Storms and Decisions

Storms and Decisions

You know those times in life where it seems like decisions pile on top of you all at once and need to be made right now?  And, in and of themselves, most of the choices are manageable but they all stack up and all have a deadline?  Things like:

~Do we transfer the kids to a different school/teacher?

~Do we pour more money into the dying car or cut our losses and run?

~Do we put Dad/Granma/Aunt Sally in a nursing home and if so where is the money going to come from?

~Do we refinance the house?

~Do we get a dog or a security system?

~After school sports or no after school sports?

~Do we say yes to the job or stay where we are?

~Is it better to do the surgery or try physical therapy first?

~Go back to school?  

~Do we find a new church or stay committed here?

Yeah, that was our house last week.  Most of those scenarios aren't ones we are personally facing but someone we know or love has been in them.  Our choices were like those and it's been more than a bit stressful.  My brain is pretty much mush at this point.   I don't have any fingernails left (I know: really, really bad habit- don't try that at home kids!).

But, we prayed about what was before us, sought wise counsel and made the decisions.  And then, we stepped out in faith and followed through.  Some of them are pretty strange.  

For example, we made the deliberate choice to, God willing, have four kids in four different schools, in four different parts of town.  No buses.  Yeah, I'm gonna be living in my trusty Honda Odyssey next school year.  We didn't do that because I love driving all over SoCal but because we feel those are the best places for our kids for now.  I may be cursing that course of action come Fall.   

Anyway, after everything was decided and out of our hands, I felt great.....for about six hours.  

Then panic and doubt set in.

I knew with sudden clarity the fiery terror that swept through Peter's veins when he stepped out of the boat to meet Jesus, only to panic and  start to sink.  (Matthew 14:22-36)

I love Peter.  He was such a bonehead; he talked too much, made rash decisions, had delusions of grandeur, was inconsistent and easily distracted from the work at hand.  He reminds me a lot of myself.  

I too made the choice to 'step out of the boat', the USS Comfort Zone, and walk toward Jesus, who was calling me.  Then I got distracted.  I was very aware of how deep the water was beneath me.  I realized how big the waves were getting. And, how far away the boat was.  It felt very lonely.

I panicked.  

Fear came flooding over me and I started to sink quickly.  My emotions went from zero to haywire in .2 seconds.  It wasn't pretty, ya'll.

Fortunately, I made the same smart choice Peter did and simply said "Jesus!!"  He was there.  And, I knew I was safe.

The thing is, the water beneath us is deep; it always will be this side of Eternity.  The waves are big and getting bigger as time goes on.  Our boats are not reliable.  And sometimes, the choice to get out of the boat seems strange, counter-intuitive, stupid even.

But what I realized this week is that I am far better off with Jesus, out in the water, than I would ever be in some man-made boat of comfort. Honestly, is there any more perfect place to be?  I think not.