Hi, everyone! No, you are not mistaken. Today's Monday Moment with Mimi is actually posting on Tuesday. Sorry, I go back to school this Wednesday, so this week has gotten away from me rather quickly.
I love my mom's post this week for a couple of reasons...1) because I also had the privilege of climbing this lighthouse with her and 2) because this post reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses. Psalm 34:4 says, "I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from ALL my fears!"
I must admit, fear is something I have struggled with and will even face as we approach a new school year. I know this sounds hilarious, but I still get first day jitters although I have been in the classroom for a long, long time. Read and enjoy, and know that sometimes...whatever the challenge we are facing...we just need to do it afraid! Enjoy and share, Shannnon :-)
Fearfully Climbing Lighthouses!
My oldest grandson and I engaged in something that I have wanted to do for the past 5 or 6 years on vacation. We climbed to the top of Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in Florida. There were 203 steps to the top—and it was quite high up at the top I might add. It was a challenging, memorable ending to a wonderful summer of adventures that is too rapidly coming to a close!
I have loved all of the summer adventures I have had with my children and grandchildren! As now we near the end of summer, I realize that school is approaching soon. All too soon our children and grandchildren will be leaving us—whether they are heading off to Preschool or College. All will be embarking on new adventures. For many it will be what they have looked forward to and simply can’t wait to get there, but for others it may be something they fear and are cautiously apprehensive as the day they have been dreading approaches.
For those around us who are facing fear, we need to look intently for ways to help them arrive at their destination with security—ways to avoid being paralyzed by the fear factor. I myself have experienced the dread of walking the path of the unknown with ever present fear looming there.
But the feeling of fear is not always a negative thing, as long as we understand it at time serves as a valuable guard rail of life. Guard rails such as these can equip us to make wise and cautious decisions! (Such as holding the hand rail when climbing hundreds of feet into the air!)
As we get older and mature, fear should not become a road block that paralyzes us! Fear that keeps us from going down a particular life path or prevents us from braving the 203 steps of a tall lighthouse we’ve always wanted to climb can steal our joy and rob us of the present adventure at hand.
Fear may simply be the flag that waves to us to be cautious or go slow. And yes, sometimes it does wave – STOP!!!! And then we need to just STOP!!!
But if fear is unfounded, it can become more than a guard rail; it has then become a road block. We often too easily turn, go back, and feel defeated too soon. Or even worse, we continue on without any joy or enjoyment, but don’t realize that we have allowed fear to become our traveling companion.
There are many that have been awarded the title of hero by fearlessly accomplishing various acts of rescue and grand deeds of valor. To me, true heroes are those who respond and act in spite of their fears. Sometimes they may have seemed fearless on the surface, but were actually trembling inside; apprehension was in their heart, a knot was in their stomach, and sweat was on their palms…and yet they still marched boldly forward to accomplish the task before them.
Some of these heroes simply walked bravely into a new classroom, pointed their car toward their new school in another state, or even walked back down the 203 steps lighthouse steps after reaching the top. But all had minds made up to conquer their fears!
.
Many little heroes will be fearfully entering the classroom soon—forming a new circle of friends, leaving Mom for the first time, meeting a new teacher—but they will be entering and climbing in spite of their fears. These children are small in stature compared to heroes of old, but they will be heroes in their own right, and I challenge all of us to cheer them on, encourage their efforts, and reward their accomplishments as we remember we have all walked in their small shoes at some point in our lives. Blessings, Anne (Mimi)
Our View from the Top...
No comments:
Post a Comment