Yosemite and The Tioga Pass

Expect the Unexpected would be a good title for this blog post. I am coming to love the unexpected. Some days we wake up knowing our destination and what we expect to see, others we know will be travelling days, passing through, trying to get somewhere. This was one of those days. We were on the road, heading towards Lake Tahoe. The best way to get there was to go back through Yosemite and out the other side on the Tioga Pass. We had no idea the beauty we would encounter. First, the sky was much more clear than it had been the previous day we were in Yosemite, so we had to stop and take a few pictures.

Then, as we started on The Tioga Pass, we could tell we were in for a treat. Every twist and turn, and there were a lot of them, displayed another stunning view of a waterfall, rock formation, babbling creek, the stunning Tenaya Lake and Mono Lake. By far, Tenaya Lake was my favorite vista. We stopped to let the girls put their toes in it and ended up staying for a picnic lunch. Keegan even got a few sips of the freshwater. Deep blue water surrounded by mountains and the greenest trees. Pictures cannot capture the beauty of the places we are seeing and we just pray we can do an adequate job soaking it all in. 

The Tioga Pass is a difficult road to drive. It is a narrow 2 lane road through the mountains. We climbed to 9,000 feet in elevation and then had to come back down to 5,000 feet. This was not an easy feat for an RV. There were many downshifts and Joe had to be constantly on guard and paying attention. It was a hard road to navigate. But every couple of minutes, around the twists and turns, a gorgeous scene appeared and it made you remember the beauty surrounding the difficult. 

There have been a couple of days on this trip where I've expected nothing, or just not known what to expect. On those days, I have been completely blown away by the unexpected - Sedona and The Tioga Pass were 2 vistas that I had no expectations for, but became completely overwhelmed by the grandeur and wonder of them. I've been reading a devotional by Christine Caine called Unexpected. What if we could embrace life, not fearing the unexpected, but anticipating the unexpected, knowing that in those moments, on those days, God could really show up in a way we didn't see coming. It's something I'm striving for, to live in anticipation instead of fear. There is beauty in the unexpected because it gives God a chance to be in control and me a chance to sit back and enjoy the ride and the view, knowing He's there and He has a plan. It won't be always be an easy road, twists and turns, vigilance required, but the beauty is resting in His plan, His path, His sovereignty and letting Him surprise me with unexpected beauty amidst the rough road.  1 Peter 4:12-13 "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."