Sorry for the Belay....

Exercise and exorcise are two very similar words.

Need I say more?

Anytime I try to do some various form of exercise, I feel like I'm trying to get demons to leave my body. I writhe back and forth, sweat my bum off, and scream things that don't make sense.

I tried rock-climbing the other day.

Do you KNOW what rock-climbing is? DO YOU EVEN KNOW?!?! You see these people in commercials climbing the tops of mountains, with no moisture on their foreheads, looking as though they have barely exerted any effort. They make it look heavenly.

THIS IS NOT WHAT ROCK CLIMBING IS.

We went to this "top-secret" rock-climbing place (I call it top-secret anytime I can't find something without my GPS) inside of a silo right next to a dog-food plant. (Sounds like the beginning of a Lifetime movie, am I right?) We walked into this amazing facility where they had harnesses, special shoes, and bags of chalk. I knew we were either going to climb some rocks or do some very risque sidewalk graffiti. After paying a rather small amount of money, we walked into the rock climbing area. We made the AWESOME decision to go on Youth Night, which should be called "Embarrass Newbie Adults By Destroying Their Self-Confidence Through the Visual Slap in the Face of Spiderman-Like Children" Night. These kids were crawling up the walls like arachnids on crystal meth. I couldn't believe how easy they made it seem! Definitely built up my "let's do this" mentality. I had chalk all over my hands and I was ready to go.

I am a waitress. I lift heavy trays for hours at a time. I am well aware that my upper body strength is 10x the average human being's. I AM WAITRESS. HEAR ME ROAR.

"OH MY SWEET MOSES."

I had barely even pulled myself up the first ledge when I realized that lifting your body with your hands and knees is HORRIFYING. Who knew one could look so thin but be so heavy underneath all my ridiculously good-looking muscle?

I thought I'd reached the top....I could almost smell the metal of the bell we rang when we got to the top of our wall, when I chose to look down. That's so weird....the people didn't look like ants like I thought they would....they still looked their regular size. Also, they could reach out and touch me if they wanted. I was only four feet from the ground.

Really? I mean, really?

Also, I was exerting more bodily fluids than I cared to admit. No, little children, I had not gone swimming right before entering this place of death. I was just sweating. Sweating unGodly amounts, all over my yoga pants. That chalk was turning into play-doh, and I could do nothing but hang my head in grief.

Needless to say, I'd go again.  Moving four feet probably burned 2,000 calories, so without doing much of anything, I worked out quite a bit. And for $20, I certainly wouldn't mind it. But I'm not going on Youth Night anymore. I'm going on Rookie Night.


While waiting my turn to climb, I noticed a young lady reaching ridiculous heights. I followed her rope down to another young lady holding tight at the bottom. They call it "belaying" someone. They're able to climb higher and with more confidence in their ability as long as someone is at the bottom, holding them steady, giving them verbal encouragement, and watching them to make sure that they have help the moment they're needed.

Are we a friend that belays? Haha....it sounds interesting enough, but really? It was a random thought that crossed my mind at the moment, but it's straight truth. There's a saying that says, "Be kind to everyone, because everyone's having a hard time." Each and every one of your friends either has gone through, is going through, or is about to go through an extremely difficult time in their life. The knowledge that someone is standing with them, holding them steady, giving them the encouragement that they need and being there the moment that they start to let go allows them to get through and accomplish things they wouldn't be able to without you. I suppose this can be directed in any relationship in life. Consider it, think on it. I hope we're being a support system rather than a shallow one to those who need it most.

Pop it, lock it....OH HECK NO.

:phone rings:

"Thank you for calling Geico, how may I help you today?"

"Hello, my name is Kendra McBee....I locked my keys in my car."

"MY NAME IS KENDRA TOO! KENDRA POWER!"

"Wooooo....Kendra, this Kendra needs her keys."

"I can't believe it, I have never spoken to another Kendra on here."

"Well I'm so lucky I LOCKED MY KEYS IN MY CAR so that I could be your first one! How do I get my keys, Kendra?"

"Wow...Kendra....so crazy to be talking to another Kendra! Let me get you some help."

I can't have a normal conversation on the phone. Not when it's urgent. Anyone else, call the number, give the policy number, get the keys. Me? No, it ends up being a weird random conversation that causes slight tension in Kendra's shoulders (the one who locked her keys in her car, other Kendra seemed to be doing great) and patience is encouraged as she allows Kendra #2 to get out the excitement of speaking to someone with the same name. Crazy....maybe we should be Facebook friends.

Anyway, I needed to be somewhere STAT. I have never locked my keys in my car before. I've had that blessed Bonneville since 2007. I always have my keys when I need them. Only when I'm on my way to someplace URGENT does this happen....and only when I need it taken care of URGENTLY does God laugh and put Kendra on the phone with Kendra, prolonging the solution to my problem.

The ministry is a lot like that day. Frustrating sometimes, but we laugh about it later and realize where the blessing was. I can't use this story if it didn't happen, I can't compare this to my spiritual life it Kendra hadn't spoken to Kendra.

When I locked my keys in my car, I was stuck in a tough situation. I knew who to call to fix the problem, my only job was to call and notify them, and expect them to fix it for me, because I had insurance.

When I find myself stressing over situations in my life or ministry...finding the time to work with people, having difficulty accepting that some teenager or friend might be making the absolute wrong decision, realizing that I am not the one in control of my life, missions, or much at all, I know Who to call to fix the problem. My job is not to fix it, but to rely on the One Who can and wait for the results, until then, I just need to keep doing my thing....I don't call it insurance, I call it assurance. And it's good, really good.