Skydiving and Walking on Water

It was something I had wanted to do for as long as I could remember. And I had wondered: If given the opportunity would I have the pluck? Could I do it? Or Would I bow out gracefully?

It was one of those deals that I’d think about for a while and then I’d put on the back burner. I’d dismiss it as foolishness or immaturity or testosterone overload.

Time would go by and then it would hit me again.

About 8 years ago, I found myself thinking about it in earnest. And I decided: “Dog gone it, I’m not getting any younger. I’m going to do it.”
So in 1999, in honor of my 35^th birthday, I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane.

Now, you need to know that from the beginning I had my doubts.

The night before I was scheduled to jump I spent some time talking with God.

Was I being foolish?

Was this some sort of mid-life crisis?

Was I trying to regain my youth?

I knew in my heart that there were several reasons for me to jump and God had given me a green-light.  (Contrary to popular belief, God isn’t the Pleasure Police. He does give us permission to have fun and enjoy our lives.)

My bride and children were out of town.  So it was me and a fellow staff member who decided to jump.  About 7 or 8 people went to cheer us on, or pick up the pieces, or something.

I woke up that morning with some misgivings, nothing major, just a few doubts gnawing at me. But overall, I was cool about the deal.

That is of course, until we got to the airfield.

The airfield looked like something out of ‘Green Acres’. (For those under 30: read as old and rundown.) The whole complex wasn’t much bigger than a very small farm. I was hoping for something a little bigger. Something paved. Something that looked like it had electricity and running water.

Ever notice how your doubts have voices of their own?

(My doubts woke up.)

“This is not good.”

“Turn the car around.”

“Go home.”

“Go read your Bible. Do something spiritual would you?”

“It’ll be fine” I told myself. “I’m cool.” “It’s all good.” “People do this all the time.” (I don’t think Myself was listening.)

So we park and go inside.

The first thing they have us do is watch this instructional video.

I said to the guy: Pardon me, but I thought somebody would take us through the process step by step.

Guy: No worries. It’s all on the video.

(This is not good.)

So we watched the video very closely.

Then dudester comes back and says: Before we go we need you to sign a few forms.

We sit down and begin signing these forms. There are about 12 of them and they all basically say the same thing. My estate will not hold the jump school liable if I become a stain on the airfield.

Inside I’m hearing: “Run Forrest, Run.”

We go outside and over to the hangar to gear up.

In come the jumpmasters. These are the folks we will be jumping with, because they don’t let you jump on your own the first time out unless you do Advance Free Fall training which costs a lot more and takes a lot longer.

So this short, gray-haired, hippy-looking, entirely-too-happy fellow walks over and introduces himself to me.

“Hi Ron, I’m Newfie. I’ll be jumping with you today.”

I think: Newfie? Newfie? Great. What kind of name is Newfie? Is he living under an alias? Newfie. What is that like Twiggy?
All of the sudden I had a vision:
        Here lies the body of Ron Willoughby.
        He died while jumping out of a perfectly good airplane with Newfie.
Know what I find fascinating?
I find fascinating: The speed with which doubt gives way to fear. Ever notice how the act of doubting lends itself to being afraid?
And how fear and doubt together can keep you from doing what you’ve always wanted to do.

Or, if they don’t stop you, fear and doubt will, at the very least, sour the experience while it’s happening.

So instead of enjoying the thing you’ve waited a long time to do, you get to the point where you just want to get it over with

A couple thousand years ago, there lived a man named Peter. Peter was a follower of Jesus. And Jesus is the Son of God.

Peter was having an incredible day following Christ.

In fact, he and the other disciples must have thought that this specific day was the day that never ends. It was that packed with challenges, successes, and failures. It was one, long roller-coaster of emotions.

The day started off with Jesus learning that His cousin John the Baptist had been beheaded.

So, Jesus takes the boys so they can be alone. I suspect so He could have some time to grieve the loss of His cousin. So they all get in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. But by the time they get to the other side of the Sea a crowd is already waiting for Jesus.

And it’s a big crowd. Better than 5,000 people are there waiting for Jesus.

Jesus has compassion on them.

He heals their sick and infirmed. He cares for those who have been over-looked by society.

