Your
average Sunday in my house is just that: average. We begin the day with
pancakes and church. The afternoon consists of lunch and nap-a-thons. Lately we
have been plagued with NBA tournaments, which are tolerated because they
facilitate family time. All in all, Sundays are great, just not too eventful.
This
particular Sunday was no such day. Brostuff decided to take Parents and me to
Mackenzie Lake. Tour Guide Brostuff hiked us all around to check out the lake’s
current state. As kids, we spent hours and days and weeks of time splashing
around in our lake. Skiing, tubing, and star-gazing were major chunks of my
childhood and Mackenzie Lake was the playground. Unfortunately, West Texas has
been very thirsty the past few years. The drought has been devastating at
Mackenzie. The water level has plummeted. Today’s hike would have been a swim
just one year ago.
And
so we began, pancakes and church finished, we packed up water bottles and
headed out. Dad, in camo shorts and ridiculous hat, insisted on bringing a hoe
for snakes. The trouble was, he kept poking around in bushes and under rocks,
asking for trouble. Luckily, that is not what made the day interesting.
Fast-forward
to the last half of the trip. Mackenzie is set inside a canyon, so the walls
make up cliffs around the perimeter. In earlier days, a rounded section in the
wall made a sort of open cave with a trickling waterfall. We used to jump off
the rocks into the water below. Wanting to check out the almost empty cave, we
began a trek down the steep canyon wall to the water below. It was a bit
difficult to work our way down the unreliable rocks, but worth the trip. The
cave was cool and refreshing after the day’s heat. We even found a paddle we
lost years ago. After a while, it was time to head back up.
…….......................................................................
Well
you see…It just so happens…that Princess Mom is deathly afraid of heights. It
took convincing to get her down the slope in the first place. As we made our
way back up, it struck. Complete panic. Brostuff tried to explain where to
place her feet, but she seemed to be at a standstill. Close behind her, I watched
her half crawl up the slope. We were about 6 feet from the water at this point.
The higher we went, the higher her hysteria grew. Please understand, folks, that up until this
point in history Princess Mom has been the picture of poise. The woman does not
crack easily under pressure. And here she is, falling to pieces on the side of
a canyon. This is, without a doubt, the most entertaining moment of my life.
Almost
at the top, Brostuff circled around giving advice, Dad pulled Princess up the
last steps, and I followed closely behind. By this time, Princess Mom had sunk
into fretful whimpers. At the end of the climb, there was a bit of tricky
terrain between us and the car, but essentially a short walk. Princess,
panting, informed us that she could not breathe. This was understandable, as
she had spent most of her oxygen on the whimpers of distress I just mentioned.
On a bit further, she sat down, apparently unable to see clearly. Dad, quite
possibly in jest, asked if she wanted to be carried. Joke or not, she did. He
came to her rescue, attempting to put her on his back. When he told her to
jump, he got a wispy, “I can’t.” And so, as shining knights will do, he scooped
her up and carried her to safety.
We
later sat in the marina, eating ice cream and laughing about the afternoon. We
explored the lake map and talked about the changes in our beloved lake.
Suddenly, Princess broke into tears. At our surprise she said, “I thought I was
gonna die!”
She
will not appreciate this story on the internet. I certainly hope you do,
because I am utterly convinced that nothing more hilarious has ever happened to
me. I realize that this post is getting a bit long. I have also thought to
myself that some of my blogs ought to give the Jesus angle a rest. And yet, I
find it impossible to see any situation of my life without him. Evidence of God
is inescapable. Analogies of his character,
his love, and his story are everywhere. He did not fail to show up during the
Panic of Mackenzie Lake.
I
could not help but think of the Trinity. I certainly do not endeavor to compare
myself or my family to God, I use us only as analogies. In her distress, Mom
had three things: a helper, a shepherd, and the father. Though my role was
limited, I stood behind her the whole time. I was reminded of the Holy Spirit.
God will never leave us. Brostuff mapped out the way. He led her along the path
like a good shepherd. Jesus looked on us with compassion, like sheep without a
shepherd. His sinless life guides the way, showing us the steps to take. Best
of all, the father came to lift her up, carrying her when she was weak. Seeing
our inability to save ourselves, God sent his only son to rescue us from the
perils of sin. As a side note, as Father’s Day approaches, I am so grateful for
a father who consistently shows me examples of the love my heavenly father has
for his children.
I’d better
wrap this up or I’ll lose you. Be on the lookout for more posts this summer!
Glad to be back!
