Adventure ~ By Paula Moldenhauer

Our old green van moaned its 183,000 miles as it climbed the mountain road.  The family bumped along, eyes feasting on the tall verdant pines and the cascade of purple and yellow blossoms that lined the mountain pass.

"Hey, dad, let's try that road," said Seth, our fourteen year old, pointing to a side path.

Jerry hesitated, but eyed the road eagerly.  "What do you think?"

"It's a day for adventure," I said.

Jerry turned toward the unknown. We met some jeeps and a four-wheel drive Subaru.  The drivers said the road ahead would be impassable.  We rounded each curve expecting to have to turn back, but hoping we wouldn't.

Eventually, we came to a fork.  There was a wide circle where the less equipped turned back.  One rough, rocky road led vertically down the mountainside.  The other began with a huge water-filled dip, but looked passable.

We eyed it hungrily. Ahead lay adventure.  We eyed it warily.  Who wanted to be stranded on a remote mountain road?  We opted to send out a scout party and the six of us piled out of the van. As we hiked the road, Sam, our youngest spread his arms and shouted, "I love nature. I AM nature!"  Stephen dreamed of Indians and mountain men, while Seth took flying leaps to conquer long puddles and Sarah snapped pictures of the fauna.  I reveled in the sunshine on my face and my husband breathed in the fresh pine-scented air.

Finally, it was decided we could navigate the road.  My husband retrieved the van, and we all loaded up, eager to see if our unknown road would connect with the mapped pass we needed to cross.  The old van leaned and crawled over rocks, ridges, and muddy puddles.  Who said we couldn't handle it?  Oh the mountain vistas?  The unknown beauty waiting around every corner! We were not only conquering, we living!

The the road narrowed.  A wide space with circular tire tracks told a tale of vehicles turning around.  We stopped and surveyed the road ahead.  Just over a rise, a huge tree had fallen across the road.  We bemoaned our ax, back at home.  We wished for a chainsaw to clear the path.  But we had to concede.  Our adventure had come to an end.

As we re-traced our tracks, I pondered life.  How many times had I braved adventurous choices, only to be blocked and frustrated?  As I thought about our day, I wasn't sorry my family had taken the unmapped road. We'd gloried in the beauty, the unknown, the sheer challenge and joyful abandon of answering the call to adventure.

Maybe life is like that, too.  Sometimes our choices don't render desired results, but perhaps that doesn't matter so much.  Maybe what matters is whether or not we've lived, opening wide our hearts to the grand adventure of a life lived in faith.

With a wistful smile, I whispered my favorite Bible verse.  The Lord promised to lead me down the best pathway for my life, to guide and watch over me.  Never had He promised the path would be free of fallen trees.  Just that it would be the best.

~ A mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God's grace and intimacy with Jesus.  Her website offers book reviews, home schooling hints, and a free weekly devotional, Soul Scents. Subscribe to Soul scents at www.soulscents.us. Visit her blog at www.gracereign.blogspot.com

You can contact Paula at Paula@soulscents.us.