Don't Get Tired of Doing Good

When we are doing what is right we will often encounter resistance.  In fact, it can seem like doing the right thing is a battle.  After battling for a while we may feel like throwing in the towel.  We get weary.  But I challenge you today… Don’t give up!  Remember that God is with you.  Hang in there.  “So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.” Galatians 6:9

The Mistake? Buying Glitter

Earlier this week I bought Rachel some kind of inexpensive toy that involves glitter.  

I should mention that I am totally aware of the fact that buying glitter is always a mistake.  But I was just trying to get out of the store, I wasn’t thinking carefully, and I ended up bringing glitter into the house.

If you are yelling at me through your computer, right now, saying, “Are you out of your mind?!?”

The answer would appear to be: Yes, I’m afraid so.

Every evening this week as I have looked in the mirror and brushed my teeth, before bed time, I have seen a few specks of glitter somewhere on my face.  It’s not very easy to remove.  And if you use the toothbrush to remove it there’s a possibility that, at some later point, there will be glitter on your teeth.  (At least, that’s what I’ve been told by others who had glitter on their teeth.  This is certainly not first-hand knowledge.)

This morning while I was talking with someone at the health club I perceived that the person kept looking above my eyes toward my forehead.  At first I thought, “Finally!  All of this working out appears to be making my forehead much more fit and attractive.  What a pay-off!”

But later, in the locker room, I saw that there was glitter on my forehead.  That’s what the person kept looking at.

Fortunately, I know that getting rid of all the glitter is no big deal.  It just requires a little time, a little effort, and a little patience.  In 6 or 7 years, or so, it will be gone.

Media Spin And Invented Reality

If people create their own “reality” and then that invented “reality” gets repeated often enough by sources with some perceived credibility, that concept is likely to become accepted by many as factual reality even if there is clear evidence to the contrary or compelling reasons for doubt.

This is well-known by those who manipulate information and it frequently happens in the world of media spin.  This is particularly true in the field of politics but it certainly happens in other fields, as well.

What bothers me is how often I still get fooled by this manipulation even though I’m aware that it occurs.  Those who do this are very effective at it.

Challenge:  Be wise, aware and discerning consumers of information.

The Things We Imagination Could Become Reality

You and I have an imagination.  We are capable of picturing possibilities in our minds.  God made us this way.  He gave us an imagination on purpose—everything God does is intentional, He never makes mistakes.  Some of the things that we imagine are prompted by God and with His help they can become more than just a part of our imagination… they can become reality.

Having Fun With Cold Weather Experiments

There are days when experiments become necessary.  Today was such a day.

We were out of town during the extreme cold weather earlier this month so even though we’re a bit late, today, we embarked on some of the cold weather experiments that others already did a few weeks ago.

We threw the cup of boiling water and then the pot of boiling water into the air to see it crystalize.  It worked.  By the way, it also worked when we used some boiling hot chicken soup broth.

We placed a cup of room temperature water outside and timed its change from liquid to solid ice.  It took approximately seventy-five minutes—frankly, that was longer than I thought it would take.

We took a wet t-shirt outside, shook it out in the air about fifteen or twenty times and the cloth became solid enough that we were then able to stand it up.  It actually assumed a pretty fashionable pose.

We confirmed the hypothesis that walking outside barefoot in the snow when the temperature is -5 feels painful.   Alright, I will grant that this finding is somewhat subjective but I believe it is fair to say that it is valid, nevertheless. 

As a minor side note to the barefoot snow walking experiment, it was interesting to discover that my feet felt colder on the sidewalk and felt warmer when I actually stepped into the snow.  I’m relatively certain this is something that will need to be published in scientific journals.

Then I said to my family, “Should I put on shorts and a tank top and roll around in the snow to see how that feels?”

They all responded by immediately saying, “NOOOO!!!!!”  And they looked at me like I might be crazy.  (Hmm, that’s a look I’ve seen before.)

Because that feedback was unanimous, forceful and convincing I decided to accept their advice. 

Since we don’t have the hard data, I guess we’ll just have to make the fairly reasonable assumption that rolling around in the snow when the temperature is -5 would be cold in an unpleasant way.  Sometimes every experiment—despite the potential comic value—just can’t be undertaken.

Watching The Grammys With Rachel and Spotting Yoko

Rachel and I are watching the Grammy awards and as they showed camera shots of the audience she asked, “Who’s that?”

