Morning Walks

I've started a new routine for myself in the morning. I get up early and, while the whole house is asleep, I go for a 2 mile walk or walk/run. (Before this, any exercise only happened during the kids' naps, which meant being confined to the house.) I walk to the end of the road, where a sign for the church stands next to the old one-room school house, and back. We live deep in the countryside on a gravel road. The way to the church is marked every so often by signs like this one. The gravel makes it easy to loose your footing. I've stumbled a few times, but so far I haven't fallen. But I'll have to say the delights far out-weigh the risks. Wildflowers spring up by the side of the road and catch the morning light perfectly. The only sounds to permeate the air are the songs of birds as they dart about above the road.

The first morning I ventured out I was surprised to see a doe with a fawn - both of whom were equally surprised by me. They eventually crossed the road and went on their way after several stops to look at me. I think I was something of a teaching lesson for the little fawn. I counted my luck that I got to see them for more than a glimpse. On the way back home I got to see them even closer. The fawn lost it's mother and was trying to get through a fence between the corn field and the school house, only a few yards away. It was calling for mama with the sweetest bleat - "Maaa, Maaa". What mommy can resist that? I knew she would come looking for her little one. I didn't want to interrupt since every so often the fawn would stick its head in a spot too tight to pull free easily. So I crouched down by the flowers and waited. Sure enough the doe glided up to the fawn and the two then bounded away. They never saw me watching them - the doe never raised her white flag of a tail like she did when she had seen me the first time. It was a real treat to see them.

Now barring crossing paths with coyotes, skunks and the rare mountain lion and barring my own stumbling feet I shall be just fine. Perhaps this poor man's version of the tread mill may seem too treacherous for the faint of heart, but I have no fear. The Lord has been known to shut the mouths of lions before. As for my own clumsiness, "though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand." (Ps. 37:24) There have been a few times where my foot skidded over the gravel and I began to entirely loose my balance - surely I was inches from dashing my own self against the rocks - when suddenly I was set aright. I thank the Lord that my guardian angel was not far from me in those moments.

Walking - who would have ever thought it could be so dangerous and yet yield so many benefits? I gain peace and quiet in the mornings, the beauty of God's creation in real color and real surround sound, time to pray and contemplate, and discipline of the body (yes, I've lost two pant sizes on the road somewhere!!). Now you can't get all of that on a treadmill!