Avoiding the Hills

This is not where I live, but I liked the picture.  Reminds me of the Shire, Frodo!

I took all 4 kids on a bike ride last night.  Aaron was at a meeting.  We've been putting both Jonny and Hope in the bike cart, but I am not super-strong like him, so I had J. ride his bike.  The older boys do great independently.  I just have to remind them not to get too far ahead.

The hills became a real struggle for Jonny.  First, he'd whine and cry about not being able to get OVER the hill, then he'd scream the whole way down because he was scared about going too fast. 

By the time we got close to home, he was crying just THINKING about the hills and how hard they would be.  "Can't we go home a different way, Mama??  I don't want those dumb old hills!!"

I couldn't help making a connection between our bike ride and life.  I would love to arrive home (Heaven) without the hills, the hard places that make me cry, make me ache.  Wouldn't we all like to avoid the hills?  But that's the path.  It's the only way.  There is no shortcut, and there is no way to make it easier.

Some people seem to have "less hills" in their journey, but who can really judge another's path? 

The promise is that the hill is not forever, and someday we'll put "the bike" away and fly to the arms of Christ.