Lessons in skiing

I went skiing last night with some friends. This is one of my favorite pastimes. My family is a water family — we grew up going to the lake every weekend and have lived on a lake for the last 20 years, and despite what my friends believe, haha, my dad did have me out there with him on his skies when I was two. BUT, I haven’t skied in probably three years. I know, it’s really sad. So I of course jumped at the chance to get out there and slalom, but it didn’t quite go as easy as I’d hoped. It pains me to say this, but it took me four times to get up the first time. If you know my family, you know that is not acceptable. Nor is it to me.

 

So of course I thought of every excuse I had in my head of why this happened — it’s been three years, the water was choppy and it’s a different boat, ski, on and on. I finally did get up and then tired out really quickly. But the second time I skied, it was even worse! Can you believe it?! So I finally get up and the water is so smooth, I can cut easily and all the love of skiing came back. Then as we were leaving, I was still disappointed that it took me so many times…I am my own worst critic. But I started to think about all the things in my life over the last three years, and I thought honestly, wow, you know, my body has been through a lot. First of all, I am feeling a lot older now, I’ve been through two surgeries and a heart condition, and that started to make me feel a little better. Wow, I can still actually ski even though I'm older and I feel like I have a somewhat broken down body, ha.

 

But something else this brought to mind was thankfulness. I am so thankful that I can still get out and do these things. I know my last few posts I’ve said the same thing, but it’s a great place to be and something God continues to remind me.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 23-24

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

 

God is so faithful to us. I know there are times in life when it doesn’t feel that way, but He is! He is ever true, ever faithful and ever constant. Cling to that truth and that hope. No matter what you are going through.

 

Something else that caught my attention was in Job 40:7, God says to Job, “Now gird up your loins like a man.” I know I’m taking this out of context of what it’s saying. God was basically telling Job to be ready to reply to what God was about to say, but when I read it, I thought, wow, there are times in life (like trying to ski after three years) where I don’t need to make excuses, I just need to get up and do it. I need to be ready and prepared to walk through tough times in life. And the only way to do that is through God.

 

Jesus gives us such a good example of this. In Luke 7:42, Jesus knew what was about to happen, that Judas would betray him and he would be arrested, tortured and put on the cross. He goes into the garden to pray and says, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Jesus knew the plan God had for Him, to die on a cross for our sins, but He was willing to follow the plan God had for him. I pray our lives consist of that prayer, “not my will but yours be done.”

 

We may plan our lives out but it may end up looking different than what we expect. Even through it, we should continue to trust God and His plan.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

 

Isaiah 55:8

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

It was a gorgeous night on the Res
 

 

I even got to drive the boat!