Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. [Luke 9:23 (NLT)]
It’s been five years since I’ve skied but I still remember that the three scariest words I ever heard when on the slopes were, “Follow me, Nonnie!” My grands loved to venture off the groomed runs into the bumps and through the woods. On my own, I never would have chosen to leave the main trail but, because I loved those little guys, I faithfully followed behind as they maneuvered between the trees and over the moguls.
Although my grands boogied joyfully off trail, I was far more hesitant. The children’s perspective was far different than mine. As they snaked through the trees, they saw the openings between them but my tendency was to focus on the pines blocking my path rather than the gaps between them. Seeing the moguls as fun friends rather than evil enemies, my grands stayed relaxed and loose and absorbed the bumps they encountered. On the other hand, seeing the moguls as adversaries, I stiffened in anticipation of trouble. Moreover, the little guys weren’t afraid of falling and, when they did, they just laughed, picked themselves up, and continued downhill. Although I rarely fell, my mind was filled with all the “what ifs” of falling: embarrassment, injury, or worse!
Life is a lot like skiing off trail into the heavy powder, bumps and trees. We can choose to see the difficulties in front of us rather than notice ways to get beyond them. If we keep our eyes focused on God, He’ll show us the way through, between or around the obstacles of life. Instead of stiffening up when we see the bumpy challenges ahead, we can choose to remain flexible and ready to absorb the impact when jolted around by life. When we trust God, He’ll give us the strength and ability to get through the moguls on life’s trail. We can be afraid of falling, humiliation or failure, or accept that missteps, disappointment, and loss are part of life. Resting secure in God’s love when we follow His ways, we won’t be afraid of crashing.
If I hadn’t followed my grands when they called, I would have missed some of the best times I’ve had with them. Enduring moguls, sore knees and occasional face plants in the snow were worth it. Our Heavenly Father has more in store for us than some thrills while skiing off trail. We certainly don’t want to miss all that He has to offer simply because we’re afraid of a few bumps and tumbles! Trust Him; He’s got a great plan. Just be sure to follow Jesus when he calls. Like skiing with the grands, it will be worth it when you do!
This pandemic may have may have postponed the Olympics but it hasn’t delayed the National Day of Prayer. Today’s observances, however, will look quite different from previous ones. There won’t be any prayer breakfasts or luncheons and large groups won’t assemble in parks, churches or on courthouse steps. Instead, churches will stream their services and religious leaders from across the county will participate in a national broadcast to be aired tonight from 8 to 10 PM ET (see their website or Facebook page for details). Because of the many “virtual” events planned, today’s observance actually could be this day’s largest prayer gathering.
I recently read about Derek Black, a young man who grew up immersed in white nationalism. The heir apparent to the WN movement, by the age of twenty, he’d already created a racist website for children and was co-hosting a national radio show advocating prejudice and hostility toward blacks, Jews, immigrants, and other minorities. During college, Black gradually recognized the ugliness of his beliefs but it wasn’t confrontation, heated debate, or ostracism that led to his transformation; it was the hand of friendship!
Many of us have friends and relatives whose memories are declining (and some of us may be those people). As my mother-in-law’s memory started failing, she rewrote history with what we called “wishful memories” and “selective forgetting.” Since her memories became rosier and happier as time passed, it really didn’t matter if nearly a century’s worth of memories were accurate or not; they were good ones. Happy to see her enjoying her version of the past, we ignored faulty memories that were of no consequence.
I know I’m not invulnerable but I never thought of myself as particularly vulnerable until now. Since I am well over 65, I am officially vulnerable to COVID-19, as is my husband; that knowledge, along with the terrible toll being taken by this pandemic, has put me on edge. Knowing that it is just a matter of time before someone I love is taken down by this virus has unnerved me. That my prayer list is lengthening by the day doesn’t make it any easier. Before this, I rarely had been apprehensive about my health or that of my family, uneasy about our finances, or concerned about the family business. I’ve endured my share of trials, sorrow, illness, and uncertainty but this combination of circumstances is the “perfect storm” that has shaken me to my core.
With each new day feeling like yesterday, we decided to watch the 1993 movie Groundhog Day. In it, the discontented TV weatherman Phil Connors, played by Bill Murray, is trapped in a time loop and keeps reliving February 2. At first, he takes advantage of never having to reap the consequences of his selfish actions but grows tired of his hedonistic life. When the predictability of the day causes boredom, depression, and cynicism to set in, he commits suicide several times—only to wake again and again on the same February 2. Eventually, Phil comes to grips with his situation and decides to make the most of it. Among other things, he learns to to play jazz piano, speak French, memorize the life story of everyone in town, sculpt ice, and master the art of flipping cards into an upturned hat. As he betters himself, he begins to better the lives of the people around him. The time loop eventually ends when the changed man finally gets the day right by caring more about others than himself.
