faithrunner

Erik, Rebecca and Jeff at the campsite about .25 mile beyond the trail head Monday, June 26, 2017 Erik and Rebecca Skogsberg and Jeff Byrd and I left the Missouri Gulch Trail Head headed for Mt. Belford and Mt. Oxford . This would be Erik and Rebecca's 2nd 14er, Jeff's first, and my 7th.  Sunday afternoon several hikers came down from the peaks saying they could only do Mt. Belford and couldn't make Mt. Oxford. They all described the trail with one phrase, "It's really steep." Of course, being optimistic and overly confident, we collectively thought they were weak and that we would easily knock out both peaks per the plan. We would eat our words for lunch on Monday. Approaching Mt. Belford via Missouri Creek Trail The weather was ideal, and the first leg is in the forest along the creek. The issue is that the steep part begins immediately as you cross the creek at the trail head! The 8-mile, 4500 ft. elevation gain, Class 2 Moderate trail create...

A blessing is ... ...an unearned, unexpected gift from either someone you know or a stranger that causes you joy or happiness. Most of us think of it as the prayer before a meal or some words a priest says over us. The blessing we received was neither of those. Kim and our family played in an unearned, unexpected gift given by Legacy Church last week. As part of their gift for our 25 years of shared ministry , they blessed us with two full days at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX . No. Not just Kim and me, but our entire family! The event turned out to be more than time away from ministry and a Sunday off from preaching. It truly was a blessing ; a gift that gave us great joy that will linger for years to come. The first day of our waterpark adventure began on Kim's and my 37th wedding anniversary date, June 28 (1975) . We have celebrated our wedding anniversary many ways, but spending it at an indoor waterpark with thousands of our closest friends was a ...