Holiday hiking at Big Soddy Creek Gulf

                                      

Yesterday we experienced some temperatures in the 50s (Fahrenheit), so I took advantage of that and spent some time in the woods. Since yesterday was the 4th day of Christmas, I guess you could say it was "holiday hiking". More appropriately, it was "holy hiking". Hiking is a holy thing for me, as it allows me time with the Creator.

I went to Big Soddy Creek Gulf, a "go-to" for me. Though I didn't take Cliff (our dog) with me this time, I had promised him I would take him for a walk, so I got home in time to take him for a short walk before sunset at the Greenway Farms.

Due to the recent cold weather, there was still plenty of ice in the creek and on the rocks. It was great to see the icicles and the frozen water in the creek. Even portions of the waterfall were frozen.

I crossed the creek and went left for a while, going to the coke oven on the right. Then I turned around and went back and kept going past the creek crossing up the hill. I haven't been up that way in ages-- since we hiked down it from another location. I knew from that hike and from a friend's recent post that there were waterfalls and swimming holes along the creek. I wanted to see some of those yesterday.

I hiked up and found a good spot that I could get to, where the trail went to the left on up the hill. It was a gorgeous spot and would be great in the spring and summer too. Evidently this has been a spot for many over the years because a carving on a tree was dated "1954" and the path wasn't hard to find.

I noticed a flat and circular rock and picked it up. Upon inspection, I saw a heart indention on it. :) That was cool. 

There were people out hiking, walking, running, and fishing, but it wasn't too crowded. There were people by themselves, in family groups, as couples, with their dogs, and with kids in strollers.

Well, it was crowded enough that I needed to park in the overflow parking when I arrived, but there was still plenty of parking there.

It was a pleasant time in the woods, in nature, in creation. Listening to the water, seeing the ice, seeing decorations on a tree (well there were 4 decorations in all). Sitting on rocks, looking up at the clear blue sky, and enjoying the fresh air. 

It is always good for my heart, mind, body, and soul to spend time in and among the trees, near water, walking or hiking. It is nature therapy, creation therapy for me. It is a spiritual practice for me. I didn't take my hammock this trip, but there are some great hammock places to hang out. That can be for another day.

If you are so inclined to enjoy the outdoors, I hope you will get out there somehow, someway and do it! If you're not able to for whatever reason, I offer my photos below to get outdoors via photography.

May your journey be adventurous, 

Rev. Deb

Here are my photos from yesterday's adventure at Big Soddy Creek Gulf:

Soul Exercises, from Embracing Soul Care by Stephen Smith

I put the book down for a while, as I do with books.  I have way too many books that I am in the process of reading.  I read for a little while, put it down, pick up another one, etc.  It depends on what I'm studying for sermons, what I need for my own soul, what I may be reading for book club and clergy group, etc.

I picked up Embracing Soul Care: Making Space for What Matters Most by Stephen Smith this week and began where I left off.

I am on Part 5 in the book, "Soul Exercises: Practicing the Spiritual Disciplines", Chapter 29 "The Need to Practice".

The chapter begins with a quote by Thomas Merton: "The spiritual life is first of all a life.  It is not merely something to be known and studied, it is to be lived."

The chapter talks about physical activity and how we spend time, energy, and money on it.  The question is then asked, "how do we take care of our souls?" (101)

It speaks of spiritual exercises, holy habits and that they "make room for God in our lives." (101)

Another term for spiritual exercises here in the chapter is "soul exercises".

"Soul exercises connect us to God.  Think of soul exercises like physical exercises.  Sit-ups improve the stomach muscles.  Push-ups improve our arm muscles.  Different exercises develop different parts of the body.  Likewise, soul exercises work on different parts of our spiritual life and our relationships." (101)

Getting out into creation is a soul exercise that opens up space for God for me.  I have been able to do that this week, going walking at Greenway Farms twice and once at Big Soddy Creek Gulf.  The latter held an additional gift in that with all the rain we've had lately, the creek and waterfall were flowing with water.  The rushing waters were an added gift to enjoy, as were wet weather waterfalls that trickled down gently over rocks or through the woods.

Big Soddy Creek Gulf

This Advent season (and into Christmas and through Epiphany) I am taking a contemplative photography class online for continuing education credits through beadisciple.com.  That has been a soul exercise to connect me to God, along with the Advent photo-a-day challenge that I did during Advent.  Contemplative photography is a spiritual exercise for me that makes room for God in my life.

