The Courageous

There’s something about conquering fear that makes a person feel more alive.

We visited the City of Silver in the Land of Make-Believe and Black Tar yesterday. Son #1 wanted to go to the Fireman Section and run through the water shooting up from the ground.

I told him we would after we plunged down a fifty-foot-tall water slide at forty miles an hour in a convertible log. However, those were not my exact words.

We arrived at the short line for the ride and soon found ourselves sitting inside the plastic metal hybrid log. He kept saying he wanted to run through the water during our wait, which meant he didn’t want to ride the slide.

After he saw a couple of logs go down the slide, his exact words were, “Dad, I don’t want to do this.” Then he heard the shrill screams of dramatic preteen girls, which can strike dread and uncertainty in the hearts of the best of us.

He complained several times that he didn’t want to do this ride. I explained that we were going down the slide and could do whatever he wanted afterward.

At one point, I told him a memory verse he had learned in church. “When I am afraid, I will trust in God.” Then I told him about my first experience riding this plunge as a little boy. At first, I didn’t want to, but I did it anyway. After that, I enjoyed it.

He smiled and said, “Okay, dad. We can do this.”

We climbed aboard the log and embarked on the adventure. Soon we found ourselves in a dark tunnel with only fake fire bulbs as lighting. I explained to him that this was the Minnesota Cuke portion of the ride from Veggie Tales, and we were searching for the lost Ark.

And yes, I have asked God to forgive me for lying to my son.

Anyway, we made it to the backside of the slide. The conveyor belt pulled us up the steep incline, and I put my hand on Son #1’s shoulder as we neared the top. The last thing I wanted was a jumper. Having a man overboard situation would have been my undoing.

We reached the crest, and the front of the log switched from pointing up to pointing down. Then we plunged.

We had been traveling up. When that log tipped forward at the crest, Son #1 did his best to keep from traveling down.

He leaned back as far as he could and pulled back on the handles inside the log.

We reached splashdown, and he rejoiced. He turned around and said, “Dad, I did it!”

“You sure did, Son #1!”

“I trusted in God, and he helped me not be afraid!”

“Way to go, buddy!”

But the overpriced picture we bought shows more than slight apprehension on his face during the descent.

But I was so proud of him. He faced his fear and overcame it. I want to be more like that.
As we got off the ride, I asked him, “Do you want to go again?”

He laughed nervously and said, “Nooooooo way.”

So we went to the kid’s rides for the rest of the day.

to those who face their fears,
– Caleb