Tomorrow, there will be no early post, this guy, his brah, cousin and her boyfriend ascending the Haiku Stairs...for me, off the couch. It is the ultimate 'stairmaster', nearly 4,000 steps to the top, and, I hope, the sole reason for my absent or delayed post is just the activity. Having seen actual photos from the top, it is my hope, and I mean hope, that I can ascend the entire 'trail' or should I say trial. The journey is safe, much safer than the Olamana hike, we may attempt the next day. Individuals have perished on both, for many different reasons. When your time is up, it is.
Hearing the McDonald's men talk stories, one just said there used to be 19 of them gathered here, but at most I've yet seen five. Some of the absent are bound to wheelchairs unable to drive, unable to make the 'morning meeting'. This journey, my journey, these footsteps of faith have delivered mom to her sister continuing down what remains her path, our path of life. The path of living holds many forks each with different outcome, some result forging in us our character. Yes, continually I ponder the choices I have made the gamut spanned between good and bad, wise and foolish.
Like the sun rising, thus far, the days of living continue for this soul in spite of any foolishness on my part, and while it not my desire to test the Lord, His compassion pressed into my life for another day's earthly existence is satisfying result. I cannot help it that my life has been intensely colored by the recent loss of my father. Nor that as I look around me, I find reminders, both gentle like the breezes of aloha and raging like hurricanes too the gamut spanned between.
Without adventure, or the attempt of such, life might feel 'safe' but is a life without 'risk' as fulfilling as one coddled and mitigated to eliminate exploit? I remain unconvinced of the latter. The absolute sweetness of grace rises from experience of the despicable underpinnings of sin. The raucous celebrations and accomplishments garner fuller joy having faced debilitating defeat. While there need be some limit to the extremes, God seems to mitigate my foolishness, at least thus far.
As I ponder tomorrow's trip, my desire is shutter depression, capturing first hand, the pinnacle of ascent carrying my body and camera up the Haiku Stairs better known as the "Stairway to Heaven". At 56, my Hawaiian friend Leonard admitting he is not up to task, I sit here, having consumed another Portuguese Sausage, egg and rice breakfast not admitting defeat before I go, but willing to face it when I go should that be the result. But should this tired soul ascend to the top, achievement of many much older and in poorer shape, I will enjoy the view not vicariously but personally another foolish achievement having expending great effort for what many might not be able or willing do.
Whether we 'risk' or not, everyday is another step on the "Stairway to Heaven", or not. Clearly our path, our choice at each fork begins sealing our eternal destination. What stands amazing to me, is the grace of God exists even at the end of a life having chosen ALL the wrong forks for ALL the wrong reasons, He willing to redeem the darkest of lives at the final hour with the equal compassion as He has for the woman whose faithful, but sinful life allowed her to deliver the King of King and Lord of Lords into our world. Mary's willingness to accept God's fork on her path also sealed her own delivery from the throes of sin, allowing heavenly entry as she mothered the God of the universe.
While I 'may' get to revel in the glory of accomplishment at the top (tomorrow the top of the "Stairway to Heaven") , each achievement speaks not of my volition, rather the volition and accomplishment of God's allowance to enter into such. For such is not for my personal glory, rather His. There is no risk when it resides in the presence and leading of our Lord. For it is He who presses movement through depths of tragedy to pinnacles of achievement. These steps all allowed and protected by the God of the universe.
If we would examine our lives not competitively but rather as personal calling and leading, comparison would fall by the wayside, those achieving greater simply rising to a different calling than those appearing lesser or unable to do so. The key to satisfied living is not striving for maximum extremes of depths or the pinnacles in a life, but that each life understands and appreciates their own. Daily we have opportunity, choosing our fork yielding greatest gains for the glory of God. Should we get it right, He will lead us to see the most incredible views of life and living ALL gift of His hand for His glory. And, should we get it all wrong, He offers redemption of those wrongs through and to the very final moments of life and living. I rejoice in privilege, seeing His grace today with abundant thanksgiving. How is it I get to stand and see that He is God? By choosing to pick the fork that feeds my soul. You can too. Will you?
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