December 22, 2014

Reflections

Thunk is not a sound I normally hear when driving my vehicle, but grinding gravel, thwacking limbs, and the thunk of boulders connecting with the underside of my Jeep were all part of the weekend I spent trail riding in the mountains of Virginia.

Trail riding involves a group of modified vehicles climbing their way over rivers and through the woods to the tops of mountains. Being a novice with an unmodified vehicle, I drove an easy trail, then hitched a ride with a veteran for the hardest trail of the trip—the Devil’s Backbone.

The Devil’s Backbone is called that because after you survive to the top of the mountain, you have to slither through a clustered string of boulders resembling the arched back of a stegosaurus. Vehicles were not made to slither, especially not between boulders twice their size.31 1 5 8

Steve was the leader of the Jeep club. At the beginning of every ride Steve parked his vehicle by the registration tent, and everyone lined up behind him. When it was time to go, Steve started his engine, and we followed him up the trail. I remember several people telling me that Steve doesn’t wait—if you aren’t ready and in line when it is time to go, you will miss the ride.

Halfway up the first trail, we had to stop because two vehicles that had missed the lineup went the wrong direction and were coming straight toward us. Steve gently guided the offending drivers around his group so they could get back in line. When one of them ended up in a ditch, Steve went back and helped them out, even though they had broken the rules.

Steve owns a shop that modifies off-road Jeeps, and has been leading trail rides for at least 20 years. He knows everything about trail riding and getting people safely through. On a previous ride when my vehicle had an issue, Steve knew exactly what to do to fix it.

Crawling up mountains at very low speeds depletes the battery. When I turned my Jeep off so some horses could pass and then tried to start it back up again, the security alarm tripped, and we couldn’t get it to turn off. Steve informed me that to turn it off under these circumstances, I had to turn my key back and forth in the rear door to disarm the alarm.

When we crested the Devil’s Backbone and surveyed the rocky fortress before us, Steve took his vehicle through first, then climbed out of his car, stood on a boulder, and one by one carefully guided his people through, giving instructions and encouragement along the way. Sometimes he had to tell them to back up and try again, but he didn’t get back into his Jeep until everyone was safely on the other side.

When we arrived back at camp—dusty, tired, and safe—I realized something. I don’t know all there is to know about life, just as I don’t know all there is to know about Jeeps and trail riding. But God does. He made this planet and made you and me. And while I may be dealing with tough times, Jesus is with me to guide me safely to the end.

Sometimes I go too fast, and He tells me to back up and try again; sometimes I jump the gun, and He has to guide me around obstacles to get me back on the trail. The next time I feel stressed about navigating life on earth, I am going to remember I have a Guide who will see me through; all I have to do is be ready, get in line, and follow my Leader. 

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