Saturday, March 9, 2013

Find Your Feet

Have you ever noticed how much sports are about finding your feet?  You fly through the air off the high bar, only to stick the landing on the mat.  You breathe, stroke, flip your way into the wall, hoping your feet pound against the wall so you can carry your momentum through the turn.  You pound your feet on the pavement, the sidewalk, the jogging trail, using each downward motion to create the next forward one.  You leap into the air, stretching for the frisbee or football or baseball or what-not, but you always come down.  And the way you come down matters.  Flat-footed, sure-footed, wobbly-footed...it will all affect your next move.

Today, I mastered the flip-turn.  I've been swimming consistently for eight years, but I've never been able to "land" one.  I've been way. too. scared.

Photo credit: Ryan McVay, Photodisc, Getty Images; taken from Livestrong.com
Not today.  Today I heard the Holy Spirit say, "today's the day."  So, I tried.  And, it worked!  I wish you all could have been there with me; I smiled like a little kid.  I was so excited.

And then the analogy came with three little words: find your feet.

Here are some silly, yet painfully authentic, ways I "find my feet" throughout the day:

*****
Me: "Do I seriously look like that?" (I say to myself as I pass my reflection in the mirror.)  "Yuck."

Holy Spirit: "Would you want your daughter to treat herself that way?"

Me: "You're right."  Find your feet.

*****
Holy Spirit: "Can you see how you are dizzy?"

Me: "But I've only been in the pool six minutes."

Holy Spirit: "Yes, but you're back in the pool after five weeks of being unable to swim.  And, it's your second day back this week.  And, you just mastered the kick-turn!"

Me: "You're right," as I acknowledge my limits and climb out of the pool.  Find your feet.

*****
It's not really about the current move, or choice, is it?  I mean, that choice absolutely matters, but it matters because of how it sets us up.

So, will we choose to stick to, push against, run through, land on Truth, setting us up for Life?  I hope so.  Because, I've gotta tell you, it felt so good to kick off that wall today.  The solidity of that wall, like the unbendableness of Truth, gave me power, momentum, strength to move forward well.  I want that.  Don't you?


1 comment:

  1. I love the analogies Jenny! I'm going to file this away for future use! Thanks!

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