The lodge was gorgeous.
And we had a great time with family and friends this weekend in Pennsylvania.
On the long drive back home to NC, I had a conversation with my dad that explained a lot about me. For the first several hours of the nearly 12 hour drive home, my dad was feeling talkative. We'd pass something and he'd launch into a story. "St. Davids, PA ... I used to live there. Right across from the ball fields at Villanova..." "Good ole' Baltimore. Lived here too. Looks like the Baltimore Ravens are playing over in that stadium. They were named the Ravens after a famous author who lived here and wrote a famous poem about a raven ..."
Then, as we passed the Delaware Memorial Bridge he casually remarked, "There's the memorial bridge. I once flew a plane under that bridge."
Knowing my dad was a pilot - private, not commercical - this statement sort of slid past me at first. He kept chatting.
Delaware Memorial Bridge
"Wait. Did you say you flew under the bridge?"
Suddenly I saw Kenny Logins' "Danger Zone" video play in my head as I pictured my dad flying like Maverick in Top Gun.
"Yep, under the bridge," he replied. "I saw them do that in that in the movie 30 Minutes over Tokyo. And I knew I'd have to try it myself one day."
I have an internal drive that pushes me to take risks. Not ridiculous risks, mind you. Calculated risks. It's not there all the time - thank goodness! There are plenty of days I'm content to be in my recliner, under a blanket, surfing the web. Other days I want to kite surf and see how much air I can grab.
Do you ever feel an internal drive that pushes you out of your comfort zone? Maybe it's a personality type thing.
I didn't ask dad if flying under that bridge was illegal, mainly because I'm afraid of the answer. (Note: I do not condone reckless, illegal activity. And no animals were harmed in the filming of this blog post.) Plus my kids were in the car.
I did ask my husband Rick, "See where I get my crazy streak from?"
"I do, honey. At least you come by it honestly."
How about you, are you a risk-taker or risk-avoider?
Do you think there is a certain amount of risk-taking involved in living a life of faith? Can you recall the last time you took what you felt was a sizable risk?
The winner of this weekend's giveaway of "It's No Secret" is Tracy G. Send me your addy, Tracy!
I avoid risks at all cost, always have. As a result it definitely has effected my life of faith. That old saying that if you want a different result you must change what you are doing has hit hard with me lately and it has made me decide to become bold, fearless and risky, in my prayer life. The risky part of praying boldly for me is simply that I may be wrong in my desired answer.
ReplyDeleteI risk being wrong. How silly does that sound?
V, you made me giggle with your last question.
ReplyDeleteTruth is, no one likes to risk being wrong.
There's a lot of beauty to Jesus' prayer, "... but not my will but Yours be done." Read over that in the gopsels - it's a great model of prayer for us.
I forgot to mention that I grew up in the Poconos! I am so jealous that you got to be there at the most beautiful time of the year. Hope the colors were brilliant!
ReplyDeleteI've been told I'm a risk taker. I don't see it, but when people say that and I ask for more info, I see "hunger" in what they call risk. I hunger for more of what God has given us, I hunger to understand more of this life, I hunger to be better at what I'm doing so that my witness as a person of faith is "true"...Is that risk? Maybe. Is it tough? Yes. But don't you think we often learn more through the failures than the successes? I do, and so maybe I'm just on a greater learning curve... with all the good and bad that comes with that...
ReplyDeleteHum, hunger ... yes I like that, Camille.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I do believe we can learn lots through failures.
Stay Hungry!
I'm usually a risk avoider... it's the control freak in me - not willing to do anything where I can't predict the result.
ReplyDeleteAshley, ahh, yes, our desire for control will limit our willingness to risk. Very true.
ReplyDeleteI lived right by St. Davids, PA!! My parents belonged to the St. Davids Country Club. A lot of wonderful memories.. ;)
ReplyDeletexo,
Melissa