It is easier to go down than up!

First of all, I just heard today about the fire that destroyed the Brownfield Church of Christ, and want to extend my sympathy towards them! I know that the church isn't the building-we are, but that is still hard because it holds such special memories and is important to the body! I hope and pray that they will be able to rebuild soon, they are strong and I know they will all come together and rely on God during this time and will trust that He is in control.

With that said, we went hiking yesterday up to the Windfall Lake cabin with the bigger kids. It was a really small, but very nice cabin meant to just hold 6 people, but we fit 12 of us in there, so that was interesting but we had a lot of fun! Like I said, it is just so peaceful and serene out there-it really did look like a painting, in fact, if I could actually paint, it would've been the perfect setting!! We found a float that someone had left and although it would not completely blow up, we all piled on it and went out into the river, and no matter how hard we tried to sink it, it just wouldn't go...that is, until Daniel decided to deflate it and we rushed to shore! ;-) We had a cookout with hot dogs and marshmallows and just enjoyed the beautiful secenery of God's creation! Me and the 2 girls that came with me, Sarah and Jessica (I finally got some girls to go hiking with me!!) went hiking farther up the trail in the evening, and it was nice to spend time with them and get away from the stinky boys for a little while! ;-)

I have to share something that Sarah said today that just really struck me, and she probably had no idea how much it did...but anyway...to get up to the outhouse you had to hike up a bunch of steps and as we were coming down I said, "It is always easier coming down than it is going up!" and she responded, "Isn't that with everything in life?" I don't know if that strikes you, but it sure did to me because it is SO true! If it were easier to follow God all the way into heaven, then I am sure a lot more people would be on the wagon, but as we all know...it isn't that easy, BUT we have such an awesome and amazing gift waiting for us that we keep trekking upward and it is all well worth it! I just wanted to share that with you all, and also leave you with this encouragement and my goal:

"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge...So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness". ~Colossians 2:2-3; 6-7