20 January 2012

SKYDIVING. aka: plummeting to Earth


I was planning on going to Eloy to film and photograph Josh, Amy, Bekah, and Willis skydive.  I had no idea I would end up jumping out of that plane as well!  Peer Pressure is the only way I can figure I suddenly went from being a bystander to participant that day.  I found myself in a small room watching a video of everything that could go wrong and signed a stack of waivers so large I actually felt bad for the tree. 

The shuttled us over to put on our harnesses and the next things I knew, a man named Dean was introducing himself to me to go over proper jump procedure. 

“Are you afraid?”  Dean asked politely, though I’m sure he could tell I was whiter than I ever have been in my life before!  “Don’t worry…me too,”  He said trying to ease the mood.

The steps between the golf cart and small propeller plane seemed enormous.  I stepped up the ladder and as we made our way inside, Dean strapped us together in preparation for the jump at 13,000 feet.

“So when we get ready to go, I will count to 3, and then we jump.” Dean explained.   ‘What in the world am I doing?!?  I paid to do this.  I’m not backing out.  What if I die?  I didn’t even tell my parents what I am doing today.  Lord, is this is my time, whatever.  Ok.  I’m going to jump.  Ah!’

The door slid open and whatever confidence I had mustered up flew out, it was probably somewhere over Phoenix by now.  We walked up to the door.  Oh my, ohmyohmyohmyohmy.

“Are you ready?”  Dean asked, but didn’t really give time for a reply.  “Ok, one…two…”  With a push we were tumbling out of the plane!  What happened to three?!?  Ok Dean, trust gone…but wait, this is kind of cool!  This is amazing!  I can see for miles and the heart-lodged-in-your-throat-making-you-want-to-throw-up feeling was nowhere to be found!  I waved to the cameraman and gave a ‘hi mom’ shout-out. 

Contrary to the movies, you can’t talk, so Dean signaled by waving his hand it was time to launch the chute out.  I prepared for the jerk…but nothing happened.  I looked up to see out chute in a clump above us.  We had slowed down some, but the ground was rapidly approaching! 

“Oh fudge.” Dean said.  What?!?  Ok God, is this really how you are going to take me?!?  That’s it.  I’m dead.  Alicia dies in skydiving incident.  Trust really gone now Dean..really! 

“Ok, don’t panic,”  yeah right.  I need to unhook you to pull the reserve chute on my chest.  Hold on here and here.  He moved my hands to the straps attached to the first chute.  Before I could protest or ask what was going on, my harness was loose.  My hands were clinging to the strap and all I could think was I was going to separate from him and die.  Whoosh.  The reserve chute came out and Dean quickly tightened my harness to his again.

“Well, that was interesting!”  Dean said.  What, interesting?!?  Terrifying!  “Wanna do some tricks now?”  I didn’t want to do some tricks.  I wanted ground and I wanted it 5 minutes ago! 

When things don’t go your way, who do you look to?

Do you really believe God can rescue you from whatever situation you are in?  

documenting reasons

Top Books read of 2011:

Lessons from San Quentin

The Great Divorce - C.S. Lewis

A Tale of Three Kings - Gene Edwards

Luke's Story - Lahaye/Jenkins

Redeeming Love

Leota's Garden

Cre Through the Eyes of the Cro

Erasing Hell

Witness

Maniac Magee

Just Do Something

10 January 2012

Face Plant


Have you ever viewed yourself as truly washed pure as snow?  Snow is an interesting thing to me.  When the sun is shining brightly onto snow it is blinding to look at!  This was one of the thoughts passing through my mind as we drove up to Sunrise, a place to ski in Arizona.


I've never been skiing before last Monday, and I've also never had the most interesting shapes of bruises on my body!

I almost hit a tree, I got stuck in a tree, I had more problems standing up combined then I have since I was 18 months old, I flipped over more than once, and I face-planted.

I'm not sure if this is going to make sense to you, but  face-planting was one of the joyous events of the day.  It hurt a little (not too much Mom!), but I found myself unable to get up because I was laughing full of joy!  Sure I didn't make it as far as I wanted on that turn (still haven't mastered turning despite Troy's patience!), but I had to think of how funny I looked to other people!  I slid close to my friend Sarah and saw the panic on her face, but I just couldn't stop laughing!  As I was taking a second to regain my breath before continuing on, it made me think of the fact, as we are blinding others reflecting the Son with our faces white as snow, we are going to fall sometimes.  We are going to face-plant!  But the Lord loves us so and lays out a path for our feet.  Granted there are times we get stuck in trees or feel like we can't stand up long enough to go down the path, he provides His Spirit, friends, and everything we may need to come alongside and aide us for the journey.

I'm so grateful God doesn't expect me to get everything right off the bat or understand whether the path turns right or left just up ahead out of my vision.  I'm grateful for some pretty sweet friends and family both close and afar journeying down the mountain with me even when I can't see them.  I'm grateful for the ways God reveals His Glory to me and allows me to reflect it to this world in the ways He has designed for me.

If my face is going to be planted in the snow, I'm glad to know that while it is planted, God will cause the growth to come!  Praise the Lord for no major injuries and a sweet time with friends!