Filling Up and Spilling Over

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day, Give thanks to God”    Isaiah 12: 3

On Memorial Day we drove north on Highway 61, going past long lines of cars heading south, most of them headed home to the Twin Cities. We felt so lucky to be able to take a few hours and head north for a hike, to the Upper Falls in Gooseberry State Park. The parking lot was full, but as is typical, once you head up the trail to the Fifth Falls, you meet relatively few folks. It was so delightful to walk in the woods near the river and hear the running water. The edge of the trail held so many wildflowers like bunch berry, forget me nots and trillium. The woods did their healing work on our hearts.

We paused at the Fifth Falls so Tim could take some photos.   I stood and watched.  As I waited I kept hearing the Cris Williamson song “Waterfall” playing in my head.  Part of the lyrics are:

When you open up your life to the living
All things come spilling in on you
And you’re flowing like a river
The Changer and the Changed
You’ve got to spill some over
Spill some over
Spill some over
Over all

Filling up and spilling over
It’s an endless waterfall
Filling up and spilling over
Over all

Walking the trail by the river reminded me again there is so much to be thankful for even in the midst of change. I try to keep a gratitude journal naming 5 things each day I am grateful for. The walk by the water made it easy for that particular day. My heart did fill up and spill over.

We returned to our car after our hike and made our way home on the back forest service roads to avoid the slow going of the cars traveling south Highway 61. We were quiet on the drive home. We remembered once again that it is such a gift just to be alive. May you too find joy as you drink in the waters of salvation. Joy that spills over and out into the world.