I prepared for this ice storm and I have to say that they got this forecast spot on! freezing rain and ice this morning but warmed up and cleared up by noon – we saw it coming – we know to stay in – and my prayers for those forced to venture out… I would say to appreciate this “mini-lockdown” – and see what God is having you learn in it…
I can say this because an ice lockdown for me 10 years ago was SO SO SO IMPORTANT in my faith journey – the first 6 weeks of awakening – and the writings that I hid (but knew later were the most instrumental in processing and writing down my journey for others) – remind me of God’s faithfulness.
So – 10 years ago the ice storm here was awful and dangerous and not predicted as far as we knew. and we were stuck at the girl scout event – a great one I must say – we were overnight rockclimbing and sleeping on the mats in the gym… cool… (sleeping after the dance party that is) My daughter was a teen then and these were the oldest girls in the troop – now, 4 troops later my troop leader has girls just a bit younger than this age – scouting is the amazing blessing my family has enjoyed for years…
This was 4 weeks into my awakening 6 weeks. My troop leader was and is amazing and gave me support and comfort when neither she (nor I) knew WHY the events of the evening set me so philosophical thinking… God knew – and God gave me space and ice to get me thinking – and what a blessing to have written out my journey. These writings are the raw originals with edits only for grammar and typos.
Here are the 2 writings from 10 years ago and such blessings to remember…
TRUST GOD in life today and every day and especially in the ice…
Amen
Writing #31 (make sure to read #32 after this one)
Rock Climbing and Life Lessons, 17Jan2015
Tonight I failed, twice. Everyone is fine, but rock climbing fails can be fatal. We are fine and having fun rock climbing with the girl scouts. But I failed my “belaying test”… was I over confident? Or just a beginner’s mistake? I got my hand caught in the mechanism and I was stuck and in pain… I was testing so the trainer had the rope too he had my back and the person wouldn’t have fallen (this time) but still I was in pain and I twice lifted my hand off… he failed me right there… says it happens all the time, he will retest me in the morning… I was and am upset at myself, for over confidence, for not working thru the pain… for taking my eyes off the climber and my hands off the rope…now, I know this was a common mistake the first time doing it… but I hate to fail… and worse I interpret everything that happens these days as God trying to tell me something… and I relate this to my helping people… what if I extend my hand, my ear, my compassion, and then let go of the rope?… what if I take my eye off the climber… if I am going to stand for something and offer to help and be bold in what I do… how am I going to handle it if the person falls?… I try to watch out for people… I feel pride sometimes in helping people whereas I should feel prayer not pride… I should feel humble that God showed me someone hurting… chose me to help…
I ask myself, what if I can’t stay consistent… I will so try try try! There is no easy answer… my tears… I had to remove myself from the fun scout event in this overwhelming sorrow and stress. I was so blessed to have my troop leader, my silly sister, come up beside me… comfort me and tell me what I would tell anyone else… these things happen.,. and you can’t always prevent the crashes… you can’t always stop the pain…
Tomorrow I will take that test again… I am going to put myself out there again… and I am going to pray and keep my eye steady and my hands moving, listen and watch… it’s too important to me to not help people, it’s too important for me to not trust God…
My second fail tonight was my lack of trust and my motions on the rope may have caused my belayer to slip with her hand too… she will be ok, but more painful than mine… her hand was stuck… I didn’t trust when I saw too much slack in the rope… I didn’t trust and she got hurt… I found I was next to a fenced wall and scaled it as fast as I could… Sometimes God closes a door but opens a window… I scaled myself to safety.
So how can I trust God unfailingly? I am weak and only God can help me learn how to trust Him 100%. I have to trust… I have to get out of the way and just put 100% of my trust in Him,… otherwise it is going to cause someone pain and I will come crashing down.
Writing #32 (make sure to read #31 before this)
This is an important follow up to last night’s post… It is not lost on me that while hot tea would be appropriate to drink here on the cozy couch by the Christmas tree (I wrote this after I got home from the ice storm) that instead the extra drink from my kids’ happy meal is (yes) ICE tea… I am drinking ICE tea…
And God Sent ICE, 18Jan
After my fails at belaying and trusting during rock climbing, I couldn’t wait to get back this morning to try again. Luckily we stayed overnight; I had good therapy of silly moms until 1am, a good solid five hours sleep. We had 2 hours to climb in the morning. but I knew I had to leave an hour early to get to church class… and because of Girl Scout falling ill with fever, I was leaving even earlier – which meant only half an hour of climbing for my daughter… she was not happy at the least because rock climbing appears to be her life calling now…
But then God sent ICE. Icy freezing rain covering everything… Church at 8 o’clock cancelled 9 o’clock canceled… I zip through social media , phone calls, texts … will my 10 o’clock class be cancelled too?.. prayerfully hoping (not that we should have left anyway because the roads were the worst… shut downs, many car pileups)… ICE…terrible to say, but the JOY as I knew they would cancel, and they did… I could tell my daughter that she could climb the whole two hours… and climb she did, wow she is amazing!
After the flurry of texting etc about church canceled, I turned my attention to myself… it was time to retrain, refocus, retest … it was time to belay again, this time I was so determined, practiced and said I will belay my own daughter… I will never take my eye off of her… I would give my whole hand to keep her from falling… not worry about a possible pinch like I got last night. Well, she was too exhausted, I asked for a volunteer… guess what? The daughter of my friend who I left hanging last night when I pinched my hand… she is the one who volunteered… yes I would give my hand for this daughter too…
With steady, even-keeled serious Keith our trainer, by my side, we started the test… she climbed, I belayed, I gave her advice for foot holds… I had good technique Keith assured me… I didn’t take my eye off her… She was to randomly fall four times in my test…she did, I found the right position for my hands… I didn’t drop her or forget about her… I saw her safely back to the wall… and safely down when we were done. I passed. No, I didn’t make a fuss… quiet victory, humbled achievement.
Now that I am certified, and my daughter will be wanting to go to the climbing gym, I know there will be more pain and pinches ahead… but I have better technique, better focus… it is not just rock climbing I am talking about… it’s counseling, it’s reaching out to people, it’s LIFE. Focus on your technique, never lose sight of the climber, keep the faith, and pray for God’s guidance.
The ice gave me extra time to climb my personal mountain, made us slow down and not be overconfident on our drive home… And on my ride home, one of my teenage passengers was named Grace. I drove home with Grace, the free and unmerited favor from God.
Thank God for the Ice and the Grace.
Debbie Upper 