Mount Olympus and the Meaning of Grace

I gave a talk today in church on the home and shared this experience that Bryan and I had while hiking this summer.
    

     Bryan and I hiked Mt. Olympus a couple of weeks ago.  We read some about it, not a lot, not enough.  We got took our one bottle of water each and started on the trail early that morning hoping to avoid the heat.  Well, it was a strenuous hike, much harder then we were expecting and longer than the book had said, and remember back a couple of weeks ago-there was no way to avoid the heat.  We made it to the top and took our pictures but I had an appointment in the early afternoon and the trail was longer than they had said in the book. We tried to save our water but we needed it in the high temperatures and sunshine and on our way down it was soon gone.  Our muscles ached and we were so hot but we didn’t have time to really stop because of my appointment.  We just kept going. A little over ½ the way down in a little shady bower a couple was sitting.  They asked us if we had enough water.  We lightly said, "Oh, we’ll be fine" and started  up again when the man stopped us.  He must have noticed our beet-red faces and looks of exhaustion. “I’ve got a surprise for you”.  He handed us two still partially frozen bottles of water and juice.

     The couple wasn’t that young and they didn’t look like super-athletes but they had carried up bags of bottles to stash on the trail and give to people to help them on their way. It couldn’t have been easy for them because we thought the trail was hard without hauling heavy bags. They said that they were so bad off their first time that they always bring up water to help others now.  We were so grateful.  We really were in a little bit of trouble and might not have made it without their help. When we left I called back “thank you, this is like heaven” but I don’t think they knew how literal I was being and what I also thought was "you just showed me the meaning of grace". I miscalculated and made a stupid decision but I was trying my hardest and they just gave me that enabling power (of rehydration) to help me finish. There was no judgment there, no harsh recriminations on our poor preparation, or humor at our expense – just relief, understanding and help.

          I hope that my home can be like that cool, shady bower: a place of grace, a place that my children can stop at and know that we can help them back on their way.  They might have done something a little stupid without realizing the consequences, they might just need a rest but they will know they have a place of refuge, they know they will be loved and they know we will try to help them in the best way we know how.  I also hope that our example and our home will help remind them of their heavenly home and their Heavenly Father and their Brother and his atonement.

           As Pres. Monson said “A home is much more than a house built of lumber, brick, or stone. A home is made of love, sacrifice, and respect. We are responsible for the homes we build. We must build wisely, for eternity is not a short voyage. There will be calm and wind, sunlight and shadows, joy and sorrow. But if we really try, our home can be a bit of heaven here on earth. The thoughts we think, the deeds we do, the lives we live not only influence the success of our earthly journey, they also mark the way to our eternal goals.”