Per Stephen Smith (as modeled by Christians for 2000 years), soul exercises can include:

• study
• worship
• prayer
• service
• fellowship
• confession
• celebration
• journaling
• solitude
• silence
• fasting
• secrecy
• sacrifice
• meditation   (see page 102 for this list)

He notes, "as we grow spiritually, we can vary exercises.  [,,,] the goal is to grow closer to God." (102)

My spiritual exercises vary, yet I have found that I need more and more silence and solitude as I grow and as I serve.  If I don't get my silence and solitude time, there isn't a space from which I can serve.  It shouldn't surprise me.  The Gospel of Mark is my go-to for reminding me that Jesus took time apart to be alone, to pray, to be with a few close friends.  

Just as I have needed to be diligent in doing my exercises for my hip to heal after my hip replacement surgery, so must I be diligent in doing exercises for my soul to grow.  Silence, solitude, contemplative photography, journaling, study, worship, confession, prayer, fellowship, service, meditation are some of the exercises that make room for God in my life.

What about you?  What are the spiritual exercises, the soul exercises that are meaningful to you?  

After my hip replacement surgery I had to rebuild some muscles that had no strength.   If that is true of us physically, could that be true spiritually?  (The answer is yes.)  If we don't use our muscles, whether physically or spiritually (or otherwise), we'll lose them, they will atrophy.  

What growth does your soul need?  What soul exercise(s) would benefit you most at this time in your life?

Here's to growth on the journey, 

Debra

Hiking the Falling Waters Falls trail

Yesterday we went up to the Falling Waters Falls State Natural Area on Signal Mountain in Walden.  I don't remember having parked in that area before, though I thought I have hiked to the top of the waterfall before.

The parking lot has spaces for about 4 cars, maybe 5, depending on size.  It would be nice to have a trash can there on site as there was quite a bit of trash around the parking area and the sign.  We got lucky yesterday.  We were the only ones when we got there and when we left.  We had the trail to ourselves.

The trail is an easy to moderate walk/hike, with the only treacherous portion(s) being when you get to the waterfall area and then continue up and around the bluff.  One needs to use common sense and not get to close to the edge.  It's a long way down.

I kept looking for the big hole in the rock that I remembered from my last time there, but I couldn't find it.  Maybe there is another waterfall/cliff spot on top of the mountain that I'm thinking of or I just couldn't see it yesterday.

What I could see yesterday was a bubbling creek to the left after we were in the woods for a little bit (no pictures of it).  Then we came out to where the water goes over the rock and down below.  There wasn't much flowing yesterday, so the waterfall was small.  After enjoying the view for a little bit, we headed up the trail along the bluff.  We followed it to the end.  It wasn't as traveled on this part.

There was a rock perfect for standing or sitting to enjoy the view.  You could see the Sequoyah stacks off to the distance on the left and the lake/river too.  Closer in you could see the "new" housing development next to highway 27.  We didn't realize how expansive it was and that they were still building.

I saw different kinds of mushrooms along the trail and took pictures of the ones that were easy to get to.  There were three mushrooms in the woods, lined up together (one in front of the other), shining in the light, but I couldn't quite get to them for a picture.

I enjoyed the tiny flowers along the way too.

There was enough trash along the trail to fill up about two grocery bags full.  I didn't carry any bags with me yesterday and regretted it.  There were some plastic bottles--water and power drinks; there were some aluminum cans--beer; there were cigarette packs-- one even thumb-tacked to a tree; there were glass bottles semi-buried in the leaves-- showing some evidence that the front portion might have been used as a dump at one time and deserves some extensive clean up time.  Though there wasn't too much trash, it was enough to consider a clean up hike to get it out and reminded me of the time I took our youth at First Dayton on a clean up hike on a trail in the Dayton area and shared a devotion "Living Waters" while we were on a rock next to the stream.  That was in the 90s.

The trail itself is short, but one can spend quite a bit of time up there because the scenery is gorgeous and it's a great place to simply "be".

I had left my hammock in the car, but there are plenty of trees for some hanging time too.

After we left the natural area, we went to Guthrie's for some fried chicken and took it to Signal Point for a picnic.  We weren't ready to go back indoors just yet.  It was too nice of a day to call it quits.  The overlook on the point allows for a great view of the river.

There are some rock formations to the left of the picnic pavilion and we enjoyed those for a few moments.

Though we looked at the hiking pavilion, we didn't do any more hiking.

If you're interesting in checking out some of these local areas, I'll include links at the bottom.

Getting outside and into the woods is an important part of my journey.  It gives life to my soul, expanding the breathing space, allowing me to listen to God, refreshing me, and strengthening my connection with the Creator.

Blessings on your journey,

Debra

Falling Waters Falls State Natural Area
Signal Point
Guthrie's Chicken
Cumberland Trail State Park (Signal Point trails are part of this trail)