Episode #19: The Weekly Mercies of Pam Ellis

“Do you really need all of that?” Asa pointed to my backpack.

I shrugged. “I was reading something online, and it seemed wise to be prepared since we’re going to hike a little way away from any help.”

Asa shrugged and lifted his water bottle in the air. “This is all I need.”

I looked down at the map for Pedernales Falls State Park. I was a little be worried about doing this. I mean I wasn’t exactly the thin athletic type and in Texas, temperatures were nice, but on the rise.

“Thanks for along,” Meg said, shouldering her own backpack.

Ivy snapped a picture of the dramatic landscape. “What trail are we taking?”

I looked back down at the map. “Well, I was reading this blog that had some hiking trail recommendations…”

“You still read blogs?” Ivy asked.

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, anyway, here are my idea. We of course need to go see the falls at some point, but I thought we would first either go to Wolf Mountain or Cypress Mill Loop Wolf Mountain Trail is longer but has apparently some great views. The loop we would have to cross the creek and it’s a little more remote. It does also have some good views.”

Ben joined me at the map and looked it over. “Let’s go to Wolf Mountain.”

I nodded, and we quickly loaded up and drove to the trail head. When I put this item on the list, I had fantasized about meadows full of butterflies as I walked by myself. But with our parents on a weekend trip to a marriage seminar their counselor had recommended, I had decided a hike after church with my siblings would be just the thing.

We started down the trail, my sister and I in a line and our brothers a few paces ahead.

“What did you think of the sermon?” Meg asked.

I shrugged. “It was okay.”

Ivy huffed. “Can we all be honest and say this is a dumb series?”

I couldn’t help but laugh.  “Okay Ivy, you’re right, we should be honest. I don’t really like it when our church does a topical study.”

“Thank you,” Ivy said. “I thought everyone was legally obligated to pretend we were having a good time. Like the Revelation study.”

“I liked the study on Revelation,” Meg offered.

“How could you?”

Meg shrugged. “I just did.”

Ivy rolled her eyes. “I think I would rather have a topical study.”

Again, I laughed. “Oh, you two. The good news is that next month, we will be starting our study of 1 Peter. That will be good.”

“I can hardly wait,” Meg said, skipping a couple of steps.

I took a deep breath of the air, spicy with the scent of cedar as my feet tread the rocky path. I was glad for my baseball hat. There was little shade on this trail. I was also glad for the delightful spring breeze.

“Oh! I have some good news!” Meg said.

I smiled at her excitement. “What?”

“Well, Saturday evening, when I was helping to close, my manager said they are looking to hire a new assistant manager next month. Helen is leaving, and they want me to apply.”

I smiled.

Ivy hugged her. “That’s awesome!”

I looked toward the sky and pondered life as I caught snatches of my sisters talking about work and my brothers talking about getting tickets to a basketball game and their own jobs. I wanted to rejoin the conversation, but I also wanted to enjoy this moment and the feel of the warm sun, the cool breeze, and the sound of my siblings’ happy chatter around me.

 

The views from Wolf Mountain probably wouldn’t make into a calendar of spectacular views, but it was still beautiful. By the time we got back to our car, all of us were tired. We drove down to the falls area, planning what we would make for dinner when we got home.

I stood and enjoyed the beauty of the falls, rushing with the recent rain we had. I snapped some photos on my phone.

“You know what I need?”

Meg turned toward me. “What?”

I smiled. “One of those digital photo frames so I can have photos of us going all the time. I don’t think I’m going to be able to pick from all these photos which ones I want to print off.”

“A digital photo frame is a good solution,” Meg agreed.

“Selfie!” Asa shouted, and we all laughed as we gathered around.

We all crowded to be seen in the camera and laughed as he snapped a couple of shots. I wished I could just hold onto the moment like I could a photo and not let go.

 

I pulled out my mercies notebook and thought over the day. How did I put into words all that I was thinking and feeling? I dropped a few notes into my gratitude jar, which was the first I had done since I made it. So much for my intention to use it daily.

I didn’t know what to write in my mercies notebook. There seemed to be too much in my heart to fit into words. I smiled. It took me a couple of days, but I got a print of the selfie and one of the landscapes we could see on Wolf Mountain. I let those pictures represent the mercies of God for that moment and that week better than any words could have.