So, as Marc said in our previous blog, we found some great rock walls for the boys to climb while on vacation. It was fun to watch how they each approached this adventure. Caden, jumping up and down asking over and over and over: ”Can we sign up to climb the rock wall mom? Can we? Did you hear me mom? Mom? Can we climb the wall over there?” Then Eric, calmly coming over with all the details: “Mom, they have a rock wall here. We can climb it for free”…” Yes for free, but you have to sign the paper saying it’s okay. If you sign it, Ms. Marly will. Megan’s done it before, please, can we?” Then Riley, after I have said to ask their dad and dad said sure, he quietly approached, almost like he was afraid to hear the answer: “Mom, can I? Please, I know I can do it. Eric and Caden get to, can you sign me up to?”
Well, we signed them all up!
Eric got strapped in. You could see him studying the wall, asking questions. What’s the easy way up? Do you think I could do the medium? What’s the goal? That bell at the top, what’s it for? What are those red tape strips? Okay, I’m ready. I’ve got a plan! I can get the bell.” For Eric, it was about the facts, the task and the accomplishment.
Caden was so different. He wasn’t really paying close attention to the wall. Just strap me in. Let’s go. Oh, wait, how do I get down? What if I want to quit? Okay, let’s try it. This is like that so and so in the movie such and such were the guy is doing something and he is like climbing and then he falls and then he grabs hold and so and so comes to help and ………….” For Caden, it was about the journey. It was about the role play. It was about being someone else, the hero in his imaginary world The experience was what mattered not the end result. If he made it great, if not, oh well…
Riley was just so thrilled to be with the big kids. He is stoked. He can do anything Eric and Caden can do and he is just sure to be just as successful as his brothers. There is no question, he is doing this and proving to everyone, especially mom, that he isn’t the little kid anymore! Strap me into this thing and let’s go. I watched the other two. I already know how to do this. For Riley, it was all about proving he was capable. He had the ability. If he could do this, he wasn’t the baby anymore. He was just as strong as everyone else!
So, as they climbed I watched. I watched the kids. I watched the guy on the other end of the rope. You know that guy. The one holding my child’s life in his hands. The one who made me sign that lawsuit waver. The one who was responsible for stopping a fall.
Eric didn’t need him for more than a safety precaution. He was there for nothing more than to make sure if Eric somehow slipped he didn’t plummet. Eric was determined. He wasn’t going to slip. He didn’t need the “guy”. But for legal reasons, that guy had to be there. Eric made it. He rang the bell. He accomplished the goal. He was the man!
Caden relied fully on the “guy”. He climbed sort of nonchalantly, grabbing hold, pushing and pulling himself up, but always aware that the safety net was there. He couldn’t fall. There was nothing to worry about, but also no reason to hold on for dear life. His life wasn’t in danger. Caden made it about halfway. Then he looked down. Wow, that was a long way down. He had experienced a thrill. He had lived a few minutes of spiderman. He was the comic book hero for just a minute. What a fun thing to do. But halfway was good enough. He didn’t need to continue. His goal wasn’t the top, it was the experience. It was the thrill. It was the role-play. And, it was a long way down. “Okay, (guy) let me down.”
Riley was thankful for the guy. The guy was his protection. He had a job to do. Success meant he moved up in the world. Okay, but this was hard. Riley’s legs weren’t long enough. His arm span wasn’t wide enough. But the guy was tugging on that rope. When his hands slipped and he was only hanging on by fingertips, the rope tugged upward so he could reach the next hold. He finally made it. To the top. He rang the bell. He was all smiles! He couldn’t have done it without the “guy”, but that didn’t matter. Eric had “needed” the guy. Caden had “needed” the guy. Yes, he did it! He had arrived!
Well, we’ve been home a week. I was in the car listening to our current favorite song: Washed by the Water by Need to Breath. I’ve listened to it at least a hundred times. The volume is cranked and I’m singing along.
Even if the Earth crumbles under my feet
Even if the ones I love turn around and crucify me
I won’t never ever let you down
I won’t fall
I won’t fall
I won’t fall as long as you’re around me
As soon as I sang that last line, the boys on the wall came to mind. The “guy” was around the boys. He was their safety. They couldn’t fall. I felt like God was whispering “Remember, I’m your Guy?” Sometimes I forget that He is my Guy. I’m a high stress person…I can stress about anything: a messy house; a broken pool pump; rental properties that need to sell; credit card balances that are to high; getting groceries; something I said trying to be funny…that came out wrong; my weight; overdue library books; gas prices; weeds in the garden… and the list is endless. Let’s just say, I STRESS! But God is wondering if I remember that He is in control.
Like the “guy” did for Eric, God can hold me steady so I can climb and accomplish and find fulfillment without fear. What if I fail? He will catch me. He will take my failure and give it a purpose. I can’t fall if I let Him hold the rope.
Just as the “guy” held the rope for Caden, God can be my complete safety net. He protects me completely so I can live, love, laugh, experience EVERYTHING to it’s fullest joy (without the stress). Life can be a journey of excitement and a thrill ride of experiences. Will there be pain and sorrow? Sometimes. But, I can’t fall if I let Him hold the rope.
And finally, as the “guy” did with Riley, God will even pull me up to the top. When I don’t have the strength, the skill or the ability, He can accomplish what I cannot. Will success come without struggle? Probably not. It may even include sacrifice and a little of bit of “dangling in the wind” when my hands and feet slip. However, I can’t fall if I let Him hold the rope.