I told her, “That’s Yoko Ono.”

Rachel said, “Who?”

I said, “Yoko Ono.”

Rachel laughed and laughed and said, “What is that?”

I said, “That’s her name.”

She continued laughing.  It really amused her.  I hadn’t ever thought about it that much but I guess it has a sort of amusing sound to it.

Rachel asked, “Is she a singer?” 

I said, “Not really.  She’s famous for… um… hmm… let’s see… uh… well, I guess she’s famous for being married to John Lennon.”

Rachel laughed some more, then she sneezed, and then she ate another chocolate chip cookie.  I don’t know if that has any significance, but I’m just reporting how it happened.

God's Truth Is Not Based On Majority Vote

It is tempting to want to determine God’s truth based on the opinions of the majority.  This is “bad theology.”  God has never and will never be influenced by the majority.  His truth “is what it is” regardless of people’s opinions.  This is not bad news, it’s good news because sometimes the majority is wrong.  The way to determine God’s truth is based on the proper interpretation of His word, not on majority vote.

Simpler Is Almost Always Better

Some people do not like simplicity because the justification of their job/position/career/role/status requires that they make things complicated; even if they aren’t all that complicated.  (This is part of what Jesus railed against with the religious leaders of His day.)  But, in most cases, almost any time something is simpler, it is better.

Being Willing To Admit That I Have A Long Way To Go

If your understanding of yourself is that you are very good at some endeavor, believe it or not, it can possibly work against you.  This understanding worked against me when I was a young man.

At a certain point in my late teens, I began to see myself as very accomplished at playing the guitar.  It was true that I had some ability but I was far, far, far from being as accomplished as I wanted to believe I was.

However, in order to “protect” my own view that I was very good, I wound up avoiding situations in which it would be obvious to others and obvious to myself that I still had a lot to learn.  That was too bad because the result of avoiding those situations was that I avoided important learning and growing opportunities.  They were opportunities that would have humbled me but in the long run I would have made better progress in the development of the skill.

If you’re thinking, “Hmm, it sounds like pride was part of the problem.”

You’re right.

I’m now convinced that it would have been much more helpful to have an attitude like this:  I have some ability but I know that there is much more for me to learn.  I’m willing to make some mistakes in front of others in order to grow.  I’m willing to submit to further instruction.  I’m willing to ask for help from others and learn from others who I want to consider equals but actually they are more accomplished than me.

What I’ve written in the previous paragraph is the humble, willing-to-learn attitude that I wish I would have had as a young man.  I’m not a teen anymore.  I can’t go back and change that reality.  But I believe the humble, willing-to-learn attitude can still benefit me at this age. 

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”  1 Peter 5:6

Dan and Vic Podcast for Jan. 21, 2014

Vic and I talk about health club protocol, favorite SNL performers and sharing the Christian faith.
Take a listen, it's fun!

                             Click here for audio!

You Can't Intimidate Someone Who Is Not Threatened By Death

One of the reasons for the courage of the Apostle Paul is that, because of God’s presence with him, he did not fear death.  Paul wrote these words that are recorded in his letter to Philippi, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21.  It is extraordinarily difficult to intimidate a person who is not threatened by death.

At The Drive-Thru With Jasper

I took Jasper for a short little ride in the car with me today.  As usual he cried and whimpered the whole time.  We’re not sure why, but that’s what he typically does.  He cries when he’s in the car.

When I got to the drive-thru speaker I told Jasper, “Shh, be quiet.  It’s okay. You have to be quiet now.”  (Jasper doesn’t answer when I talk to him but he does understand English.)

As soon as the young woman’s voice came on the speaker saying, “How may I help you?” Jasper started whimpering again.

It must have sounded strange and a little bit difficult to interpret on the other end of the speaker where the young woman was stationed because she said, “Is everything alright, sir?”

I laughed because I’m pretty sure she thought that was me making an odd sound.

I said, “Yeah, I’m okay.  But I need some McNuggets…and fast!”

They had my food ready immediately.

Healthy People Admit That They Need Others

It’s very difficult for some people to come to grips with the reality that we need others.  Some of us have been taught to be strong and self-reliant.  Some of us have been taught this: be careful to always give the impression that you don’t need anyone.  However, mature healthy people realize that, in fact, everyone needs help, support and encouragement sometime.  And they are willing to admit this truth.

