Don't Be Too Serious, Take a Dive !

       I sat down on one of those plastic pool chairs breathing in the sticky humid air around me. I fumbled over a pamphlet I had just  picked up by the the locker rooms to drop my 16 year old off at his college swim class. I turned to the fall semester page. " Should I do this ?" I mumbled to myself. I had asked my son just last week, " Would you mind if your old mom joined your class in the mornings ?" I didn't want to embarrass him. One has an image to maintain after all at age 16. He shrugged his shoulders and said, " I don't care mom, why would I mind?"
       Knowing I had the okay from my son and hearing the " You gotta do it !" , from my husband. I now had just one person left to give the green light, myself. That's right, my own worst enemy. I love swimming, so it wasn't that, it had a lot to do with the suit I would wear in my less than perfect body. Mind you I was saying this to myself while watching a 70 year old in goggles and a swim cap do laps. Pretty much I sat there watching my son perfect his skills, while I made excuses why I shouldn't join in.
       Don't we do that often as moms, make excuses? I can't do this because I'm too old, too fat or too tired. I can't serve there God because I'm under qualified or just afraid. We don't dive in. We look at ourselves and not at God at all. We make an excuse, and then we miss out.
       I looked at my son, I was so proud of his progress. His speed in the water had improved and he looked strong and confident. I was so glad that a year ago he took on this challenge. I looked at myself again ( which is rarely healthy) swallowed my pride and made a decision to dive in next fall..
       Dear Mom, sometimes we can be our own worst enemy, I know I can. We get excited about a project, sport, ministry or adventure, only to excuse ourselves by saying, " You know that suit just won't fit me perfectly!" We sit, and we wait for the perfect moment, the perfect body, or the perfect set of circumstances and we just don't dive.
         As a serious mom I can learn a lot from my carefree kids They are not afraid to try. My daughter taught herself piano and guitar and now takes Irish Step Dance classes doing 1.2.3's that make my head spin. My 12 year old son joined a survival class, he was the only kid in the room, and I believe the only one who still had hair that wasn't graying. My 16 year old just joined our church softball team even though he hasn't played on a team ever, or played softball for that matter, ha !
        I love my kids because they teach me to take a dive once and awhile. This fall semester I hope the college is ready for a thirty something, not in the best shape woman to enter the pool. I will be next to my son ( okay 3-4 lanes away ) , for sure next to a 70 year old in a floral swimmers cap, but the point is I will be in the pool. Thanks to God and my kids I am ready to dive in.
        What is it Mom that you have longed to do for some time now, but won't ? Are you looking more at yourself than to God. Are there opportunities infront of you but you keep making excuses, so you never take them. From one serious mom to another I hope that you will dive once and awhile. Let's both start by diving into his Word everyday and asking him to help us look to him more. I hope you have a not so serious week.   Love, Danielle

Let me share a verse with you that I have recently memorized, because blush, blush, I look at myself way too much. Psalm 16 :8  I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
How wonderful to keep you eyes always on the Lord, or set the Lord always before you as other versions say. If you need to look at him more and yourself less I encourage you to memorize all of Psalm 16. This passage has helped me many times.