Adventure and Accomplishment

Today I finally finished visiting all 50 capitals of the USA in Juneau, Alaska! To celebrate, I bought TWO bagels and a mango drink from the Silverbow Bakery in downtown Juneau and walked up to the capital building. The evening was perfect. It was quiet and there was no wind. The flags were resting as I sat under a mountain ash tree which was in bloom. It’s petals we’re falling on me & my snack – almost like confetti at a wedding. The flowers around the area were giving off all kinds of delightful scents. “Alaska State Capital.” I smiled a sense of accomplishment and gladness for finishing the crazy checklist. I ask myself, “WHY?” Why this desire? It really doesn’t make much difference eternally or even for this life. Maybe I’m trying to prove something. Am I making a statement? It’s such a waste of time and money – but for me something that I enjoyed! Maybe it’s the open highway or the space and time to think. It’s really not about the 50 state capitals but an odd excuse to travel. Sometimes the road was boring and dangerous, other times the road was stunning and live. Sometimes quiet and peaceful other times loud music with the windows rolled down and my left, sunburned arm, beating to the blaring music. Perhaps this journey has been about the soul’s desire for adventure and accomplishment. Adventure, in that joy, beauty, and laughter is something we all long for. To see beauty and sense wonder and bliss. We long for beauty and see things that defy explanation. We are drawn to mystery and the unknown – afraid of it – yet desire it. Why is it that tourism is so huge? We will pay big money to see glaciers & whales – volcanoes & lions. Creation is mysterious and we desire to gaze upon its beauty – perhaps there is something deeper – a longing to see something or Someone that is beauty in all its glory. Maybe we are created for this very thing – to gaze upon the beauty of Almighty God. So what about accomplishment? It seems that we are made to be on a great adventure. We search for roller-coasters and mountains to conquer; businesses to build and horses to tame. We are built for mission and purpose. We want to achieve and be known for something. Maybe part of this whole thing (50 capitals) is to have a sense of accomplishment. Now this is no lasting, impacting accomplishment – but it WAS over 17,000 miles of driving – no little accomplishment and not many people have done it. BUT, what is the driving force and reason? I think I want a sense that I’ve done something great, that I’ve been apart of finishing something (hopefully something more substantial than the 50 state capitals) – but something great and eternal. Perhaps it has something to do with a man dying on a cross to save the world. I want to be apart of the great rescue of saving people from destruction – THAT I believe is our deepest desire for accomplishment, mission and purpose – a great RESCUE – redeeming the world from chaos!