Lessons learned in Hoodoo Canyon

This past weekend, I had the amazing opportunity to go on a ten mile hike with my 16 year old daughter. It was an overnighter, so 5 miles in on one day, and 5 miles back out on the other day. There were a total of ten adults and twenty four 15-16 year old girls. We had to carry full packs, meaning everything we needed for the trip, we carried on our backs. It was difficult terrain, full of rocks and crevices, hills and valleys, as we worked our way down into the canyon and then back up the next morning.

We'd hit a flat patch and our muscles would relax, and then we'd round the next bend and see another steep incline.

When the girls would get tired, we'd tell them that they are capable of so much more, that they could do hard things, and we'd get them moving forward again. But between you and me, it was tough!

I'm in fairly good shape, but I have to admit, it was more than I expected it to be. If Taylor hadn't been watching me, I might have been tempted to give up. Well, not really. Because giving up is not something that's in my character. I'm too stubborn for that. But having your teenage daughter right there with you does give you extra incentive to keep going. There were times that I did not want to go another step. Moments where my muscles screamed "Stop. This is too hard!". Today, I have the blisters and the sore muscles to prove just how hard it was. I loved spending time with Taylor. I loved watching her with her friends. It was something I will never forget. I really loved showing her that her 40 year old mother still has what it takes to do this. :) It was breath takingly beautiful- the streams, running over the rocks. The river, winding between the boulders. The tall trees, swaying in the breeze. Everything testifying that there is a God, and that He loves us so very much.

Being able to experience that with Taylor was something I'd never give up. Those were the blessings for enduring a really hard challenge, for doing something that pushed me, for not giving up on something that mattered.

On the hike, I thought a little about Phillip. I thought about him as I watched 24 girls make their way into and back out of the canyon. I wonder if he'll ever be able to do things like this. I wondered if the girls realized what a blessing their healthy bodies are.

I thought about the benefits of doing hard things. Hard things, like bringing another child into a family with six other children. Hard things, like sharing resources, time, house space, clothing, toys and food with one more child. Hard things, like meshing a child with cerebral palsy into our already chaotic, busy life. Hard things, like possibly giving up some of our plans for the future to accomodate the needs of this little boy. You know what though? Life is hard. It was never meant to be easy. If your life is easy, you aren't living your life to the fullest potential. You are missing out. Hard things help us grow. Our children do not expect life to be easy. They know better. Character development does not come easily. You want your children to really grow? Require them to do hard things. We want our children to know that we are capable of so much more. And when we hear ourselves say "Stop! This is too hard", we remind ourselves that we do hard things, and we move forward again.

Will this be easy? No. Did we ever expect it to be? No. If it were easy, it probably wouldn't appeal to me. There is no way this will be easy. We are well aware of that. In fact, we are pretty certain the first six months to a year will be dang hard. Does that mean we shouldn't do it? Should we refrain from doing hard things? I am always looking for things that stretch me, stretch our kids, cause us to lengthen our stride, develop our character. Those things don't happen easily. But the blessings.... ah, the sweet blessings.

Blessing that come from rescuing a child. Getting a little boy out of an orphanage. Taking his little hand in ours and watching him wave goodbye as we walk away forever. Putting him on a plane and giving him a home with a family who adores him beyond measure, six siblings, willing to love him and help him in any way possible. Allowing him access to things he'll never get in Eastern Europe- an education and advanced healthcare. Giving a child the chance to walk. Allowing our children an experience like this. Letting them watch a child who truly has nothing, blossom into all that he has the potential to be. The opportunity for them to learn more compassion, have more opportunities for service, to exercise less selfishness, to realize the abundance of all that they have. That is a sweet experience. Blessings beyond measure. An experience I would wish for anyone. That is life changing and character building... for Phillip... for our other six children. Blessings for enduring a really hard challenge, for doing something that pushes us, for not giving up on something that mattered. A child.

We are capable of so much more. We can do hard things.