the "wading" game

I love this video of SK putting on her dad's waders. Even more I love the video my brother took which went on a little longer than mine, because you can hear his voice in the background telling her to run once she has somewhat put the waders on.

As I have re-watched this video several times I am reminded of how much my child mirrors me as God's child. She's seen how to do this wader thing before.....and took her time to do it well. As a child I wouldn't really say she wasted her time, which is the beauty of childhood. Oh but I have wasted lots of time foolishly trying to do something I am clearly not ready for. It's looked easy for others and had benefits. So I patiently work my plan...... and it looks do-able. But to my Father in heaven I wonder if he looks at me as I looked at her and thought, "you are going to get hurt", "you do know those don't fit you, don't you?" and "the only safe thing for you to do is stand there."

Then in my brother's video you hear "run", to which this mother know that is NOT a good idea.

Are you getting the picture I got? We see something we are not supposed to even put a foot into. We put it on.(and waste a lot of time doing it) We feel successful, but we are not. We hear encouragement to continue on, and do so out of foolishness. We fall and cry out for help. I am not putting words into God's mouth (clearly that is not a fit) but my reply would be "What were you doing here in the first place? You are not ready for this."

I love this verse: Hebrews 12: ¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Some of what I love in this verse is "the race marked out for us". It's so obvious to us our race as a 6 yr old is different than when we are 52. This video is such a great picture of how we can be hindered and entangled instead of free to "run". Last.....fix our eyes on Jesus so we will know what ready looks like. This is the season that draws our eyes to the author and perfecter!