Thursday, January 18, 2007

Face Down in the Dirt

Don’t travel alone. An ancient voice coming from the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes comments, “Two are better than one… If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has not one to help him up!” (Eccl 4:9a, 10)

That’s what I was thinking last time I rode my motorcycle. I was out at El Mirage with my son and husband. After winding through the foothills we decided to stop and enjoy the view…for a few seconds. Then we started up again. The road ahead involved negotiating a sharp turn. Dylan and Tom made the sharp corner. I didn’t. My bike fell over and I landed face down in the dirt. The bike rested heavily on my right leg. I listened to the sound of their motorcycles slowly drift away. Great. I wonder how long it will take them to discover I’m not behind them? I tried to shove the bike off my leg with my free foot, but nothing budged. I tried to twist my foot out. My foot wouldn’t budge. So I waited…and waited...studying the desert pebbles. Ten minutes later (it seemed like 30) they returned. Tom lifted the bike off me. “Sorry it took so long for us to get back.” I limped around (exaggerating a bit) Let them think I broke my foot!

Therefore it’s not a good idea to ride alone, because you might need someone to pull your bike off you. And the same is true for life’s journey. My husband and I are going through a difficult time with our oldest son. With so many crucial decisions to make—one after another—we found ourselves reaching out to others for advice. Friends who are older and have gone through similar experiences with their own children, have given us good objective counsel. My own parents have also been a solid support and vital compass. Now of course, there are times when the advice one receives from others may not always feel right. But it’s still helpful to hear different opinions. It gives you a broader perspective. Tom and I know that ultimately the final decisions will rest with us. But we are richer in knowledge for having listened to those around us.

We are also utilizing the advice written in about A.D. 55 by James. “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him. (James 1:5-the Bible)

Parenting is a rough and bumpy road with lot’s of twists and sharp turns. It’s nice to know that we don’t have to travel alone!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey sis - your bro' here...nice blog - maybe I should start one...kinduv like a diary/journal.

Keep the faith - he'll figure himself out some day, as long as we don't stop praying...I did!

Don't ride alone - luv-ya! =R=

Unknown said...

I'm glad they figured out that you weren't back there. They could have traveled MILES before they realized it! For that reason I am glad that my guys broke down and bought some voice activated mics!

I am glad that you are okay...thanks for the scripture!