The Peak

Friday, July 13th

I have come to a discovery today. I think that it is partly due to the physical and emotional energy it takes to travel from one place to the next here with 2 preschoolers. You decide for the day where you want to go and you get really excited about all the fun you will have and all that you will see and do. But then theres the journey to get there. Now that's not always so much fun. It's hard, it's exhausting, and sometimes stressful. Now why is this, I ask myself. Mainly it's because all my enjoyment has gone into the destination and not in the journey. If only we could get to Ocean Park, then we would have so much fun! If only we can get through the plane ride and get to Hong Kong, then we will be o.k. So what have I discovered? I have discovered that if I don't choose joy in the journey, if I don't see the journey or the place that I am in this moment as the destination for now, I will miss it! I will miss what God is doing in me today. I will miss the enjoyment of my children in the Taxi. And most likely if I miss it, I will get to my so called destination exhausted, and disappointed from unmet expectations.

So that takes me to the next journey for the Dean family. The Peak. The Peak as at the top of a mountain and overlooks Hong Kong. We rode a trolley up the side of the mountain and saw the most breath taking views. We ate at McDonalds (smile) because all of the other restaurants were for all the couples who were looking for romantic dining overlooking all the lights of Hong Kong. If I can admit to you, I was a bit jealous, but thankfully I had already given up that right along time ago! Overlooking the city, I stood in awe of the greatness of God and his heart for all the people that lived in this city. "May your name be great in this city Lord. May you be magnified and glorified in this place."

So the trek home was no different than any other that we have had. Long and exhausting. But this one was different. On this journey home we had detours and surprises. It was unplanned. It was fun. After seeing the spectacular views, we decided to walk around the little area and see some of the billion dollar houses that found there residence on "the Peak". I had read that their were a few trails that you could take. We were walking on a little path with all of the intentions of going back and taking the tram back down the mountain. I had seen a couple walking on one path, so we decided to follow along. It's 8:30 at night mind you and we don't have the stroller with us. So we walk and walk and walk. About that time a French couple backpacking passed by us. We asked them how far down it was to the underground transportaion. They told us that it wasn't to far, you just go to the escalator and ride down. By this time we realized that we were already committed due to the steep path that we had been walking down. It would be much easier to keep walking down than to start walking up. Caleb was to tired to walk. So we wal and walk and walk. I had been carring Caleb and could no longer because my knees felt like they could colapse at any moment. So Matt took over and we continue down. Let me remind you that we are in the tropical climate so due to the humidity we were all now dripping with sweat. Josh says "Mommy, this adventure is to long!" We finally made it down thinking how bazzar it must have looke dto the French backpackers to come across 2 suberban looking Americans walking down the Peak at 9:00 at night with their 2 preschoolers. So the big questin of the night is "Where's the escalator?" It's just funny to me. Here we are in a big city looking for an escalator. Granted it is one of the longest escalators anywhere, it's just funny to me. After walking through windy little roads- Matt is now carring both boys in his arms we met a guy and asked him where the escalator was. This is sad but true.....the escalator the one we had been walking towards for the last hour, on a trail that only backpackers take, in the darkness of the night, it only goes up from the hours 7-10. Meaning it will not take us to the MTR. It will only take us back up to the Peak. Our you kidding me? Thankfully, we were waling in a cozy part of the city, thankfully you can't have guns in Hong Kong, and thankfully this is a safe part of the city. So my dear heart says....."Why don't we just take the escalator back to the tp of the Peak and ride the tram back down, that's what i wanted to do anyway."
Did I just fall off of another planet? Did you not just carry both boys down a mountain and you now want to go back up? So we start back up. We were have ing a good time, laughing at the crazyness of it all. Josh was being such a trooper and Caleb had fallen asleep along time ago. So why not? It's only 10:30 at this point and we only have about and hour journey to get back home, sure, let's go back up! The funniest part about this was, were on the escalator riding up through the city- there are little stops along the way to get off so you can go where you need to go. Anyway were headed back up and at one of the stops inside a little grocery store, was the French couple. She looked at me (I think they were buying water) with a puzzled look on her face, I just waved and smiled and continued to ride the escalator back up with the fam to where we had just come from. Bless the Lord Oh my soul someone told us wrong and the escalator did not go all the way to the top. We got off the escalator obviously because it just stopped .... there was no more escalator and we were not at the Peak. Ok, so we will now get a cab to the underground transportation station. So we are on the subway switching back and forth- still not even close to home. Finally at 11:45 I put my foot down. Josh and I (I was holding him by now) are getting a cab.....are you coming with us? (smile) Thankfully he did and thankfully when we got home this time are keys worked!!! Thank you Jesus!!!