Treading Water

Hi Y'all,

We are still waiting to hear if Mike has gotten a waiver from the Army. I am hoping we will hear something today. The waiting is what is hard.

I'd like to share with you something I just learned to do this summer. I learned how to tread water! You'd think at my age...I would have learned this a long time ago, but after almost drowning at 16...waiting 31 years doesn't seem to long! (*_*)

I've been a little scared of the water since then. Several times over the years I have tried to take swimming lessons or just learn with a buddy. Mike has tried to teach me. The truth is I can swim like a fish in the shallow end, but as soon as I realize I can't touch bottom....I panic! I don't mean a little panic...an all out terror engulfs me and the water becomes an evil super power like the rip tide did many years ago. This has been a fear...irrational as it is...that has kept me from enjoying a lot of things in my life.

This summer, a friend of ours offered us the use of their pool. So we went often. Zoie and I swam in the shallow end, while Mike would swim in the deeper end. A couple times I would brave the deep end with a noodle. Soon though, I got confident enough to try to swim from the deep end to where I could touch as long as Mike swam beside me. Zoie too began to gain more confidence in her own swimming ability and would swim from the deep end to her dad. The last time we went, Mike tried to get me to tread water. I told him no, that I would panic. He looked at me and said, "Pamela, you must trust. (there was that word again, the one I been working on for the past 3 years!) Look, the water here is only about 5 inches over your head. If you sink you can kick back up with hardly no effort. Besides, you have already swam the length of the pool. I'm right here and there is no way you can drown." I could not argue with his logic, so I reluctantly agreed to try. He demonstrated how to move your arms and legs and pulled me beside him. He then said something profound, "Pamela, take it easy. Don't fight the water. Think like a dog. A dog in deep water makes big, slow, easy strokes. He does this to rest and use the water."

We counted to 3 then I let go. I wish I could say that I didn't panic, but at first I did and of course started to sink. Then I heard the words "rest and use the water"again. In an instant, I was treading water! It was a blast!

That is what I am doing right now. Taking it slow and easy, using big steps of faith, resting and using these uncertain circumstances to help me stay afloat. Treading water is not floating. It is work! I had soar muscles for a couple days after doing it the first time. These unknown circumstances are both uncertain and unpredictable. But, by treading with rest and faith, they do not control me. They are not pulling me under. I'll keep moving my arms of faith and kicking my knees to prayer, I'll make circles through God's Word and keep my eyes on the goal....following Jesus...even into unknown and deep water.

I love you all.
Wanna go for a swim?
Pamela

PS. Thanks for all your prayers please keep them coming.