Creation Care Mom

To the east of Salt Lake City and Ogden is the Wasatch Front, a section of mountains, that are part of the Rockies. These mountains were once the eastern shoreline of Lake Bonneville, an ancient lake that was much larger than the Great Salt Lake. Honoring that shoreline, many of the hillsides contain sections of the “Bonneville Shoreline Trail” . It spans over 100 miles, with hopes to one day stretch 280 miles. Although not completely connected, the stretches in Ogden are pretty popular with multiple trailheads for access.

These days I drop my son at daycare about 8:15am and don’t have to be to work until 9am. In the interim, I drive to one of the two closest trailheads and get out on the trail. Both trailheads require quite the uphill climb before reaching the Shoreline trail which warms my body on cooler mornings, and then, I meander along for 10-15 mins before turning around to head to the car. It is a beautiful break from parenting. A time where I can touch the me from before the “mom” title. I have found this to be such a meditative time. Sometimes interrupted by a bicyclist or jogger, but often alone. I unload life up to God and he pours into me for the day ahead.

Years ago when I first worked in Yellowstone, I found myself growing ever closer to God as I hiked many trails that summer. Somehow it was easier to share my life with him when my body was busy doing something else. But also, I found it hard to ignore his presence as I experienced the awe of nature all around. That experience was one of the reasons that I wanted to return to living somewhere with more outdoor recreation opportunities.

So I find myself most mornings in the shadow of the mountains, once again being reminded of how small I really am and yet in awe of a God who cares about the smallest detail of my life.

Right now, I am pondering with him, what I do next. As much as I enjoy my time in the school library, I know I won’t be happy there forever. Eventually, the financial cost of only working part-time will push me to find something else. And I know in my gut I am capable of more than my position asks of me. So I have big decisions to make, and he and I are sorting through that 20-30 mins at a time, morning after morning. I don’t know where it will lead, back to school, changing career paths, or both.

The hardest part is sitting with his timing. A patience slowly cultivated.

The flowers on the hillside struggle to survive. Drinking the scarce water of rainfall and weathering scorching summer heat. And yet they endure, day after day.

And he reminds me. So will I.