There's No Such Thing As Consequence-Free Living

It is possible for a person to look at things that are wrong and believe they are right, or to look at things that are right and believe they are wrong.  (See Isaiah 5:20) This kind of moral confusion involves a dangerous level of self-deception—it is dangerous to the one who is confused and dangerous to those around the one who is confused.  When a large percentage of a culture becomes morally confused get ready for lots of pain, tears and sadness.  There is no such thing as consequence-free living.

The Pride And Arrogance I See In Others Is Also True of Me

Occasionally when I listen to other preachers I can detect pride or arrogance in the person and I’ll think to myself, “Tsk, tsk.  This guy is supposed to be honoring and glorifying Jesus.  His ego is shameful.”

When this has happened, however, there have been several times when an unwelcome realization has hit me.  What I have come to realize is that I am so sensitive to this quality in others because this pride and arrogance is also true of me. 

I hate when that happens.

Jesus said something that definitely applies to me, in this regard.  He said, “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  Matthew 7:5

Appreciating Those Who Keep Their Commitments

When people make commitments and do not keep them, it is noticeable to us.  It bothers us.  We know that no one is perfect, but, depending on the nature of the matter, the broken commitment is likely to result in tension, negative feelings and harsh words. 

When people keep their commitments and follow through faithfully and consistently, however, it’s possible that we don’t notice.  We might take their steady dependability for granted.  It’s a shame but sometimes commitment-keepers don’t get as much of our attention as those who are not as faithful about the commitments they make.  So it seems right for us to take some time to express genuine thanks to the ones who quietly, consistently keep their commitments.

When Our Dreams Become Visions Of What God Wants To Accomplish

The Bible mentions dreams or dreaming numerous times.  Some of the references are negative, some are positive.  We are capable of bad dreams or good dreams.  When we are walking closely with God, filled with the Spirit, our dreams reflect the reality of God in us.  When this happens, our dreams can become visions of what God wants to accomplish and how He will use us for His glory.

A Squirrel In The Church

As I was walking toward the church earlier today I noticed that several doors were wide open. 

“Huh?  What’s going on?” I wondered.

When I got in the building I saw Nadia searching here and there.

“What’s happening?” I asked.

“There’s a squirrel in the building,” she replied as she repelled down the side wall of the sanctuary.

I helped her do a bit of searching but we couldn’t find our furry friend.  “I think he’s probably outside by now,” Nadia said.

“How can we know?”  I asked.

“Well, if he’s still in here he will probably set off the security alarm again.”

“Is that how you knew he was in here in the first place?”

“Yep.”

If that squirrel is still in the building and he sets off the alarm, I have a feeling I know an approximate time range when it would be likely to occur, don’t you?  I’ll let you know if I get a call from the security company around 2 or 3 in the morning.

Dan and Vic Podcast for Jan. 13, 2014 -- Audio Podcast

Enjoy a laugh with Vic Baransky and me.

                               Click here for podcast!

Be Here Sunday Jan. 12th

                                             Click here for video!

                                            Click here for video!

Buying A Gift - Appropriate Vs. Cool

I was standing in the checkout line at a bookstore and I overheard a mother and daughter standing nearby.  They were trying to agree upon a gift to purchase for the daughter’s friend.  They were not causing a scene but their discussion was definitely getting animated.

 

The daughter was probably about 14 years old.

The mom wanted to buy something “appropriate.”  Those weren’t the words she used but that’s the gist of what she was saying.

The daughter, on the other hand, was embarrassed about the whole idea of buying something appropriate.  I didn’t hear her actual words but the tone of voice the daughter was using along with her body language suggested that she was suffering terribly at her mother’s annoying lack of gift-buying aptitude.

These thoughts occurred to me: “What’s the problem, here?  What’s wrong with the mom’s gift ideas?”

Very quickly my answer came.  Instead of something appropriate, the daughter wanted to get her friend something cool.

“Ah yes, of course, I should have known,” I smiled.  “It’s the old appropriate versus cool struggle.”

You probably know this but I was reminded, once again, by my experience in the checkout line:  To a 14-year-old girl a gift that is appropriate and a gift that is cool are two very different things.

