Today looked like getting to know a high school friend again and loving her husband.
Leslie had it on her bucket list to zipline. We have a great zipline course right here on the Island at Kristoferson Farm.
We rocked it. LOL
By that, I mean we laughed and followed directions and screamed lines from movies and stepped off the platform. But not a single skill on our part came into play. The guides - Andrew and Devon - did absolutely everything. We simply obeyed.
More on that in a minute.
Then we played tour guide. We drove them to La Conner to Calico Cupboard for lunch. We shopped a little and walked by the water. We took them to Washington Park at Anacortes and stopped at our favorite outlooks. I watched my friend get lost in wonder to the degree that she looked like she belonged among the wildflowers.
I watched her husband sit on a bench content to watch her wander.
We took them to the top tree where our kids have climbed a tree for year after year of pics overlooking a spot where the water is a color of blue green I've never seen anywhere else. It doesn't really show in this pic. I'm not sure a camera could ever capture it, really.
Leslie and I talked in thankfulness and awe about a group of girls who in high school were least likely to connect themselves to Jesus. But now, they're in love with Him as He has met them in their brokenness and welcomed them into His embrace.
We talked about staying hungry and letting go.
And we talked about the zipline and how powerfully the experience underlined our faith walk.
Yes, there's the obvious leap of faith, but I was struck by a few other things. As we got on the vintage army vehicle, our guides introduced themselves and said, "We're here to take care of you. We'll keep you safe at all times. You get to relax - or not - (chuckles all around) and we'll do the work.
They explained that the lines were certified to hold literally tons more than even the heaviest of us weighed. They adjusted our helmets and our harnesses. They communicated by radio to each other and repeated our name each time we zipped. We went together, but we went as individuals. We constantly changed up the order and who went first. Some of us went ahead, not to be first but so that we could film our friends and cheer them on.
This is so much like life in the kingdom with the body of Christ. We each had our own helmet and harness, but we all journeyed the same path.
Some of us were more scared beforehand but once we stepped out, we were laughing and confident. Others were the opposite. We became friends on the way. Cheering each other on, honoring the expertise of our leaders who had done this all before and challenged each of us to be a little braver.
But there were two things that really struck me. At our highest tree with the longest line to a stand we couldn't see, the guide said this was his favorite zip. The trees were known by name. And we were free to scream a line from a movie or anything we chose. We could "steer" with our hand on the carabiner or free spin or just get there. We were so busy thinking of what we would scream that we didn't focus on how scary it was or how tall the tree was that swayed a little.
When it was my turn, I screamed "Let's carpe some diem!" Leslie screamed, "I love Jim Hicks!" Rich and Jim road silently with calm smiles. But we all got to the very same platform and were safely transitioned for our next zip while we waited to see how the next friend would do it.
I can see that double line pulley so clearly. Just like our walk with Jesus, our course is set and we are tether to him more securely than our harness. He prepares our next zip for us and says, "Whenever you're ready."
From that point, how we ride is up to us. We can hang on the the safety line and never fully put our weight into the harness for fear it won't hold us. But the reality is, the connection that holds our weight is above us. The fun comes when we learn that we can sit deep and let go. I was an almost full trust rider. But no matter how I chose to trust, I arrived at exactly the same welcoming arms. Once I let go, fear was more of a choice than a fact.
So between being given something that would make the journey easier (like screaming) and putting my full weight into that harness, I would gladly do it again.
Like steps of obedience when you do that thing that is counter intuitive but you know who designed your safety, your course and the direction you are going - you let go and it's so much better than sitting in the car afraid.
Let's carpe some diem!
love,
Lydia
©2023 Lydia D Crouch
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