valued celebration

Late last year I wrote a blog post called “The Point”, and in that post I was coming to the realization that I needed a goal. Ever since then, I have been reaching towards a goal of healthier eating and physical activity. I’ve been the tortoise in this scenario, rather than the rabbit, but I am still moving forward towards that goal.

At the same time, I’ve been participating in a course that my friend Michelle Howe (howeawesome.com) is running that goes along with her book titled “It is Finished”. In this course, she challenges us to begin training for a race of some sort that has a “finish line” for us to cross. She asked us to assign a “word” to our race early on in the course and to keep it in mind as we train and prepare to cross that finish line.

It took me awhile to realize what my “word” was going to be, but the Lord kept showing me over and over that my finish line word was “Valued”. I am valued. I am worth A LOT to Him! As I train, and walk towards my goals of healthy living, He is cheering me on because I am finally beginning to recognize my own value! Taking the time to eat healthy and exercise not because I’m disgusted with myself but because I’m WORTH the effort is a major mind shift and it’s exciting for Him to see me here.  I am leaving behind my insecurity, and the nagging belief system that whispered in my head “you’re not good enough” for most of my life. And when I cross my “finish line” I will be able to CELEBRATE!!!

Celebration is also a “new” thing for me too. Understanding that I am valued gives me permission to celebrate my accomplishments!

In the past, I have felt good about things, but my external ability to actually celebrate them was always subdued and held back. I think part of that is because I was never giving myself permission to believe that I was worthy of celebration.  

One memory stands out to me as a good example of this. When I was 14 or so, I was living at a place called Dunklin Memorial Camp out in the middle of nowhere in Okeechobee, FL. My parents were in training to work with addicts there. While it wasn’t always the best place for a 14 year old girl to live, I actually loved it. For the first time in my life I could actually be around HORSES! I LOVED horses! Dunklin had horses and I would walk to the barn every day and just hang out with the horses. I would whistle and they would run to see me. I would take care of them, lay in the fields with them, and I learned to ride them too. The leader of Dunklin, Mickey Evans, recognized that I loved horses and went out of his way to get me my own horse! I was beyond excited and inside I was jumping and squealing in delight.  But when I got my horse… I stayed calm, and cool, and barely said thank-you.

This was one of those times when someone in my life valued me and gave me a gift that I couldn’t celebrate because I didn’t recognize my own value. I didn’t feel worthy of the gift, and therefore I couldn’t celebrate the gift when I received it.

I think I even approached Jesus that way over the years as well.

I received His gift. But for years I didn’t recognize my own value and didn’t feel worthy of the gift… and therefore I couldn’t celebrate the gift when I received it.

The same is true of things I accomplished over the years. When others would be proud of me, I would smile and be polite, but I didn’t celebrate.  Not recognizing my own value had prevented me from a lifetime of joyful celebrations!

You know what? I’m ready to celebrate!

I am ready to celebrate gifts that are given to me, and I’m ready to celebrate accomplishments I make. I am starting to realize that my accomplishments ARE gifts! They are gifts to myself!! My accomplishments are gifts to myself because I am WORTH IT!

So, who wants to celebrate with me?!

I am planning a big “Finish Line Hike” for Mother’s Day weekend. My friend Michelle and my friend Jessica have both agreed to join me on this momentous occasion to walk with me and share in the journey. This hike will traverse across almost 14 miles of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Tanawha Trail. We will climb 3487 feet and descend 2736 feet within those 14 miles. We will go through tranquil pastures, tunnel through thickets of laurel and rhododendron, dip down into remote hardwood coves, ascend across boulder fields, and hop across cascading streams.

My “Finish Line” will be at the top of Beacon Heights right before sunset where we will celebrate our journey with friends and family.

(This hike will take us at least 10 hours!!  Technically, we are doing the trail “backwards” by going from the lowest point to the high point, but I wanted my finish line to have the big view rather than end at the low point. Since most people hike it going “down” in 7 hours, I’m thinking it will take a little longer to hike it “up”.)

If you can come to hike a section with me…. Or even just cheer me on along the way at a few points where the trail comes close to the Blue Ridge Parkway…. Or to celebrate with me at the finish line I’d love it!

I will have an actual “schedule” posted on my Facebook as we get closer, but it will be on Saturday May 10^th.
UPDATE: Here is a Tentative Schedule. We might need to start really early depending on the weather report! 

Finish Line Hike Tentative Schedule “A”

8am: Tanawha Trail Entrance @ Price Lake (park near Amphitheater)

11:40-12:00 Lunch – Boone Fork Parking Area mm 300- walk up about 600 feet to the Boone Fork River to meet us for lunch!

2:30 *Rough Ridge Parking Area on our way up to Rough Ridge (mm 302.8)

4:30-4:45 Linn Cove Visitor Center MM 304.4 (potty break!)

6:30 @ Beacon Heights FINISH LINE (mm 305.2) (Take trail from parking area… always fork “right”. Wait for us on the flat rocks! This section of the trail is only about .35 miles)

* means we will be on the trail near there. If you want to meet us or cheer us on, you may need to hike from the parking area to the Tanawha Trail connection. (less than 300 feet)

Optional Timing:

Finish Line Hike Tentative Schedule “B”

6:30 am: Tanawha Trail Entrance @ Price Lake (park near Amphitheater)

10:15-10:30 Boone Fork Parking Area mm 300- walk up about 600 feet to the Boone Fork River to meet us for a snack break!

1:00 *Rough Ridge Parking Area on our way up to Rough Ridge (mm 302.8) (Johnny will bring us lunch to bring to the top)

3:15-3:30 Linn Cove Visitor Center MM 304.4 (potty break!)

5:00 @ Beacon Heights FINISH LINE (mm 305.2) (Take trail from parking area… always fork “right”. Wait for us on the flat rocks! This section of the trail is only about .35 miles)

See you on the Tanawha!