Healthy Living

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I see so many people give up at the first sight of trouble. Its as if they really thought that anything proving true results in this life would be easy. Then I look back at my younger years and realize that I was the same way. I remember becoming so flustered with the smallest inconveniences. The dog would eat my shoe and it'd be as though I just found out that I was being shipped off to some foreign land to be left to fend for myself in a desolate desert with the inevitable fate of being eaten by some unfamiliar animal. I'm serious, I would get that bent out of shape over something that now seems so absolutely obsolete. Then one day it came to me. It was so clear. I realized that life is like white water rafting. Although I've never been white water rafting it is something that I would love to do and in fact am putting on my to-do list as soon as I finish writing this blog. The way I see it is that at times its relaxing and soothing to float down the smooth water. In the movies you see these people floating down the water enjoying the scenery as you hear the birds chirping everything seems so serene, then you hear IT! Suddenly, everyone perks up! They hear the rapids. Its really loud. At this point, they're being warned..."if you keep going in this direction there's trouble ahead". Now in the Christian's life, we know that even though we may be in God's will for our lives, there's still going to be trouble ahead, and the Holy Spirit will let us know when its arriving. Now, back on the water, the rafters are perked up and ready for the rapids. They never seem traumatized by the thought that there is trouble ahead. They, in fact, seem invigorated! Ready to take it on! They then brace themselves. Okay, at this point one can't really see what's going on in their thoughts but we can imagine. I would entertain the idea that they are strategizing. They are remembering past times they've white water rafted as their brains scan over all the information and their eyes scan over the landscape in order to determine their best path and to predict which direction the water will toss them the hardest. At this point, its business. They hunker down and wait for the rapids to approach and when they do, they move, quickly. There's no conversation just communication. They communicate back and forth, shouting directions and strategies, only what's important to their survival as a team. Okay, stop right there for a second. Let's come back just for a moment and reflect on how we as the fellowship of Christians sometimes drop the ball on each other. Communication is important, gossip is not. That's all I'm going to say about that. Back to the water. Inevitably, there always seems to be boulders when white water rafting. I guess that's what makes it so rough and bouncy. Let's say our rafters are trapped behind a really large boulder. I see this happen on tv a lot. You can see the water rushing under the raft and they are being banged up against the side of the boulder and those of us that are watching comfortably at home are thinking..."Just push around it". Apparently, its not that easy because it usually takes quite awhile and a lot of communication to eventually get around this thing. Okay, sorry to keep interrupting but this is my story and we're coming back to dry land for a just moment. Think about this. How many times have you, yourself or someone you know been going through something in their lives in which they have clearly hit a barrier, and instead of coming up with strategies to go around it, they yell at it, cry about it, try to go over it and last but not least try to move it out of their way?!! Now, I'm not informed enough to discern whether or not most white water rafters are incredible geniuses or anything, although I tend to think they may be, but I can tell you from experience, they seem to "get" this concept better than most of us do. They appear to understand that the boulder doesn't care one bit if they yell at it. That boulder isn't real emotional so its not going to care if they cry. And I'm pretty sure they realize that the boulder is entirely too big to go over, especially from their position and most boulders are too heavy to pick up. So they strategize yet again and build up a little sweat in order to maneuver their way around it. When they get around it, and out of the rapids, they celebrate. This analogy is one that I refer to regularly. At times of frustration and difficulties I remember how life is like white water rafting and I get pumped up!!! I ask God to move me where He wants me. I get my game face on and hit it head on. There's nothing like a good day of white water rafting. I hope I get to try it sometime!!!!

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