JANUARY 1
My second child wanted to join the swim team at age 6. The BIG area swim team.
One problem:
She could barely stay afloat.
She had to be able to get from the shallow end of the pool to the deep end's edge
without drowning. They don't like it when kids gulp down pool water.
I had several choices:
1. Laugh and tell her to wait until she was bigger.
2. Don't laugh.... but protect her from embarrassing failures by saying NO, she couldn't join.
3. Let her join, while mentally preparing for a lot of encouragement discussions.
I CHOSE number 3.
She could float on her back awhile.
She could flop her arms around to get some forward motion. Or backward motion... it's confusing. It was the backstroke.
So she tried out for the team. On her back, drifting side to side in her lane.
For the entire pool length. And she MADE it. Age 6!
Probably STILL holds the record for the longest time of any trial lap in the entire Club's history.
WHAT DOES A CHILD ON A SWIM TEAM HAVE TO DO WITH
DIETING..... AND JANUARY FIRST?
We all know what a new year often brings...
Resolutions, or at least hopes that we may be afraid to put into writing.
Decisions that we will succeed. Amid remembrances of last year's many failures.
We're going to give eventually on some of the days of this year, fall into temptation even though God promised to give us power not to....
WHY? Because Satan's still trying to get us to struggle against drowning in sins with our own power.
YET GOD NEVER DISCOURAGES US.
1. Doesn't laugh at our honest desires to please Him on His 'team', following Jesus's way.
2. Doesn't protect us from failures...... never steals back the free will He gave.
Yet
3. Encourages us constantly --
Friends......... Bible verses found at just the "right" time....... radio station sermons that touch our exact need for the moment......... a Word from God in our hearts.....
Like my persistent little kindergartener, we succeed simply because we try:
NOT in our own power -- just as my daughter had a coach and parents teaching her and encouraging her. As God's HOLY SPIRIT teaches us and guides us as
we choose to fight temptation of ANY kind,
whether poor choices of food or other substance things, or shopping, or technology-addicted, or......... WHATEVER separates us from Holy God.
Dear LORD God, I want so much to "be Holy as Thou art holy." Leviticus 10:3 and 1 Peter 1:15.
Not to "earn heaven," but to keep from hurting You after all you've done for me.
I look back on the past 12 months. And know I'll fail sometimes. Like losing swim meets over and over.
BUT
I look back on the past 12 months and know that fighting temptation gets easier as I keep practicing. As I keep talking to You my Coach to learn how to pray (Romans 8: 26) and practice that also. Please help me remember to pray.... remember to refuse to be too proud to turn to you as my Coach, my Teacher, my Savior......
ENCOURAGEMENT
Psalm 18:2The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
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