Falling down and getting up.

I got a bike.

I live on a dirt road. A few years ago they paved the first tenth of a mile and the last half a mile. The rest is sand and rocks, usually pretty packed unless the road’s been graded recently. There’s not a lot of traffic and the mosquitoes aren’t bad yet. It’s kind of a bear to ride after it’s rained, but…

I’m not completely familiar with this bike yet. Sometimes it feels strange to ride, it’s hard to get my balance, but for the most part I can’t get the seat right. I can’t seem to get it high enough where I can pedal like a normal person and low enough that I can still reach the ground. I thought I had it figured out tonight.. and that’s when I fell off.

I had all kinds of sand in my tires and I figured I’d better walk. I totally got stuck trying to get off my bike. I had one foot on the ground and I have no idea what happened to the other one, but I couldn’t figure it out and keep my balance at the same time.

I realized later that the strangest thing was going through my mind. I wasn’t afraid of falling, of getting stuck, or even of a car coming around the corner. The only thing going through my mind was the pain I was going to feel when I hit the ground. I could feel where my shoulders would hit the rocks, where the handlebars would hit me, how my back would hit the road. I could feel gravity pulling me down and the sting of the impact the whole time I was trying to get free. I knew I would be okay, maybe a little banged up, but okay.

I was afraid of getting hurt.

Somehow I got both my feet on the ground and I was fine. I have no idea how that happened.

I rode back home and thought about what just went through my head. I was more bummed about being hurt and having to deal with the aftermath than the actual getting hurt part. But I’d be alright.

No matter what happens in life, God is there with us. When we are sick, hurt, down on our luck, heartbroken, terrified, attacked by things we can’t see, afraid for ourselves or our friends, He is there. He holds us in the palm of his hand and makes sure we get through it. He does not leave us abandoned, no matter how much we accuse him of not helping us through our trials. Sometimes the blessing is the trial.

Sometimes you just have to realize that He has the master plan and trust that He will take care of you.

Sometimes it just takes a small miracle to reinforce your faith and help you see that He really is there.

It’s good to be back. So good.