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30 April 2012

Hiking, and biking, and gators OH MY

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Brazos Bend State Park…I would say it’s one of my all-time favorite places to camp. It’s a great place; very quaint and serene; very well cared for and clean considering it’s a state park.  There are no fancy modern day waterslides, zip lines, cave tours, or even swimming pools, but BBSP brings back lots of memories for me.  My grandparents (whom I cherish and love to the ends of the Earth) would take us camping there often.  We would ride our bikes around the park for hours on end (I had a pink bike with a white banana seat and handlebar streamers, oh yeah) and have campfires at night with s’mores and my Meme’s homemade vanilla ice cream.  Those were the days, and surprisingly not much has changed at the park.  It’s always such a refreshing flashback to the past when life was simple. 

On our most recent family day trip to BBSP we had the joy of marveling at the curiosity of our two and a half year old daughter.  We would lean over the edge of the pond in hopes to catch a glimpse of a turtle, or a blue egret, or better yet (what BBSP is known for) an ALLIGATOR!  We walked the mossy oak lined park trails for hours without a care in the world; skipping, laughing, and just enjoying each other’s company.  We saved the best trail for last – 40 Acre Lake - the main walking trail around the lake known to have the most alligators.  I knew what to expect; alligators in the lake, lying in the marsh or under the pier but about one quarter of the way into our hike we were startled to see a large alligator sun bathing about 3 feet from the trail.  I would have never given it a second thought before but suddenly my motherly instincts kicked in and we devised a plan to dash by the gator.  For the remainder of the trail I was consumed with the idea of protecting my daughter; what had been a blissful carefree day suddenly turned into a finale of a fear-filled mother. 

Not that the fear of a gator eating your child isn’t realistic, I do have a God-given right to protect my child, but for me to let it consume me and steal my joy is a parallel to my life.  I wonder how often we go through the motions of life so fearful and consumed by what may be; what could be; what should be that we forget to enjoy the hike?  I wonder how often we have missed the blessing of a brightly colored butterfly landing on our shoulder or the joy of our child discovering rolly pollies for the first time because all that we can focus on is the unknown lurking gator ready to devour us?
I am famous for being a worry wart; for letting fear consume me.  I learned a hard lesson four and half years ago that changed me forever.  We have to do our part, of course, but there are ten thousand plus “parts” out of our control; parts that are in God’s hands. Though I have not shaken completely potential anxiety or fears that can invade my life, I know without a shadow of a doubt that giving validity to my fears renders me useless.  When I am blinded by the “what if’s” of the future I can’t enjoy the here and now. 

Whatever the “gator” in your life may be – do your part but then leave it to God. 

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  Matthew 6:27

The wording on the plaque in the photo above:
In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.