Swimming in the deep end

We decided that it is high time that our children learn to swim. Frankly, it's a bit embarrassing that we have not taught them yet. By the time I was Nate's age I was a practically a fish. So, to that end, we bought passes to a local water park this summer.

It is rockin' awesome! I took the kids twice on Monday (by myself! I know, crazy!) and we all went yesterday. The wave pool is perfect for the older three as it deepens very gradually. They seem to have gotten over their fear of water and no longer cling to me like drowning monkeys.

So I just sit at the edge of the water with Gabe in a sling and let Luke walk around in the very shallow (5-6 inch deep) water. The problem is, Luke hates the water. He screams and fights me if I try to help him walk any deeper than his ankles. Monday night Gabe went with Daddy to a meeting, so I was able to focus more on Luke. After 30 minutes of alternately wailing and scowling, I was able to slowly ease Luke out into the deeper water in my arms. And, lo and behold, he liked it. He splashed and laughed and grinned. Just like I knew he would.

When we returned the next night, I was hoping he would remember that he liked the water. Nope, we get within a foot of the water and the screeching recommences. Oy. So I guess this will be a work in progress.

But isn't Luke just like all of us? God has so much He wants for us to experience. He calls us to walk with Him into the deep end and trust that He will keep us afloat. But we fight and wail and screech and generally make things much harder than they need be. We lean on our own understanding and forget that He has been to the deep end and is a great judge of what we can handle. So, He hangs out in the shallows with us, knowing that there is so much more we could be doing, until we are ready to ease our way in.

And then we take a leap of faith and land squarely in His arms and find delight in the deeps.

But do we learn? Nope, the next challenge comes up and we screech again and refuse to go farther than ankle deep. Praise God that He is patient and waits on us, even though He knows where we could be if we would just trust.

Yes, these pics are from last year. He is a bit bigger now.