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Monday, August 1, 2011

Strength, Courage, Wisdom.














When I was about 10 years old I found the Serenity Prayer on one of my mom’s old magnets. With my oh so wise 10 year old brain I thought it was the most amazing prayer ever. Though I am a few years older today, I still think whoever wrote the prayers must have been a genius (or really close to God!) I used to keep the prayer in my night stand drawer and pray it at night for people that where hard to deal with. Over the years, the prayers has slowly faded to the back of my mind, and I haven’t repeated it’s oh-so comforting words to myself in at least a year.
This weekend, I got the chance to water ski and wake board. These were some of the most physically challenging things I have ever done. There were quite a few times where I had landed in the water bad, the breath had been knocked out of me, and I was ready to say I am done right there and then. But then I would remember that it was not on my stength I was doing any of it, It was God’s. I would say I wanted to do it all over again, and off I would go. I would get scared when I finally made it up on the water. I was literally flying through the air, and it was exhilarating, but scary. Then I would crash. While I was trying and trying again, suddenly a portion of the Serenity prayer popped into my head. (Don't ask me why) I repeated over and over to myself a jumbled bunch of words that went something like, or really nothing like the prayer (I think it went along the lines of. "God give me strength, and courage, and oh a little bit of wisdom too"). . They were what kept me going (or God working through them) for the next several tries.
After the fun experience of wake boarding, I got to thinking, why did I push myself, why did I keep trying? That feeling that I got, the smile on my face when I finally stood up on the water and boarded for almost an entire minute, that was why I did it. That is why I kept pushing myself. And that is why I try any new thing. I think that is why most people try new things. The feeling of accomplishment, of knowing you just finished something that you couldn’t do ten minutes ago, that is beautiful.

So I will conitue to try new things, even if they scare me. I will continue to ask God for serenity, courage and wisdom while I do them. And will definitely contiue to accomplish things. If I never try, I will never accomplish, and if I never accomplish where would that leave me?

Just incase you are wondering, yes, I am very very sore. Yes, I discovered muscles I did not know exsited, and yes I do feel like an 18 wheeler ran over me. I still think it was worth it though :)

~Rebekah

5 comments:

Carrie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carrie said...

Hello! Last night I sent out a message inviting you to help show Alyssa appreciation by helping her to purchase another camera after losing the use of her previous one. Alyssa expressed that she was not comfortable with this and while appreciating the thought, requested that this not happen. This morning I took down the Gmail account I had mentioned and had clarified that on the comment section on her blog, but I just wanted to send out this second message to also let you know that. Have a great day!! :)

molly said...

Rebekah is the most amazing young woman I think I have ever met!!! I had the privilege of watching her learn to water ski and wake-board last weekend. She was so determined to get up, even while being punished again and again by that water. Yet each time she went down, she had a smile on her face and popped back up with a bigger one...and laughter that you could hear clear across the cove. The neighbors out on their docks joined in the cheering and encouragement, clearly impressed by this young woman who would not give up! It only took two tries for her to get up on the wake-board, if only for a moment...and then down, laughing again! Not too many tries later she was up! and she stayed up! AND rode around a full circle of the cove before coming back to the dock. It was beautiful! I have never seen such determination while learning to do something so hard. I love that it was the Serenity Prayer giving her the strength to keep trying. Thank you Rebekah for such a poignant lesson of faith, wisdom and grace.
I Love You!
Molly

Patti said...

love your blogger bio! and love your photography too!:)

Rebekah said...

@Carrie, Thanks for letting me know.
@Aunt Molly. You made me cry. I miss you. A lot. I love you too.
@Patti. Thank you so much! I loved your blog. I found you Via Kelle Hampton. :)