Last Tuesday, we took some youth on a hike. We were expecting a pretty easy hike to some ice caves (natural formations left from snow melt). What we got was an expedition. It was a hot day till we got closer to where the ice caves were supposed to be. There had so much snow this winter there were at least 4 football fields filled with snow stacked up at the base of a mountain. It’s 85 degrees and we were playing in snow! It was a sight to see. I’ve never been sledding (sliding down on your butt) in July. If it’s hot where you are, enjoy these refreshing pictures.

Saturday we took a few kids on a hike to the old mining town of Monte Cristo (in the Northern Cascade Mountains).  It was a beautiful day for a hike and a great time for going deeper with students. You’d be surprised at the discussion you can get into hiking 8 miles on a chilly day. There’s something amazing that happens when you just have a couple of hours to spend with teens. It gave me an appreciation of why Jesus spent a lot of time hiking between towns with his disciples.  No programs. Nothing planned. Just quality time.

There’s something so essential about good rock music. It scrapes the weight off your soul like a cheese grater. Tuesday was one of those heavy days, so I left the office late in the afternoon with the Foo Fighters. I have their new album. It’s amazing.

I had to get out. I needed to go hiking. With my iPod in hand I left. The music blared and the sun broke. I felt alive. I hiked a while down a trail till I came upon an old railroad bridge that ran over the Stillaguamish River. I make my way to the middle of the bridge and sat down, watching the river race by. As I sat there I noticed something in the water. There was one a first. Then another. Then tons of them. Salmon were running and upstream, right under me. I watched them for a while, making their way upstream.

Jumping and struggling with such a passion to get nowhere in a hurry. What lay ahead? Spawning and death. I wondered why they were in such a rush. It reminded me of our lives. We’re in such a hurry to die. We don’t think of it like that, but that’s what we’re doing. Always staying busy. Always on that upstream push.

I sat and meditated for a while, praying and praising God. I just let the peace of creation soak in all around me.

As I hiked back to my car one things occurred to me. I swim upstream too much.