Calm to Chaos

        “Don’t come this way! Go to the right, the RIGHT!” my husband yelled from his kayak.

        I dug my paddle into the water, trying to force it upstream, away from the impending disaster. But the current was too strong.

        Oh, no! No, no, no!

        My kayak veered to the left, wobbling crazily against my fight to turn it around.

        It was too late. I was heading for the narrow chute.

        I tried to straighten the boat and aim for the center of the channel, but I ran out of time. The front of my boat bumped into a pile of rocks. It stopped abruptly as the water pinned it against a large rock on my left.

        I thrust my paddle deep into the water, trying to free myself, but the river laughed at my attempts, swirling and splashing around me.

        Then time slowed. I felt the kayak pitch sharply to the right as the rushing water began tilting it.

        Maybe if I shift my weight I can stabilize it.

        Water charged through the narrow gap, angrily splitting into two streams where my boat blocked its path. The water that flowed on my right side continued to pin me against the rock. The insistent current on my left squeezed between the rock and the boat, forcing the bottom of the craft to lift up into the air.

        Maybe I can leverage this paddle against the rocks and break free…

        The kayak tilted further….and further to the right.

        Lord, please help me.

The water gushing from behind continued lifting the bottom of the craft inch by inch until it started flipping over.

        Here we go.

        I took a big breath, knowing I was about to get wet.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

        Isn’t that just like life sometimes? You are paddling along quietly, mostly floating along in life.

        All of a sudden, things take an unexpected turn.

        Your spouse asks for a divorce. Your child makes self-destructive choices. You lose your job. The doctor tells you to call hospice.

        You try to paddle upstream to perform a re-do and enter these waters another way. But the current carries you on, and you go where you do not want to go.

        The waves crash around you, restricting your choices.

        Your husband won’t attend counseling. Your teen won’t talk to you. The cancer is stage four.

        You fight valiantly, but it doesn’t stop the rushing waters.

        And you feel yourself going under.

        But that doesn’t mean that you’re going to drown.

        [bctt tweet= “And you feel yourself going under. But that doesn’t mean that you’re going to drown.“]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

        A few seconds before the white water appeared, we had been floating down a lazy river in sit-on-top kayaks enjoying the sunshine and kingfishers. Perfect way to end a lovely relaxing weekend.

        Then we saw the rapids and had to make a decision – go the right or the left? We couldn’t see far enough ahead to make an informed decision, so my husband headed to the left and I followed. When he saw the narrow chute, he changed his mind and frantically tried to warn me. It was too late.

        Thoughts raced through my head as I prepared to be thrown off my craft.

        When I got home, I sorted through those tumbling reflections and realized they provided word pictures of valuable spiritual insights.

        Today I’m going to share two things I did right. Next week I will share some things I did wrong (and the next part of the story).

First thing I did right: I learned how to swim before I entered the river.

        This seems obvious, but when we choose to go down river, we should prepare ahead of time.

        My Dad taught me to swim. As a water safety instructor, he believed that every child should learn to swim because you never know when you’ll get knocked off a dock or fall out of a boat.

        Even though we can’t anticipate every trial, it’s wise to practice basic skills and learn from others as we take on new challenges. Going to be a parent? Volunteer in the nursery to learn how to change a diaper. Planning on inviting aging parents to live with you? Assist at a nursing home to develop patience, thick skin, and muscular arms.

Second thing I did right: I remembered the principles.

        When I knew I was going under, I was surprisingly calm. Not like in a relaxed way but in an “I know what I need to do” way.

        Almost 40 years ago, I took my first white water rafting trip. Before putting on our life jackets, we sat on hard benches in a closet-like room to watch a safety movie. One section covered what to do if the raft capsized.

• Float on your back, feet first. Do not try to swim in the white water.
• Keep your toes poking out of the water.
• Do not try to stand until you are out of the white water.

        Most drownings occur because a foot gets caught in the rocks. If you keep on top of the water, you will get bumped and bruised, but you probably won’t die.

        So, when the kayak dumped me into the river, I focused on obeying these simple instructions.

        When we face situations that bury us in life, follow God’s principles. Many of us learned them as children, but they still apply.

        Pray, keeping our focus on the Lord, not the turmoil.

        Seek wise counsel by reading the Bible and talking with others.

        Love the Lord your God by making choices that please Him.

        Treat other people with love and forgiveness.

        Rest—build a Sabbath into every week. Take longer rests periodically. (Exodus 20:8-11; Leviticus 25:1-7)  

        The Bible’s principles don’t change even when circumstances do.

[bctt tweet= “The Bible’s principles don’t change even when circumstances do.“]

        Next week I’ll post Part 2 and tell you what happened after I flipped out of the boat.

        Blessings!

Photo by Andy Holmes on Unsplash