Today I hiked through the Garden of Eden.
Or it was, at least, the closest thing I could imagine.
Have I mentioned we’re living in Paradise this month?
Our host’s sweet daughter JoJo took us on a hike through the jungle to a waterfall this morning. It was the loveliest thing I think I’ve ever seen. We hiked up riverbanks, over multiple creeks and a manmade bridge, through thick jungle underbrush on a tiny dirt path, and underneath trees of all sorts: coconut, mango, palms… lovely.
The hike took us about an hour, and it wasn’t very strenuous at all (if you don’t count humidity that cements your clothes and hair to your skin). It was also lucky that a typhoon was hitting one of the other islands, because it wasn’t nearly as hot as it normally is.
I felt like an Adventurer, a Trekker, a real Pioneer Woman, and if you’re asking- yes, I did let my imagination get away with me. We only saw two or three houses on the trip, so it was isolated enough to feel totally separate from the world and all its modern conveniences. Except for the ipod in my hand (for photos) and the chacos on my feet (seriously one of the best investments I made as a baby Racer), I imagined myself to be trekking through the wilderness, blazing a new trail for myself. It was a Last of the Mohicans meets Pirates of the Caribbean, starring ME! It was a good daydream.
I’m convinced that God’s glory is found in the quiet places of the earth; those places we haven’t yet fully touched. I’m convinced He is a Lover of beauty and that He loves to look upon things that bring a sense of peace and serenity. The quiet of the jungle, the swaying of the trees, the rush of the waterfall: these are the things that draw me near to the Presence of God.
I’m not saying He can’t be found other places; He is in all things.
But for me, leaving the man-made and being surrounded by only the God-made sure does make Him seem a lot closer, and a lot more intimate.
Red River Gorge ain’t got nuthin’ on this! (JK/ILY, RRG)
When we reached the falls, it was smaller than I had imagined (of course, comparing it to the last waterfalls we visited in El Salvador), but it was a little more secluded, and their beauties were incomparable: they are just in two separate categories. These falls allowed you places to jump from or slide from. I watched as my teammates did both, smiling and laughing and having a blast. I’ve never jumped from anything before, so after a long, long time, a little hyperventilation, some nervous shaking, and a ton of encouragement from my teammates, I took my first jump off a cliff: the baby one. Still conquered it, though! And I’m really glad I did.
We swam around for awhile, people jumped a lot, some guys shampooed their hair, and we sunbathed on a few of the larger rocks. It was a nice, relaxing (except for the fear-of-heights-issue), and lovely morning. I feel ready to continue attacking our manual labor ministry (of course it’s manual labor…but you can read more about that in a later blog), and to continue diving into who God is, and what He desires for me.
This morning really reminded me of how important rest is, whatever that means to your soul. It reminded me of the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity to dive into the waters of God and enjoy His goodness. I’m grateful for this morning, and I will continue to look for opportunities to seek and surround myself in how very, very beautiful His is.
