Lessons from the Ski Hill

It has been two decades since I snapped on downhill skis and plunged down a slope, all the while praying to God for divine safety. I was in my twenties then and much more adept than now. Yesterday, our family returned from our first skiing adventure. Your Daddy and I thought it was time to introduce you two to another winter sport. We live in Canada, after all. And to thrive in our almost half-a-year winter, embracing some winter sports is essential. By God's grace, we came home with nothing worse than sore bodies.

Because of my 20 year skiing void, I enrolled myself in refresher lessons. I was the lone student in my instructor's class. My instructor was less than half my age. But he was kind, encouraging and hopeful in my skills. He progressed me from the bunny hill to the rope tow to the t-bar to the chair lift. In the end, he guided me down the green run, teaching me along the way and always cheering me on. He led me down the hill, pausing when things became difficult. I found it comforting to just watch him and follow his tracks. I was not deterred by the sharpness of the slope or the height of the decent. I kept my eyes on my instructor and completed the small steps to ski down the entire hill.

Then I had to do it on my own, with my family, with you two kids and your Daddy. Anytime I focused on  how dangerous the slope looked and how high I was from the bottom, I panicked inside. But anytime I followed your more experience Daddy to descend each challenging piece turn-by-turn, I increased my confidence.

All of this reminded me of my faith journey. There are times I look at the future and I panic inside. I wonder how I will walk through the death of a family member. Will I fall apart due to the agony of grief? I worry about our retirement funds, which are growing incredibly slow. Will we be destitute when we are older? I think about you two as you follow Christ today. Will you still believe when you leave our home?

Zoom back into the next few months of 2018. Will I have a teaching job next year? If not, what am I supposed to do?

Then I am reminded of the lessons from the ski hill. All I need to do is get through today, following the prompting of the Holy Spirit. And when I fall, I must get up, confess the sin and repent. When I am fearful, I must raise my eyes from the plunge and look up to the sky. I must listen to His whispers of encouragement and hope as I traverse each hill turn-by-turn, keeping my eyes on Jesus.

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