I Can Get Back Up

Yesterday my husband taught my 8-year-old daughter to float on her back while kicking her legs. She was SO proud of herself and shouted at me in glee to watch! She had never dared try this without floaties before.

Well, after a minute or two of showing me her new skill, a boat whizzed behind her, sending ripples of water towards the shore. Not realizing what was happening, her back to the coming waves, my daughter leaned back into floating position, just like she’d been doing, and to her utter surprise a wave washed over her head. She came up sputtering, immediately crying in terror and indignation.

Coming to me, she sobbed, “I want to go home!!” My husband and I comforted and reassured her that we were right there to keep her safe. After a minute, she put her floaties back on and headed back into the water. But once she got in again, she started crying again “thinking about what happened to me.” Aw, poor girl! I thought, that’s just too bad that RIGHT AFTER she was brave enough to float, the waves came! Not fair at all!

And isn’t that life?! Just when we gain confidence in something, gaining traction, feeling’ good, those dang unexpected waves sneak up behind us! Like, what the heck! And we wanna give up, throw on our floaties, back to our comfort zone! We say, see THIS is why I don’t try!

And yet, we have to try! We have to face our fears, or we will live in floaties our whole life- we will have limited experiences, perspectives, and blessings. Yes, bad things may happen- just because we decide to be brave doesn’t mean smooth sailing. We can look to the horizon and try to prepare for trouble, but those waves can come the second our backs are turned. But we can get through it, because we are not alone!

In 2 Kings, Elisha’s servant saw a host of horses and chariots ready to attack! He cried, “Alas, my master! How shall we do?”

And Elisha replied, “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”

And their eyes were opened to the surrounding angels! I LOVE this story!

Guess what, my daughter did end up taking her floaties off again! I asked what made her try again. She said, “Because I knew I could get back up.”

❤️❤️❤️