Great Expectations
I don’t recall now how it all worked out, whether we rearranged the trip for it or if the original dates just lined up, but our visit to Lassen Volcanic National Park was going to happen during the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. Whether or not we moved the dates around to coincide with the shower and new moon, we were definitely aware of the event early in the planning stages. Though we missed Lassen’s annual Dark Sky Festival by a week, we were excited to see the meteors streaking across a moonless sky.
As we arrived in Lassen, the Carr Fire was devastating Shasta County. We had just come from Crater Lake, where the Taylor Creek Fire had caused so much smoke to settle on the lake that we couldn’t make out its signature blue for much of our visit. The skies at Lassen didn’t seem quite as hazy as they did at Crater Lake, but we began to temper expectations for our evening entertainment.
A Cloudless Night
When the time came, the skies were clear and cloudless, and we were hopeful that the climax of our visit would happen after all. We went to bed early so we could get a little sleep before waking up to enjoy the night sky display. When the alarm went off at 11:30, Mikayla decided to keep sleeping, but the rest of us pulled ourselves out of our warm sleeping bags and laid out on the picnic table to see what we could see. Once our eyes adjusted to the dark, we had a glorious view of innumerable stars, and the three of us who went out all saw at least one shooting star.
But it was cold, and we had to get up early the next morning to begin the long drive home. So after less than thirty minutes, we were back in our sleeping bags, the stars shooting above us, outside the tent.
Unexpected Moments
When I think back on our trip to Lassen Volcanic, the Perseid meteor shower under a new moon is not the most prominent memory I have. I do remember it being a big part of planning the visit, but as for the trip itself, it’s definitely not the part that sticks out the most. What I remember is Briella climbing the biggest rock she could find and jumping into Daddy’s arms. I remember Mikayla overcoming her nervousness about kayaking and having a great time. I remember Jeremy spotting a deer, which led to our unintentional stop at Hat Creek and a beautiful near-sunset view we wouldn’t have otherwise seen. I remember the most gorgeous sunrise greeting us as we drove out of the park.
I’m not at all saying that I didn’t enjoy or appreciate the wonders of the meteor shower under a new moon. I’m glad we woke up for it, and it was memorable. It just didn’t turn out to be the big climax to the trip that I expected. Looking back, I’m glad our expectations were tempered when we got there because I believe it allowed us to more fully enjoy the rest of the experiences we had in the park. We still got to see the meteor shower, but we also didn’t just gloss over the rest of the activities in anticipation for it; we were fully present and engaged in the experiences we were given.
Called to Follow
When the disciples first answered Jesus’s call to follow him, they had no idea what they were in for. They gave up a lot – their families and livelihoods – to follow him (Mark 1:16-20, 2:14), so he must have been compelling. They may have had visions of grandeur, of being at the forefront of something new, of learning from a respected rabbi. And that was all true.
But that wasn’t all. The gospels tell stories of healings, casting out of demons, and miracles that the disciples were present for and a part of. They were the ones to whom Jesus explained his parables (Mark 4:34). They were given authority to cast out evil spirits and heal the sick without Jesus being physically present with them (Mark 6:7-13). They grew to understand who he truly was (Matthew 16:13-17), and what their role in the Kingdom of God was (Matthew 16:18-19, Luke 22:24-30). They were witness to the resurrection of Jesus (John 20:19-29), and the Christian church was built on the foundation they laid (Ephesians 2:20).
The disciples had their expectations about what following Jesus would look like, and they experienced some of what they expected. But the real story was in what they didn’t expect, those moments that showed them they were part of something bigger than earthly grandeur. May our eyes be opened to look beyond our expectations and fully experience each moment as it comes, so that we might catch a glimpse of the bigger picture in the story of our lives.
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