E-Flash From Dan, January 9, 2014

Dear E-Flash Friends;

Guess what?  We are supposed to have a high temperature of 40 degrees this Sunday!  Wow!  Can you believe it?  There’s a heat wave coming.  No kidding.  I just looked it up on weather.com.  And everyone knows that weather forecasters have to get their predictions right or they are in big trouble!  I may dig out the inflatable pool, fill it up, and have a little swim party after the morning services.

Speaking of the morning services, we are going to be continuing with our Exodus series this Sunday, January 12^th.   I haven’t only been playing around in the sun the past few days, I have been working on the message, too.  Really.  I have been writing a little bit every day for the past 5 days and most of it is written.   I promise to have all of the message ready by Sunday!  J

And I’m looking forward to talking about one of the great stories of the Old Testament: the story of Moses leading the people of Israel as they escape through the Red Sea.  It’s a great tale of God’s power, protection and activity.  It prompted “awe” from God’s people.  I’m believing that we’re all going to be blessed and I’m hoping we will be awestruck by our great God, too.  You won’t want to miss it!

If that’s not enough, the worship team is planning some great music to help us give praise to God, as well.  Sounds great, doesn’t it?

I’m guessing that since we had such terrible weather last week, this will be the first Sunday of the new year at church for many of us.  Hope to see you Sunday.

Love and blessings,

Dan

Gov. Christie's Apology. Are We Hearing The Whole Truth?

As a pastor I have heard a number of people, over many years, confess wrongdoing and apologize for their sins, errors, mistakes, etc.

One of the things I have discovered is that even when people are supposedly “coming clean” there is often a tendency to hold back and not offer up the whole truth.  It’s quite possible that a confession and apology will involve most of the truth but not all of the truth.  The whole truth can be very uncomfortable.

I do not have a political agenda in this piece.  Politically speaking, I do not consider myself to be for Gov. Christie and I do not consider myself to be against Gov. Christie.  But as I listened to the apology he offered in his news conference I had the feeling that he was not offering up all of the truth.  It’s not just Gov. Christie, by the way, I have this feeling almost every time I see a politician, who is seeking to remain in office, give a press conference and offer an apology for some controversy that has surfaced.

Gov. Christie said a lot of the right words and he expressed them well.  He seemed sincere.  He apologized.  He is humiliated.  He takes responsibility.  The wrong behaviors are unacceptable.  The people who committed the actions have been terminated.  The people deserve better.

I’m really not going after Gov. Christie, specifically.  In my mind this impression that I’m expressing has more to do with political apologies, in general.  An apology that is done properly and effectively might be able to get the person out of hot water from a political perspective.  But the real healing that an apology is supposed to bring—to the one who is apologizing and to those receiving the apology—occurs best when the whole truth is humbly and sincerely spoken.

Once again, unfortunately, I just can’t escape this sense that we’re not hearing the whole truth.

Rev. Dan Marler

Oak Lawn, IL

We Can Love And Serve Jesus Today

When we serve others because Jesus is alive in us, there is a sense in which we are actually serving Jesus, himself.  “…[W]hen you did it [service] to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me.” Matt. 25:40.  So, we can think of it like this:  We have the privilege and the opportunity to love, care for, and serve Jesus today.

Discernment And Getting Good Advice

Sometimes people give us advice with sincerity and good intentions but the nature of their advice, if it is followed, will make things worse.  It is good and helpful to receive wise counsel.  But an important aspect of receiving wise counsel involves discernment.  Be aware and use good judgment when it comes to the source of the advice.

Be Careful. Not Everything That You Read Online Is True

Several years ago, when I began to utilize social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, I read a few books on the subject.  Since the books were primarily written from a business perspective and were offering advice to those who would be using these forms of communication for professional purposes it was understandable that they all made a point of providing a number of cautions.

One of the cautions that I encountered numerous times had to do with information, in general, that is found on the internet.  The basic caution is fairly simple and most everyone knows it and yet it is still easy to get fooled. 

The caution is this:  Not everything that you read online is true.

I know, this is simple and obvious and everyone will tell you they know it is true, however, I have friends online who have gotten hoodwinked.

Remember that some people make it their business to create false information.  They know it’s false, in fact, that’s the point.  They want to see if they can trick others.  In some cases people intentionally format the false information in such a way that it appears to have come from a reliable source, such as a news organization.  There are people who do this type of thing to see if they can stir up posts that could possibly go viral.  It’s what they do for fun.  It’s nothing new.  In fact, it’s very old.  It’s called: starting rumors.  It’s just that now we have the capacity for digital rumors.  And because of the nature of digital information they can spread even more quickly.

