy berries and there were a bunch located where they were hiking. So, they paused and considered and kept going, making lots of noise in the process. Again, they came upon another big pile of bear potty and then I think she said, even another. Fortunately, they finished the hike with no incident except for a grouse taking off in the underbrush causing a yelp from my friend as she thought a black bear was lying in wait.

So I have a total random analogy... (I think I am trying to think too hard as I scrub my bathroom floor, I swear I could smell smoke coming from my ears so I knew somethin' was a brewin'.)

Anyway, so many people go through the bear potty of this life. It is hard, it is scary and it is full of berry brambles and well, poop! A lot of it almost seems impassable. Yet they keep on, they run the race, they finish the course, they live with faith. Even with adversity getting in the way, even when the poop piles up, they keep walking forward, making lots of noise as they travel. They aren't swayed by the what ifs. And, most of the time they have quite a story to tell at the end of that particular journey. There are more of those stories waiting in the wings since life is a continual journey. I am encouraged and challenged by people who are living it out. God bless them for their courage and stamina. May they find joy at the finish line.