Our Life Together

Little Surprises.

Since we were so close to Smoky Mountain National Park, we decided to tackle a hike on our last morning in Tennessee before heading home to Kentucky. The chosen hike was 1.3 miles each way.

Unfortunately, when we got to the park, we discovered the access road to our desired trailhead was closed for construction. We could still do the hike… we just had to hike an extra bit in order to meet up with the intended trailhead. Not knowing how far we would have to hike, we gambled it wouldn’t be too much and set out.

It was only after about 1 mile of hiking or so that we realized it would take us nearly 3 miles to get there, and 3 miles to go back. This lengthened our trek from an anticipated 1 hour round trip hike to 2 hours or more. Not wanting to turn around and bow out, we decided to continue.

So I began to pray. First, I was just asking God to get to our destination quickly. While we enjoy the process of hiking, we both were eager for our destination – the Grotto Falls. (Plus we wanted an earlier-rather-than-later start on the road home.) Yet we had little idea of what to expect. We knew nothing of their size or beauty or even what the route there would be like for us amateur hikers. The hike proved to be a little more demanding than we anticipated.

So, second, I started asking God to make the hike worthwhile. That we would meet with Him, enjoy the time in the woods, and enjoy the waterfall destination.

I even asked God for an extra something to make it worthwhile. Maybe the waterfall would be the kind where you could walk behind it, for example! Now, that would be awesome. ::Cue Disney movie Robin Hood at the romantic scene where Robin and Maid Marion walk behind the cartoon waterfall:: But if not that, I asked for something commensurately cool.

So we get to the falls. In about an hour’s time. Strenuous hike, but beautiful with many bubbling creeks to ford, and tall trees to behold, mountains flanking the view from behind. The Grotto Falls, situated at an elevation of over 3,600 feet, were lovely, flowing down huge boulders, and almost hidden behind the trees. It almost felt like discovering a secret in the woods. I climb as close as I can to the falls. And then I see it. The hiking trail leads us behind the waterfall.

True story.

God is awesome.