The Melody of the Mickelson

A highlight of 2018 was our family bicycling adventure riding the 109 miles that comprise the Mickelson Trail in the picturesque Black Hills. I experienced God’s supernatural power in completing this journey as it was only 3 months after my bilateral mastectomy & I hadn’t exercised. We completed the trail in 3 days! We enjoyed the company of family & good friends the Nobles. The scenery was filled with God’s majesty and at certain points felt as if we were pedaling along inside a Bob Ross painting. The trail challenged us with strenuous uphills & thrilling tummy-tickling downhills. There was flat prairie terrain and then towards the end a “desert-esque” area where I suddenly found myself riding alone in the hot sun with noisy buzzing creatures in the trees and a snake in my path (my picture of the Valley of the Shadow of Death). This trek was a gift & God provided clarity in that the trail sang to me of it’s reflection of life. There are miles on the journey that plateau with the ordinary and routine. There are thrilling downhills, that make us laugh & smile like Christmas, celebrations, promotions, vacations and all the good times that seem to go so very fast! Then, we encounter tough uphills like cancer, multiple surgeries, suffering & loss that demand us to switch gears, slow down, persevere with mental & physical strength and constant focus on the truth of who God is. The trail occasionally gets sandy & wheels waver and we fall sometimes but we bandage ourselves with what we pack in our gear ( The Word/personal quiet time w/ God). There are muddy spots where fear creeps in, threatens to wipe us out or make us look & feel ugly but we just keep pedaling all-the-while the mud splatters… we wobble & get a bit dirty but don't need to dwell there. The 4 mountain tunnels of the Mickelson Trail were a favorite of mine: cold & dark as we cautiously ventured through a mystery but there was always a huge glowing warm welcoming light at the end that we could focus on, trust & keep looking forward to reaching. What a gift!