Live long enough and you will undoubtedly experience trials, some will be life changing. Trials are surely part of the trail of life. Yet, the view from the top, absolutely worth it!
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| The Cross - Above PV |
Some of the most wonderful victories came after great endurance.
The thoughts above are inspired from the best of staircases while once again visiting Puerto Vallarta. It is 6am, the roosters bellow their ever distinct crow, and from our bedroom I'm able to view my goal that I'll set out once again to conquer. For most, it is daunting to consider once let alone daily. And then, once I arrive, the decision will become, how many times?
I began stairclimbing in 2005. Then, as a 47 year old, it was to honor my mother who died of cancer at that very age. Most climbs have the added benefit of raising funds for cancer, cystic fibrosis or several other great causes. My very first competition, I call “The Beast”, was as a firefighter climb in Seattle's Columbia Center. Sixty-nine stories, 1311 steps of pure EXHAUSTION! And yet, isn't that just what life often throws at us…pure exhaustion?
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| Staircases - Thousands Across the City |
From our apartment it will take just over twenty minutes to reach the cross. As in life, the trail goes down before it goes up. And unfortunately you don't just descend once. No, the trail descends and ascends multiple times. Yet, once at the top, the beauty, the refreshment of the body, the soul… it all becomes worth the agony. Which, is made less, quite less, by regular training.
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| A Steep Descent |
Most will make this particular climb once or perhaps as an annual event. Many will struggle with each of the 205 steps for the cross that sits atop. Kind of a pilgrimage of sorts. This is part of my pursuit as well. From this perspective I reflect on the life of the Christ, whose journey took Him to the cross. His ‘way to the cross' definitely had descents and ascents. None greater than which occurred three days after being placed into the tomb. There, in His resurrection, stands the pinnacle of our faith. And finally, after time with His disciples and many followers, all giving witness to His, and our ultimate victory… over death…He made His final ascent.
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| The Grand-daddy of Staircases |
The moral of this blog … life will always be full of trails (or crosses) that descend into valleys before ascending to the mountaintop. In daily life, if I could encourage you to prepare yourself through regular disciplines, i.e. by exercise and reading good books, especially the bible. For myself, I have found that the ascent is so much less daunting when I have done such.
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| The Reward - The View Across Banderas Bay |
Well, I'm off once again to make my way to the cross. Perhaps you'll join me one day. Not just here in PV, but to His cross that was placed on Calvary. That ascent, though trials continue to persist, makes life less daunting.
This blog I dedicate to Nan Turner Jopp who made her final ascent to the Father this week. Dad and you ... some SPECIAL people!