He teaches them about God’s kingdom, which is very different from the kingdom in which they currently live.

He teaches them about love, hope, life and most importantly, life with God.

The crowd stays there with Jesus and the disciples the entire day. Not wanting to send them away hungry, Jesus takes 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. He gives thanks. And begins breaking up the fish and bread until all in the crowd has eaten and had their fill.

By now it’s late in the evening, so Jesus has the boys get into the boat and head back to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, while He stays and dismisses the crowd.  After the crowd leaves, Jesus goes up on a hillside to be alone and to pray.

Well, the boys get about halfway across the Sea of Galilee, when this squall kicks up out of nowhere.

Try as they might they can’t row their way out of this storm.

They fight against the storm for hours.

They fight against the wind until the wee hours of the morning, but no luck.

They’re fatigued.

They’re scared.

They’re disheartened.

And you won’t believe what happens next.

In the midst of the storm, the high winds, and the relentless waves,

Jesus comes walking out on the water to them.  (Yes, you heard me, Jesus was walking on the water.)

Here they are in the fight of their lives, quite literally, and they see this figure: maybe a man, maybe a ghost, strolling on the water.

Of course, no one has ever heard of a man walking on water, so they’re pretty certain that on top of all their other problems, there’s a ghost coming to visit. They cry out in fear.

Jesus: “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Now, it’s about this time that I suspect everyone in the boat gets a brain cramp. Their heads are spinning.  Don't get me wrong, they have to be relieved that they hear a familiar voice, but at the same time, who ever heard of someone walking on water?

And then it happens: One of Peter’s finest moments.

Peter shouts over the din of the storm:  Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.  (I think I would have said:  Lord if it's you, get in the boat.)

Can you believe it?  Peter wants to walk on water with Jesus in the middle of a squall.

 Has to be one of the gutsiest things I have ever heard of.

“Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”

 

To be continued. . .

Comments

[donnie]

I'm with Dave. I've heard of a halftime, but this wait for part 2 is killing me. C'mon Ron, go to your office, throw some darts at your mini-dart board, drink some coffee and get this thing done. The world is waiting!

[Dave]

Hey, Ron. My bride celebrates a birthday with a 0 in it this Friday. I'd love to surprise her with a post from our expatriate brother. You could go the meaningful, if brief, Happy Birthday + hugs and kisses + "you look so much younger than that lump you married" route. You could. But being a staunch advocate of the higher road I expect you'll opt for something like Part II. Of course, it's completely up to you. The notion of bread on the waters and you being younger than either of us so you're planting the seeds of the gift you'll receive in turn in due time shouldn't enter into the decision at all. Yunno? Not a sermon, just a thought .

[Donna Taylor]

I sure do wish I would have been with you guys that day. I still wish I could have done that...I'm not ignoring you.

[cheryl]

I missed your posts, too. Been missing your stories on Sunday and just miss your smiling face! The US may have won the war but the English got Ron...boo hiss! :) Love you. Keep writing please, please, please.

[donnie]

Makes me realize why I always liked hearing you preach. Also makes me realize how much older you are than me, given that I'm only now 35! Riding in a Russian taxi is as risky as I'll be this year. Hope that doesn't put me on your "wimp list".

[Ron]

Thank you Debra, I'm glad SOMEONE appreciates my return. :)

BTW Ed, when you get a little older you'll come to realize that the font isn't supersized. It's simply the smallest I can read without my glasses.

[Debra]

So glad you're finally back! I've missed you, too. :)

Hope you are doing well.

[Ed]

Just because you supersized the font doesn't mean you are off the hook for the month long break.....

[Dave]

I wasn't about to take credit . Anyway, as always, you're well worth the wait.

[kathryn]

okay, didnt understand your comment there, but i saw the name raquelle, who i miss like millions, and dave, who i miss as well, and i miss his caesar salad also. but this is all irrelevant.
in fact, i cant even remember what i was going to say, so bye. x

[Ron]

OK, so here's the first installment of what might prove to be 3 entries. Before anyone jumps to the wrong conclusions, I posted because Raquel, who is so very sweet, misses me, NOT because Dave goaded me. (Well, maybe a little because of Dave, but mostly Raquel.)

Love you guys.