Barefoot on the Rocks

It might be cheesy to reference one's own prior blog posts in a current blog post, but I'm going to do it anyway.  Two days ago, I detailed the journey that I took to Jay Cooke State Park in my blog post titled "Adventure Comes to Those Who Seek."

I was so taken with this state park's beauty only feet from the parking lot that I spent more time there than I had originally planned when I made the decision to stop there.

Because I had left my hiking shoes at home, I was in flip-flops for this adventure.This caused no issue for me on the trails or crossing the bridge; however, I could get much better views from the rocks lining the St Louis River than from the trails.  The rocks themselves did not shatter my hopes of beautiful views or photos, but the flip flops on my feet did seem to possibly endanger me as I maneuvered the terrain.

There was nothing for me to do except shed the hindrances and leave them behind on the trail.  I was safer barefoot on the rocks, and without the extra concerns I could focus on what I saw, heard, and smelled rather than on worrying about losing my footing because of poor footwear. Flip flops off, camera (ok - it's my phone, but it can take pictures!) in hand, and views to be seen, I made my way along the rocky edge, scooted to the edge at times, and even crawled on my belly to edge - all in search of the perfect views and photos.  I was not disappointed.  Thanks to the pastor and his ability to read the screen about how to access photos on my phone, they are posted below.

[slideshow]

I like my flip flops; Kerry convinced me to buy them earlier this summer when we walked the streets of Lansing, Iowa.  Of all places to find awesome flip flops, we bought them at a hardware store!  They are comfortable and cute, and they were reasonably priced.  I should have bought a second pair, and, when we go to Village Creek Bible Camp later this month (twice), I still might.  Did I mention that they are from Reef?  And did I mention that they were only twenty bucks?  Seriously - great deal.  I love them.

As much as I love my flip flops, they were in my way on the rocks.  In order to get the great photos in the slideshow above, I had to be willing to shed my flip flops.  This is often true of other items, ideas, elements, fears, relationships - you name it - in my life.  They can even be things that I love or that are good for me, but in order to move on to something better I need to shed them.  The shedding in this instance was not prolonged or forever; I put them back on as soon as I finished doing what I wanted to do.  However, there are times that the items I shed need to out of my life forever.

The other little side note of "learning" that I took from this is that my pursuit of something great came with a little pain.  Shedding my flip flops meant that my feet were no longer spared the rocks, sand, and items left behind by others seeking similar views.  While I tend to shy away from painful endeavors (exercise in general!), lately I have been willing to put up with some pain when the promise of something awesome awaited on the other side of not being able to breath as I struggled up a cliff or of painful jabbing into my feet as I winced my way across the rocks.

Who knew that taking off my flip flops could teach me so much?