A chance to leap

I think I totally weirded out my parents on Sunday. I leaped for joy, a pitiful little one-legged leap that was nonetheless full of joy and worship. And I choose to rejoice and thank God for this circumstance, because it is a chance to experience more fullness of His abundant grace.

Sunday afternoon after church, we had the most wonderful opportunity: A man from church took us out on his boat to water ski on a nearby lake. Ah! It was so much fun! I had water skied once before, when I was 15, so I didn't really know what I was doing, but I was able to get up on my feet on my second try, and we zoomed off down the lake. Pretty soon I discovered how to cross back and forth across the wake of the boat, and before long, the daredevilry in me came out and I was jumping as high as I could when I would go over the wake. (Don't get any ideas of this being anything dramatic or impressive--I was not strong enough or skilled enough to get much air.)

But I wiped out, and my left ski acted like a screwdriver on my leg, twisting my knee in a rapid jerk. Something popped. I fell limply onto my back with a moan, holding my knee. The boat circled back around to get me, and my dad helped me climb up the ladder on my good leg. I spent the rest of the time sitting in the boat with my left leg stretched out on the seat and became the official photographer while my siblings performed dramatic and daring exploits on the water skis and the slalom ski.

Mr. Long, the owner of the boat, dazzled us all with his exploits on the slalom ski.

Dad looks on with interest and pride in his athletic kids

So now I'm hobbling around, enjoying the support of a borrowed knee brace. I suspect it's a case of "there goes my knee forever."

Sunday night when I got home, I verbally thanked God and did the best leap for joy I could manage. My dad saw me and didn't know what was going on. "Just be careful, now," he cautioned me. I smiled to myself, leaping in my heart, looking forward to what God is going to do.