I’m bringing this up because over the past couple of months I have seen a few friends on Facebook “share” posts that I’m sure they believed were true.  Some of the original posts that were then “shared” by my friends even appeared to come from legitimate sources and been researched.

I’ve seen a few people “share,” in a serious and sincere way, information that came from comedy websites that specialize in parodies of current news stories.  My friends believed that they were providing useful information that would raise serious concerns about this issue or that issue and, in fact, what they were sharing was completely untrue and had been created as a comic parody.

So, I’m just reminding us all of something that we know but I thought it might be helpful think about, once again…

Not everything that you read online is true.

Before sharing the posts of others—especially if it is information that seems quite extraordinary—it’s probably a good idea to check it out a little further.

Okay, that’s my public service announcement for today.

Are We Willing To See The Truth Of The Adage: You Reap What You Sow?

Occasionally, I see people live in destructive, unhealthy ways and then when the consequences catch up with them they wonder, “Why is God doing this to me?” 

If they pose this question regarding God to me, I usually tell them, “I don’t think God is doing this to you.”  And if I have the kind of relationship with the person in which I can be very honest, I will gently, sympathetically say, “This might be a case of ‘you reap what you sow.’”  

Those who are willing to be honest with themselves will recognize this truth when they confront it.

That's What I Would Have Done, Too!

I was sitting at a tiki hut listening to a band when all of a sudden I was hit on the side of my head.  I didn’t see it coming and, in fact, I didn’t even know what I was hit with.  It startled me and the impact caused me to spill some of my iced tea.  (I know, many of you are probably crying at such a tragic mishap.  Try to keep it together for another minute, or so.)

It turns out I was hit with a bean bag.  I was sitting near the area where some folks were playing bean bag toss.

A young boy (maybe 5 years old, or so) came running up and said, “I am so sorry, sir.”

I smiled and said, “It’s alright.  No problem.  It was an accident.”

He looked genuinely frightened that he had hit me—a stranger—while playing the game.  But out of the corner of my eye I could see that his sister, who looked to be a couple of years older, was literally falling down laughing.

For just a moment, while she was laughing I thought, “Hey, what is this?!?  The nerve of that girl.  Her little brother hits me and causes me to spill some of my iced tea and she laughs about it?!?”  In my momentary indignation I thought, “It seems pretty rude!”

But then I quickly realized, “Give her a break, buddy boy.  That’s exactly what you would have done when you were her age.”

So, I turned to tell the kids, “It’s okay.  I’m not angry.  I’ve done similar things.”  But when I looked back to where they had been playing they were both gone.

Then I laughed because that’s exactly what I would have done when I was their age, too.

E-Flash From Dan, January 5, 2014

Dear E-Flash Friends;

Hope you are having a wonderful new year, so far.

I‘m hoping we will make a commitment for 2014 to gather with God’s people and worship the Lord with love, joy, truth and gladness.  That sounds like a good plan, doesn’t it?

On Sunday, January 5^th—the first Sunday of the new year—Chris will be teaching on “The Passover” from the Exodus story.  This is one of the crucial aspects of God’s activity as He delivered His people from slavery in Egypt.  It is an interesting and powerful story.  You won’t want to miss it.

The worship team, as always, will be providing wonderful music to help lead the church in honoring the One who deserves our praise!

Hope you are making plans to be a part of this great time of coming together and worship.

Love and blessings,

Dan

P.S.  If you haven’t had a chance to see my “Zip Line Course” video, take a moment to click on the link.  It’s less than a minute in length.

Link…   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBoWrU7A4mk

The Purpose of God's Laws: To Protect Us

Yes, God has rules or laws for living life.  But even though this can be hard for us to acknowledge, sometimes, God’s laws for living are not meant to restrict fun, or inconvenience us, or prevent us from the full experience of life. 

There have been times (too many times) when I believed that the best option for me involved a choice of action that would violate God’s laws.  I knew God’s way but I thought my way would be better, more fun, safer, easier, more pleasurable, more helpful to me, more effective, etc…

I have an extraordinary capacity for rationalizing the things I want to do.  How about you?  This is also known as self-deception; except when I’m in the midst of rationalizing something.  Then I know it as, “Gee, it’s amazing how smart I am!”

