Reminiscing About A Heavy Load

Mike Hosey, Elder

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Last year I hiked a section of the Appalachian Trail with my teenage son, Caleb, and my nephew Justin Avinger.

The trek took us through roughly 60 miles of wilderness.

We began at Amicalola Falls, Georgia, and ended up at Unicoi Gap. In that distance we climbed and descended 13 mountains!

It was at times cold, at other times hot, at one time muddy, rainy, and wet, and at all times physically and mentally demanding.

In the very first leg of our journey we happened upon a laundry bag cast on the side of the trail. It was full of heavy clothes and thick blankets. Odd.

A mile or so further down the trail we came across a heavy cast iron skillet, and some steel cans of dog food. Strange.

Resuming our adventure, we came across more items, usually heavy, and usually abandoned just off of the trail.

Then, as we were descending into a gap between two mountains we came across the folks who had been leaving their stuff behind. A young couple and their dog. They were exhausted. Their dog, with long thick hair ill suited for the Georgia climate, and panting heavily, sprawled himself out before them, clearly as exhausted as they -- if not more so.

Spread around were pieces of gear that betrayed their poor planning - a heavy, pole tent, large thick foam pads, more canned food, and kitchen pots.

Unless you are Paul Bunyan there is no way you can carry all of that stuff through those mountains. With it, you won't reach your destination, and ironically, you won't be comfortable, either. I felt for them because I knew they couldn't make it to the next point, and that they would have to leave all their stuff on the trail and return to start.

They had not counted the cost (Luke 14:28-31).

It reminded me of Hebrews 12:1 which tells us to cast off everything that hinders us in our race. When I read that verse, I now always think of their exhausted faces! And I have to ask, "what hinders me in my race?"