Date: 2004-10-05
From: Stratton

To: Horns Pond Lean-tos
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Right now it is freezing cold, I¢m huddled up in my bag and I¢m spent. Today was taxing mentally and physically. None-the-less, I¢m blessed beyond measure. I am sharing the shelter with a teacher and 4 students from an Alternative High School. We¢ve been chilling (literally) and I just Beatboxed for them. I just ate and now I¢m going to bed early. The theme of my day revolved around facing my ¢stresses¢ and giving them fully to God. I awoke by 8 a.m. and had a small breakfast. Then I went to handle ¢issues¢. I called the same 1-900 company that I dealt with at the end of March from Fontana Dam. They are trying to ¢double-charge¢ us for phantom porn calls that neither of us made. I was able to get them to put a 3 week ¢hold¢ on everything so I can deal with them when I get home. I also called 2 credit card people that I am simply running out of money to pay¢¦ugh. I have a lot to deal with when I go home. I knew I had to go to the library and a morning visit revealed that they did not open until 1 p.m. I still don¢t know how I¢m getting home, and I need to check e-mail. So much for leaving early. I packed up my stuff, bought a sub, chips, and coke at the store, and I went over to the Laundromat. There I said goodbye to Dapper Dan who hiked on, and I sat in shelter from the windy cold while I waited for the library. I ate my lunch and touched up my Mahoosuc Notch Journal until it was time. My library time was effective. I contacted people at home who I needed to reach. I also let my sister know about my 2-hour conversation to start the morning with the 1-900 guy. The librarian was cool, not a typical trail town library nazi, and she let me stay on as long as I needed. It was 3 p.m. when I had finally taken care of everything. From there, I waited 45 minutes to get a hitch and I hit the trail (finally) at 4 p.m. My 5 mile walk was surrounded by leaves and mostly up with no mountain vistas. I was stressing about money & my return to home, when God reminded me of 2 verses. Here is how I remember them: ¢(6) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (7) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus¢. Philippians 4:6,7. ¢Cast your cares on Christ for he cares for you.¢ 1st Peter 5:7. From that moment on I poured out everything to God. I¢ve learned so much out here about humility, discipline, his power and beauty, how sufficient he is to carry me, and more. I want to go home and live out what I have learned in the face of life¢s stresses. I want to be a godly man. Here are some of the things, big and small, I prayed about and gave to him:¢¢        Being a good steward as far as a job and eliminating debt. ¢¢        Beginning the process to be a youth pastor w/o ignoring my financial obligations.¢¢        Being involved in my church and my family in the way God wants me to be.¢¢        Being spiritually disciplined w/o 12 hours a day to walk alone. ¢¢        My short-term and long-term job situations and what to do: Should I teach? I do have a degree in it.¢¢        How to best officially finish my portfolio for my Master¢s?¢¢        Where should I live? How can I serve God daily?¢¢        Concerns about my family, especially my brother who just ran away to Colorado. I worry about how my mother is taking it (he¢s 18). ¢¢        Someday meeting a godly woman. I long to be married, but I want to be patient to wait for God¢s timing and will¢¦actually meeting the woman would be nice too, I¢ve been single for 3 years :-). ¢¢        Desire to be a witness to my friends without scaring them.¢¢        Continuing to make wise decisions about alcohol and smoking (moderation and no).¢¢        Being willing to give up ANYTHING to be set apart for God.¢¢        How to hang out w/o blowing money?¢¢        Current financial issues (credit cards, the 1-900 guy) and not repeating the same mistakes. ¢¢        Finishing my hike safely; small needs (etc.). Though the list is big I poured it all out to God. I know if he can carry me 2,000 miles he can carry me at home. He covers me too. I usually would ¢worry¢ about this list, instead I just prayed and continually gave it all away. I know I still need to be disciplined, but as I prayed I felt a burden lift from me. Somehow I know he has me in full including all of my stresses and plans. If I continue to seek him someday if I have a wife, family, and job I¢ll look back to what I learned out here. It¢s awesome to walk and feel God. I don¢t want to live for ¢things¢, just for Him. As I let go I prayed to him and sang worship. He touched my heart and it was as though I could feel him carrying me. When I did finally stop I had not even noticed the 5 miles I covered. I felt great and exhausted all at once. I had poured out so much. As I paused in the cold I realized my light was dead. Then one of the high scholars said ¢hello¢ and offered me an extra headlight. I gratefully accepted and offered to come say ¢Hi¢. There I met a teacher, Bill, with 4 students: 3 boys and a girl.   I know ¢Alternative High School¢ means these students probably face special issues. They all looked so happy though. It was so awesome to join their group, joke with them, and share stories. Bill was great too! Maybe I could teach for a while? :-)After a while, I realized I am pooped and it¢s REALLY COLD! (in the 20¢s). I gave in, pulled out my sleeping bag, and asked to join the group. They obliged and I just had dinner. They even gave me extra noodles. Tomorrow I will have to cover 22 to 27 miles to catch up, but I trust God will carry me. It seems that is all he has been doing lately. I feel so blessed and so touched out here. I even almost look forward facing stresses at home and seeing God help me there too. God Bless, BEATBOX   ttt