I have not arrived at some point of perfection, however, I have come to see that the purpose of God’s laws are to protect us and to protect that which is sacred.  I sincerely encourage you to take a moment to ponder this reality.  In fact, I will repeat the thought:  The purpose of God’s laws are to protect us and to protect that which is sacred.

If we will think honestly and carefully about this I believe we will recognize it as truth.

He loves us, He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He wants what is best for us.

My Alliance With Pickles The Scaredy Cat

My sister-in-law’s cat, Pickles, is the most nervous, frightened house pet I have ever seen.  She is afraid of everyone and everything.

Over time Pickles and I have developed a tenuous and unlikely alliance.  She will sometimes stay in a room that I enter—at a distance—and permit me to look in her direction.  I can’t look at her directly, mind you, or she will dash from the room.  But she will tolerate a sideways glance.   (…If I’m standing very still.)

Beyond that, in recent days, she has amazingly enough given me the time of day by occasionally allowing me to pet for her one second, or maybe two.  Maybe.  Note, I did say “occasionally.” 

(The petting is infrequent and brief.  Much like my haircuts are getting, these days.)

But at all times it is still obvious that Pickles is firmly convinced I will kill her the first chance I get.

I’ve tried to tell her, “Pickles, I’m not going to hurt you.”

But she gives me the look that says, “Uh huh.  Sure.  That’s what you people always say.”  Then she runs under the bed and keeps a cell phone nearby poised to dial 911 if I try anything suspicious… like, say, breathing too much.

The Zip Line Adventure Course

I undertook the challenge of an adventure course that included climbing rope ladders and cargo nets; transversing suspended vertical logs and wobbly footbridges hung high in the air; maneuvering along climbing walls; and propelling across zip lines.

                  Click here to see some video highlights of my adventure!

The park where this challenge occurred has four courses which get progressively more difficult and higher in elevation.  We were told in the training video that the experience was designed to be challenging and it was not expected that everyone would finish all four of the courses.

After completing the first two courses and doing the final zip line which runs the length of their sizable property—the Triumph Zip—I found their advice to be true.  I was tired.  But I thought I probably had the strength and energy for one more course.  “Let’s go!”  I told myself.  “Make the experience worthwhile!” 

So, I skipped the third course and went to the fourth course.  That makes sense, right?

(Don’t laugh at me and shake your head.  That was a rhetorical question.)

Approximately half way through the fourth course—high up in the trees with nowhere to go but forward to the conclusion of the course—I asked myself, “What was I thinking?  What have I gotten myself into?  Why didn’t I just stop after two courses since I knew I was tired?”

Answering those questions required energy, however, so I put the thoughts aside and moved on.

As I was crossing a line—imagine a high wire only there are mountain climbing carabiners attached to cables to prevent falling to your death—I came to a point where a large hoop must be climbed through on the high wire.  (That’s right, a large hoop on the high wire.  It’s supposed to be challenging, remember?)   When I lifted and extended my leg to an unnatural position in order to crawl through the hoop the muscles in my thigh began to cramp.  I was still on the high wire when this happened and I probably had a third of the course yet to complete.

Oddly enough, my response to this unfortunate position was to begin laughing and in fact I was laughing to the point that I almost lost my footing on the high wire.  Although a good laugh is fun and amusing—and really nice when you’re sitting comfortably in a chair—it is not at all helpful when you are 45 feet in the air on a high wire.  If I would have lost my footing I would not have fallen to the ground because of the carabiners.  However, I’m not sure I would have been able to pull myself back up to the high wire because the nature of the challenges on the course are such that the upper body muscles become very fatigued.  Did I mention that I was tired?

So, if I would have lost my footing while I was laughing with my cramped thigh on the high wire it’s possible that I would have had to call out, “Guide!  Guide!  Guide!” as per the safety instructions.  Then the guides would have climbed to my position and rescued me.  I had not seen anyone who needed to be rescued the entire time I was at the park.  I did not want to be the one who required this embarrassing assistance.

In the training video they said there was no shame in needing to be rescued and, in fact, it could even be a fun part of the day’s adventure.  But that’s not how I wanted to have fun.

Fortunately I made it to the end of the high wire and was able to continue on and complete the fourth course.

Half an hour later I was safely carried home on a stretcher by several girl scouts who were working on some type of merit badges.  (I should note that this is not an embarrassing form of assistance, however.)