Is God your Guy?
Even when the rain falls
Even when the flood starts rising
Even when the storm comes
I am washed by the water
Even if the Earth crumbles under my feet
Even if the ones I love turn around and crucify me
I won’t never ever let you down
I won’t fall
I won’t fall
I won’t fall as long as you’re around me
- Washed by the Water – Need to Breathe
Well, we signed them all up!
Eric got strapped in. You could see him studying the wall, asking questions. What’s the easy way up? Do you think I could do the medium? What’s the goal? That bell at the top, what’s it for? What are those red tape strips? Okay, I’m ready. I’ve got a plan! I can get the bell.” For Eric, it was about the facts, the task and the accomplishment.
Caden was so different. He wasn’t really paying close attention to the wall. Just strap me in. Let’s go. Oh, wait, how do I get down? What if I want to quit? Okay, let’s try it. This is like that so and so in the movie such and such were the guy is doing something and he is like climbing and then he falls and then he grabs hold and so and so comes to help and ………….” For Caden, it was about the journey. It was about the role play. It was about being someone else, the hero in his imaginary world The experience was what mattered not the end result. If he made it great, if not, oh well…
Riley was just so thrilled to be with the big kids. He is stoked. He can do anything Eric and Caden can do and he is just sure to be just as successful as his brothers. There is no question, he is doing this and proving to everyone, especially mom, that he isn’t the little kid anymore! Strap me into this thing and let’s go. I watched the other two. I already know how to do this. For Riley, it was all about proving he was capable. He had the ability. If he could do this, he wasn’t the baby anymore. He was just as strong as everyone else!
So, as they climbed I watched. I watched the kids. I watched the guy on the other end of the rope. You know that guy. The one holding my child’s life in his hands. The one who made me sign that lawsuit waver. The one who was responsible for stopping a fall.
Eric didn’t need him for more than a safety precaution. He was there for nothing more than to make sure if Eric somehow slipped he didn’t plummet. Eric was determined. He wasn’t going to slip. He didn’t need the “guy”. But for legal reasons, that guy had to be there. Eric made it. He rang the bell. He accomplished the goal. He was the man!
Caden relied fully on the “guy”. He climbed sort of nonchalantly, grabbing hold, pushing and pulling himself up, but always aware that the safety net was there. He couldn’t fall. There was nothing to worry about, but also no reason to hold on for dear life. His life wasn’t in danger. Caden made it about halfway. Then he looked down. Wow, that was a long way down. He had experienced a thrill. He had lived a few minutes of spiderman. He was the comic book hero for just a minute. What a fun thing to do. But halfway was good enough. He didn’t need to continue. His goal wasn’t the top, it was the experience. It was the thrill. It was the role-play. And, it was a long way down. “Okay, (guy) let me down.”
Riley was thankful for the guy. The guy was his protection. He had a job to do. Success meant he moved up in the world. Okay, but this was hard. Riley’s legs weren’t long enough. His arm span wasn’t wide enough. But the guy was tugging on that rope. When his hands slipped and he was only hanging on by fingertips, the rope tugged upward so he could reach the next hold. He finally made it. To the top. He rang the bell. He was all smiles! He couldn’t have done it without the “guy”, but that didn’t matter. Eric had “needed” the guy. Caden had “needed” the guy. Yes, he did it! He had arrived!
Well, we’ve been home a week. I was in the car listening to our current favorite song: Washed by the Water by Need to Breath. I’ve listened to it at least a hundred times. The volume is cranked and I’m singing along.
Even if the Earth crumbles under my feet
Even if the ones I love turn around and crucify me
I won’t never ever let you down
I won’t fall
I won’t fall
I won’t fall as long as you’re around me
As soon as I sang that last line, the boys on the wall came to mind. The “guy” was around the boys. He was their safety. They couldn’t fall. I felt like God was whispering “Remember, I’m your Guy?” Sometimes I forget that He is my Guy. I’m a high stress person…I can stress about anything: a messy house; a broken pool pump; rental properties that need to sell; credit card balances that are to high; getting groceries; something I said trying to be funny…that came out wrong; my weight; overdue library books; gas prices; weeds in the garden… and the list is endless. Let’s just say, I STRESS! But God is wondering if I remember that He is in control.
Like the “guy” did for Eric, God can hold me steady so I can climb and accomplish and find fulfillment without fear. What if I fail? He will catch me. He will take my failure and give it a purpose. I can’t fall if I let Him hold the rope.
Just as the “guy” held the rope for Caden, God can be my complete safety net. He protects me completely so I can live, love, laugh, experience EVERYTHING to it’s fullest joy (without the stress). Life can be a journey of excitement and a thrill ride of experiences. Will there be pain and sorrow? Sometimes. But, I can’t fall if I let Him hold the rope.
And finally, as the “guy” did with Riley, God will even pull me up to the top. When I don’t have the strength, the skill or the ability, He can accomplish what I cannot. Will success come without struggle? Probably not. It may even include sacrifice and a little of bit of “dangling in the wind” when my hands and feet slip. However, I can’t fall if I let Him hold the rope.
Is God your Guy?
Even when the rain falls
Even when the flood starts rising
Even when the storm comes
I am washed by the water
Even if the Earth crumbles under my feet
Even if the ones I love turn around and crucify me
I won’t never ever let you down
I won’t fall
I won’t fall
I won’t fall as long as you’re around me
- Washed by the Water – Need to Breathe
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