Years ago my husband and I and some other family members were hiking up Mt. Baldy at Garner State Park. If you went to Garner, you had to climb to the top of the mountain and survey the park, the river and the beautiful vistas. Coming back down we followed the well worn little trail. I was leading and headed off to the right. My dad and everyone else to a person suggested that I was on the wrong pathway but I assured them I knew exactly where I was. They followed along. Well, I could have gotten us back to the bottom of the mountain, if we'd taken a flying leap off of the ledge that my pathway had taken us to. Amid alot of groaning, we backtracked to the main path and headed down the way they all remember climbing. I didn't get to lead anymore!
What amazed me then and amazes me still is how I can be so confidently wrong about so many things. When I turned 55 it really hit me how much life I've lived and how little I still knew. I've learned that some people aren't the doofuses (doofi?) that I thought they were, I can take a drink on occasion and not go to hell (but the thought still crosses my mind, "Is this what you want to be doing when Jesus comes?"), and that maybe I don't have all the answers. I've backed up on lots of positions that I've held for years! Oh, that was almost painful to admit in writing.
Lucky for me, I have a God who loves me in spite of myself, friends who'll pray for me whether I think I need it or not, and family who have stuck by me no matter how many of my opinions I've exposed them too. Looking back...and ahead...I'm in good shape!
P.S. I never did find out what shattered my window...since it was the side window, it was suggested that someone had to have shot it out (pellet gun, Mafia hit, I don't know!) If that's true, I was indeed fortunate not to have been hurt!
What amazed me then and amazes me still is how I can be so confidently wrong about so many things. When I turned 55 it really hit me how much life I've lived and how little I still knew. I've learned that some people aren't the doofuses (doofi?) that I thought they were, I can take a drink on occasion and not go to hell (but the thought still crosses my mind, "Is this what you want to be doing when Jesus comes?"), and that maybe I don't have all the answers. I've backed up on lots of positions that I've held for years! Oh, that was almost painful to admit in writing.
Lucky for me, I have a God who loves me in spite of myself, friends who'll pray for me whether I think I need it or not, and family who have stuck by me no matter how many of my opinions I've exposed them too. Looking back...and ahead...I'm in good shape!
P.S. I never did find out what shattered my window...since it was the side window, it was suggested that someone had to have shot it out (pellet gun, Mafia hit, I don't know!) If that's true, I was indeed fortunate not to have been hurt!
2 comments:
I feel like that a lot lately, and at times through the years. About somehow everything worked out when you were sure it wouldn't if you didn't do or think a certain way. It's called growing up and we're always growing up. that's why we're here to begin with.
Then we find out why we felt that way to begin with and why it was good we did. That it did help make things work afterall, come to think of it.
i.e. drinking. The Baptist allowed drinking until the mid-nineteenth century or so. I believe even in communion. and Sara takes her occasional todie and life is good and seems innocent. And I'm certain Jesus probably did drink wine a bit. Wine, a glass or less per day, is very very nutritious, even helps mental astuteness.
But the Baptist kept seeing, as they had for centuries, i.e. even before there were Baptists, what alcohol does. To a person, to his family, to society. It's not so innocent. They not only outlawed finally, but made it a no no. A blind don't do it or you're going to hell sin.
The fact is, it does help you unwind, it is healthful, for mental such also, it brings people together socially in favorable ways. Except for all the destruction. So, we have to decide, is it worth it? To do it strictly the Baptist way, or to fudge a bit, knowing that in some way you are contributing, even naively, to society's ills, but then again, perhaps aiding society by being a good example of constraint, but not blind fanaticism.
Being human, we need some kinds of outlets, and fanaticism usually brings forth judgmenatalisms, even inquisition mentalities at the extreme. By doing something not only relaxing, but healthful, it is not setting a bad example necessarily, but we still had to make a decision.
Still, drunks don't understand that. Jihad terrorists don't either. But should we stop being religious, devoted, faithful, just because of fanatics that know only the rules, not the spirit?
Always decisions to make, outcomes to weigh.
We have a chance as long as we seek Christ, even, or especially in our failures. His answer is THE answer. He teaches more than rules. It's called truth, wisdom.
I heard a sermon once,(not in a Baptist church) about excesses. Somewhere(I used to know my bible better) in the bible it talks about excess, anything in excess is not good for a person! That covers a multitude of sins doesn't it...eating,talking,sex,drinking,
driving fast, working to much,relaxing,...well you can see where this could go on and on and on. So, preach on you two! I too am learning that life is not about the rules, it is about living!
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