The Edge

I loved going out and hanging out with my friends! it was a lot of fun for me! We would stay out and play basketball, watch movies, play games or just sit and talk until the wee (or sometimes not so wee) hours of the morning! it was a lot of fun except the fact that they all lived on the other side of town, and I would have to drive to their places for all the fun and festivities! I remember one day (if I remember correct it was a Monday in march (it will be significant latter on I promise)) we were watching basketball and playing games! we continued playing board games, card games, party games! we got really good at  group charades and taboo! not to brag or nothing but the team I was on seemed to be the winning team every time..... coincidence? maybe.... well we continued to have fun as it got later and later! it always seemed to work without fail that every one would decide we would watch one last movie/or episode of a favourite TV show and break after that! and so we did! well when I left my T-shirt and shorts were welcomed outside with a fresh blanket of snow! why was I in a T-shirt and shorts the day had been a nice warm day so I was dressed for that! well I got into my car (actually not my car at all but my parents mini van... but you know close enough) and started to drive off, creating fresh new paths in a blanket of snow (one of my favourite things to do!)

Perhaps this diagram will help!

(stay with me here this next part will be hard to explain!) well what happens when new snow lands on warm pavement..... it melts! (here is where the march part becomes relevant) what happens when melted snow (AKA water) gets cold with more snow on top.... well we call that Ice! so recap, we have the street with a layer of ice on it with a layer of new snow on top of that..... for those of you who don't know what that means I will tell you! that means the roads are s slippery mess! you can't go to slow.... or you get stuck.... but if you go to fast.... you end up in the ditch! (are we all on the same page right now, pretty much i am driving a death machine down an rigged road!) (just wait it gets better) to get home from this particular fiends home I leave the community and take a left turn onto the highway! (keep waiting it gets better) this particular stretch of the highway spanned a coulee (or a really deep ravine)! which would have been okay but it was also under construction so the heavy duty guard rails..... were taken down! (okay another recap death machine, slippery roads, sketchy left turn, and a doom drop sound like fun yet?) well as I was making this turn I started to drift sideways towards this ravine (just so my mother is aware I should mention that No, I was not speeding and Yes I was obeying all traffic laws) I kept on slipping and the thought "this is the end, I am going over the edge and going to die.... this can't be the end! I have so much to do" and yet it seemed to be the end! this all happened in a about 10 seconds of time but seemed to be an eternity! I am not going to say my life flashed before my eyes (that would be a lie) but I will say that I was legitimately concerned about going over the edge into the snow chasm beneath and being there until someone found my dead (or mangled) body the next day! I remember having that panic in my mind until another thought entered "well, I guess now is as good a time as any!" the thought was had for just a few moments and my car (my parents mini van) caught traction and I drove away safely!

the rest of the ride home I reflected on the peace that tangibly entered the car and my body when I caught hold of that thought! It was as real as could possibly be! literally a feeling of love and care! I reflected as to why the thought, "I guess now is as good a time as any" could bring such peace! I was stopped at a red light when it clicked (as I remember the light turned green at the same instant it clicked... so it was my little light bulb moment...... it was pretty cool) the conclusion I came to was that it was faith that overcame fear!(2 Timothy 1:7) I knew I was not perfect but I was certainly doing my part to become better, I believed in the atonement of Christ and knew that as I rely on Christ and did his will all would be right in the end! and so my fear was rectified by faith in Jesus Christ! and that is the way it must be! Faith in Jesus Christ is the antidote for all fear! it is as simple as that! our acting on our beliefs in him is what will bring us peace! my relief came not just from knowing there isn't really a convenient time to die but also because the thought itself was acting on my belief in Gods Promises! Faith by nature is manifest in some sort of an action and in performing that action, whether it is large or small, is what brings the Saviours peace (John 14:27) into our lives! I know that as our faith replaces our fears we become mightier men (and women....the alliteration was better with men...not my fault blame the English language)

WMI? LET YOUR FAITH OVERCOME YOUR FEARS!