CHANGE OF PLANS

Here I am on a "Relaxation Trip" with The Hikers in MN.  If you believe for a minute these girls know how to relax, you are grossly mistaken.  We did have one day of extreme relaxation.  It rained all day AND was cold.  So cold we even built a fire.  There is a heat advisory in LA and we are all in long sleeves and jackets with a fire going.

Life can be a grand adventure, if you only realize most of life is an adventure.  We left this AM for a trip to the "Head Waters" of the Mississippi River.   We had a plan to hike while in the Itasca State Park.  It started raining just as we pulled up to the trail head and that ended that great idea.

As we head back toward home base, Susan has a great idea to stop and try to buy local blueberries.  The lady who was working at the counter of the little country store, was full of information and good news.  She told her where we could go to pick "Wild Blueberries".

You have to LOVE directions from ANY local.  It went something like this~

"Go down this paved road turn right at the corner onto the dirt road.  Go towards the Stop Sign, then veer out to the woods on another dirt road for a ways.  Don't worry about the signs that say No cars!~EVERYBODY does it."  

We headed down a one lane muddy road with warning signs about not driving on the road every few feet wondering where in the world the wild blueberry bushes were.  We are all semi-city girls and had no idea these bushes were only a few inches from the ground and the size of the blueberries would be equivalent to small pea gravel.

It only took four of us a little over an hour to pick approximately one pint total.  We laughed and giggled the entire trip as we traipsed through the woods.  From the moment we veered off slightly into the woods, to the search for the illusive tiny wild blueberries, to trying to turn the full size sedan around on the narrow dirt track, it was an adventure of the highest order.

The one point of information Susan FORGOT to share with us about the berry picking was the warning from the sweet old lady, "WATCH FOR BEARS!"  Now we have been roaming all over the woods and not paying ANY attention to the possibility of any wildlife.  Thankfully we were laughing so loud, it would have frightened any unsuspecting bear up the nearest tree.

NOW for the really good news the local lady shared, she was the "Pie Lady".  She had pies we could purchase with homemade pastry with the illusive tiny wild blueberries.  We all agreed we would probably charge about $80 per pie if we had to go out and pick enough of those wild berries to fill a pie crust.  Bless her heart, when Susan asked what she owed her, she said, "Was ten dollars a pie too much?"  Faint and fall out.  We have homemade pie and ice cream for dessert tonight.

What started out as a day to hike--ended up being a great adventure.  As the day went south, we were open to the day becoming a completely new adventure.  We didn't moan over the need to change plans, we made the most of the new adventure and all agreed it had turned into a great day!  God has a great plan for us, but we need to be flexible.  While we think we know the best path to take, he may have a completely different route planned.  Our ability to accept change and embrace the new path can lead to an even greater adventure.  This scripture captures the message perfectly~

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart,

 but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

Proverbs 19:21