Family Vacation Advice #1

Never allow your children to watch "Shark Week" on the Discovery Channel before going on a trip to the ocean!

Yes, I had one of my children absolutely afraid of sharks while we were away. Afraid so much that when a dolphin swam by one evening as she was standing in about shoulder deep water she thought it was a shark (just noticing the dorsal fin above the water), almost literally ran on top of the water to shore. (it was the fastest movement through water on record, and she didn't even swim!)

Upon recognizing that it was only a couple of dolphins, she calmed down and started breathing normally again, but not before making quite a scene (and some comic relief).

I know that her fear was real, even though a bit misplaced. But as a family, we were able to overcome the real fear and make the most of a vacation that was spent in and around the ocean.

We all have some unfounded fears though, things of which we are truly afraid. And these fears affect our lives, sometimes keeping us from the very things God wants us to experience. Many of our fears are about the unknown, doing things we have never done, experiencing change in the way we do things, those things lurking in the deep, dark depths just under or around us.

The Disciples also were afraid at many points of their lives. There were things that happened to them and eventually to Jesus that made them fear for their very lives (not an unfounded fear at all!). But Jesus gave them a word of encouragement not just to unfounded fear, but even to the fears of an eventual future death. The word he gave, "Don't be afraid. You trust in God, now trust me!" (John 14:1, my translation)

What are you afraid of? I mean really afraid. For me, I'm afraid of not doing right before God. I'm afraid of disappointing people, even when I'm doing my best for God. I'm afraid sometimes that I'm not doing everything I should be doing. But I'm not afraid of the enemy. I'm not afraid of criticism. I'm not afraid of the future, because Jesus told us not to!

I've never been a daredevil. I've seen others do things and I'd think, that's not for me. But through the years I've developed a healthy courage to try new things, not worrying so much what people think, not worrying about the unknown. I've learned to risk more, to trust more, to love more.

That's what Jesus has called us to be about, risk.

Okay, so we did see a shark on our last day on the beach, just a couple hundred yards from where we swam every day. It was just a small sand shark, about 3-4 feet in length. Big enough to do some damage if it were to attack, but only if you were small enough to be prey (fortunately, we weren't). She was excited to see the shark, probably because we were standing on a pier about 20 feet above the water, a safe distance. (storms at sea brought in large amounts of sea weed and with it, more fish and predators.)

We weren't in any danger through the week and my daughter got over her fear. So should we. A piece of advice, though. If you have a fear no matter how unfounded or wacky it may be, don't watch a show or read a book or article about your fear. It doesn't help overcome it, but magnifies it. Rather listen and trust Jesus' words, "My peace I give to you, not as the world gives, so do not be afraid."

Peace ><>
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