Feet in the Air Faith

Last month we took a little trip. Life had been so crazy the last few months with illness, new schools, sports, friends, work, church, fill in the blank....There was this calm in the storm, a moment when the skies seemed to be clearing and Ryan and I decided to book a trip to the Great Wolf Lodge. We planned it a few weeks in advance planning on Ryan feeling better and everyone being ready to celebrate an easier way of life and have fun making memories. As the date drew closer, we quickly realized that the clouds weren't exactly clearing and the skies were not very blue, life's storms weren't quite done with us yet. We couldn't back out and so we decided to make the most of it. The boys were so excited. Garrett had been writing GWL on the calendar every month for quite some time hoping to trick us into going and the boys were ready to experience it for the first time ever. Meanwhile,  Ryan and I were holding our breath and just praying that we wouldn't drown. We started out in the morning and things were going ok. I had packed us all rather last minute but we were as ready as we could be. Ryan was not feeling great at all and car rides tended to be somewhat torturous for him but he was braving the elements and trucking along (a little too fast according to the polite police woman from Ohio). Regardless of our unwanted pitstop with "Miss Policegirl", as G called her, we kept going.  The kids were getting antsy and hungry but we just wanted to arrive and get settled as quickly as we could. About an hour out, I realized that my hands were literally hurting from wringing them so much. I felt so much anxiety over how we were going to do this with Ryan not feeling good and with G and a place we had never been and without a backup plan or second string. My worries were just plowing through my mind. I kept praying but I couldn't find my peace. Then, with only about 30 minutes left, I turned around and laughed. While I was on the verge of a mega meltdown, my G had fallen asleep. I took a picture because he hadn't just fallen asleep, he had his feet propped up and blanket pulled up high. He looked like the very essence of peace. It struck me immediately that what G was showing me was "feet in the air kind of faith". His excitement, his anticipation should have been through the roof but instead he was stretched out almost upside down, relaxed and resting. That is the very picture of the upside down faith of a child. He was worry-free. He had faith that we would get him there. He had faith that he would be safe. Faith that he wouldn't be left behind or miss out. Maybe somewhere inside his crazy head, he even realized that he might need to rest up a bit for whatever was coming. G teaches me things everyday but this has to be one of my favorite lessons. Feet in the air kind of faith, no worries, no struggles, just resting in it. It stuck with me, grew roots and I knew that God had more to add to this one.

I have struggled with certain fears for most of my life. Fear of the unknown, fear of what life may bring, fear of not making it through. Lately, these fears have pushed me to new limits. I'm tired and worn and yet unable to rest, too many thoughts, too many worries. I have to believe that I am not alone in this battle. I know that other hearts feel heavy and burdened and can't find their peace because the skies never seem to clear enough, the storm clouds just keep coming. We worry about things we don't know because what we do know is already more than we can bear.  We get anxious over the state of the world we live in and don't even get us started on our kids, that's a whole new terrifying level of worry.The what ifs and the uncertainties of life make us wring our hands and seem to strangle our hearts. It's not even that we don't have faith, it's more like we just can't focus on it because we are too tired to look, at least I feel that way sometimes. Like tonight, my mind wouldn't stop and my schedule and life wouldn't allow my body to stop and then a friend offered to make me dinner. She sent me a quick text and her last three words were "don't say no". It reminded me of G and his feet in the air. I wanted to tell her no, that we would be fine. I didn't want to be a burden or a bother, but I couldn't. It was as if God spoke through those last three words of hers and said, "Rach, sit down. Prop your feet up and take a rest. Have a little faith that no matter what tomorrow brings, I've got it and I'll get you there safe and sound. Just put your feet up and have faith."

As adults, we can't help but anticipate and, often, our anticipation becomes anxiety and worry filled. The world we live in isn't easy and just surviving it is sometimes hard enough. We get tired because of sleepless nights and non stop days. We feel like we can't put our feet up and rest because we don't even have time to sit down. Sometimes we need a reminder to not say no and, always, we need to remember to have faith. Why not combine it all? Why not take a seat, settle in, prop our feet up, pull our blankets up to our chins and rest in our faith? Feet in the air faith can handle sickness. It has finances wrapped up tight. Elections cant shake it, and neither can every other thing we can throw at it. It's an absolute hope in our God who knows it all and has it all under control. He has big plans and storms clouds lead to rainbows in his story. He has no fear and his love is boundless. He is the I am who has always been and will always be. We can let him have it all. We can trust Him completely. What I am going to do, and I have to suggest the same to you is to go ahead, friend, grab a blanket and settle into a comfy chair. Prop up those tired feet and have a little faith. Now, keep going, take this moment and find your peace and then close your eyes and rest in it all. We all could use that kind of faith sometimes. Feet in the air faith. It's upside down. It's child-like. It's faith. And it is taught to you, and me, by my little G-man.