We took the gondola to get up the mountain. It was our third or fourth time on riding it. The boys loved it and chanted for it to move faster. On this ride, we came to a sudden stop. When I say sudden, I mean there was no slowing down. Someone hit the brakes and hit them hard. Our weight was not distributed evenly so the moment we stopped, our gondola decided to become a swinging porthole of death. We swung so far from side-to-side I thought we were going to hit the pole. And if swinging wasn't awesome enough, we bounced up and down: the kind of bouncing that makes your stomach drop. Three of the Fish five were perfectly fine and loving every minute. Two of us? Not so much. We both believed the end was near.
A minute or so passed (even though it seemed like forever) and we began moving again. Our gondola straightened itself out and we never fell down the side of the mountain. We survived. I was able to calm one of the fishies who was scared (I may or may not have been the other one) opening his eyes to see that we survived and reminding him that we need moments like those to push back our fears. I wasn't really talking to him, though. I was talking to myself.
I like comfort. I like knowing what is coming next. Tell me the risks and the benefits. Give me all the things that can go wrong. Otherwise, I will make stuff up in my crazy mind. I like driving without having to follow directions on autopilot. I find comfort in knowing who my friends are and not having to make new ones getting through all those trust issues. I find comfort and having everything in place in my house and memorizing the aisles of my local grocery store so I can make my list accordingly. Give me all the comfort. I am your gal.
'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”' Joshua 1:9
I am a creature of habit and I like feeling like I have control. My house is clean most of the time because that's where I feed my control dragon. Somehow a tidy house helps me feel like everything is in control and my spirit can exhale. Unfortunately, or fortunately, for me, I married a change agent. My husband thrives in change. He can live anywhere and do anything and be energized not paralyzed. This was one area we really had to work through in the first few years of our marriage. I liked the comfort of my four walls and he longed for change. He knows change isn't scary but rather, necessary.
I have slowly grown accustomed to change. I still don't like it, but I will push through. One of the biggest changes of my life was our move to Texas. I fought hard to stay in my home state. All I ever knew was there and leaving that seemed frightening to me. Yet, ten years in and I can honestly say, it was one of the absolute best decisions of our lives. We have experienced so much goodness in our move. This doesn't mean the decision to leave all I ever knew was easy, but it was worth it.
One of the best things about moving to the middle of the country, is that you have easier access to other areas. We have had the opportunity to explore and see other parts of the country we may not have seen had we stayed on the west coast. Moving out of my comfort propelled a spirit of adventure in me that I may not have discovered had I stayed in the easy and the known. Our family now has a list of all the places we want to see and discover. Seeing the wonder in our boys' eyes as we explored the mountains this summer motivates me even more to get outside my box. There is nothing more motivating than the wonder and awe in your children's eyes.
I could let fear paralyze me. I could choose to live in those feelings like I felt when I was certain our gondola was going to swing us to our death. But I won't because I know we will get to the docking station just fine. Adventure awaits me and I don't want to miss it!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
Love & Blessings,
Meg
A minute or so passed (even though it seemed like forever) and we began moving again. Our gondola straightened itself out and we never fell down the side of the mountain. We survived. I was able to calm one of the fishies who was scared (I may or may not have been the other one) opening his eyes to see that we survived and reminding him that we need moments like those to push back our fears. I wasn't really talking to him, though. I was talking to myself.
I like comfort. I like knowing what is coming next. Tell me the risks and the benefits. Give me all the things that can go wrong. Otherwise, I will make stuff up in my crazy mind. I like driving without having to follow directions on autopilot. I find comfort in knowing who my friends are and not having to make new ones getting through all those trust issues. I find comfort and having everything in place in my house and memorizing the aisles of my local grocery store so I can make my list accordingly. Give me all the comfort. I am your gal.
'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”' Joshua 1:9
I am a creature of habit and I like feeling like I have control. My house is clean most of the time because that's where I feed my control dragon. Somehow a tidy house helps me feel like everything is in control and my spirit can exhale. Unfortunately, or fortunately, for me, I married a change agent. My husband thrives in change. He can live anywhere and do anything and be energized not paralyzed. This was one area we really had to work through in the first few years of our marriage. I liked the comfort of my four walls and he longed for change. He knows change isn't scary but rather, necessary.
I have slowly grown accustomed to change. I still don't like it, but I will push through. One of the biggest changes of my life was our move to Texas. I fought hard to stay in my home state. All I ever knew was there and leaving that seemed frightening to me. Yet, ten years in and I can honestly say, it was one of the absolute best decisions of our lives. We have experienced so much goodness in our move. This doesn't mean the decision to leave all I ever knew was easy, but it was worth it.
One of the best things about moving to the middle of the country, is that you have easier access to other areas. We have had the opportunity to explore and see other parts of the country we may not have seen had we stayed on the west coast. Moving out of my comfort propelled a spirit of adventure in me that I may not have discovered had I stayed in the easy and the known. Our family now has a list of all the places we want to see and discover. Seeing the wonder in our boys' eyes as we explored the mountains this summer motivates me even more to get outside my box. There is nothing more motivating than the wonder and awe in your children's eyes.
I could let fear paralyze me. I could choose to live in those feelings like I felt when I was certain our gondola was going to swing us to our death. But I won't because I know we will get to the docking station just fine. Adventure awaits me and I don't want to miss it!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
Love & Blessings,
Meg
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