A "Unexpected" Lump

So, this afternoon I grabbed my buddy, Sam and we had to run an errand up to Morgan, Utah about 30min from Kaysville. Nice enough drive through Weber Canyon. But, then I decided to come home a different way. We drove up and over East Canyon. I have never been on that road before and apparently, at this time of year, a road less traveled by anyone. But then, it was a Thurs afternoon. It was an amazing site to say the least! The entire time I kept saying to Sam, "I am so sad that I have lived in these parts for nearly my entire life and I have missed this! How could I have missed this?" Probably, I never missed seeing it, I have just missed appreciating it because now I am mature?There are mountains and valleys and trees and colors that have been lost from my mind for so long. Trees of every color that were the most vivid of any I've seen before. And the air. It was pristine! It was so clear it was like driving through glass. It felt like we were moving through a new found world with only a car, pick-up or a mountain biker to block our view for a split second every several miles or so. Around every bend in the road was another breath taking scene. I drove slower. Soon, we were to the East Canyon Reservoir. It was low but as blue as I have ever seen. Sam has been up there many times with friends but I never have. He pointed out different coves and favorite diving spots. I could picture him wake boarding and water skiing but only in my mind. There wasn't even a boat on the lake but only one lone fisherman way off to the other side on the whole shore. It was so smooth and quite. It was beautiful. And then, around the 90Th bend or so, it happened. I realized I had a lump in my throat. Why? I just wanted to cry. Not a feeling of tiny little tears but I just wanted to wail, as Layton would put it. I wasn't sad. I had so much joy and peace and the lump continued to grow. With every turn, with every burst of color around the next corner, I felt the lump grow. It was just amazing. I wished that by some huge miracle, I could move all of my family there and never have another stress or care. It felt like the Temple.

And then it was over.

As we came out the other end, we saw traffic climbing up the mountains heading towards Park City or flying towards Salt Lake. We joined the movement. We soon traded the canopy of color dripping trees for cement jungles and spaghetti bowls. I noticed rather starkly that my lump in my throat had dropped into my chest as my heart raced and my palms sweat on the steering wheel. Within a few short minutes we had left the sea of tranquility and returned back into the sea of humanity.

We sped our way back home where the tension of the political and financial nation blared on

F O X . But it was different somehow. Even though the news was worse than when I left this morning, I now was and am reminded that my Heavenly Father loves me. He is with us. He cares about us. Even though the world can be a scary place, He is there and every once in a while He reminds me of His love with an "unexpected lump!"