Out of my comfort zone

It was very quiet this morning. The sea was hardly moving...still a little tide in and out, but it was the quietest I had seen it. Hardly no wind, not many people on the beach ( It was 7 AM)

I didn' know what that would mean for the Parasailing. If there was not enough wind, then we would have to wait. Maybe it was wishful thinking.... Parasailing is way outside my comfort zone. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not a daredevil...I do not particularly like heights or not being in control. I don;t like rapelling, not a big fan of rollercoasters and the like.... I feel good with my feet attached to the ground.

Now, on this trip I have made significant progress on several fronts. Take driving for instance. 5 years ago, we came to Florida, and then on to Orlando, up to Kentucky and back to Owasso. Pam drove a total of 30 minutes. In Florida. I let her drive, but I could not take it... She is a good driver, I just like driving and being in control.

However, things are different now. Pam has done alot more driving around Tulsa, since my stroke. I just didn;t like the stress of it. So imagine Pam's surprise when we left Owasso last week, and I said, "you drive." She drove to Ft. Smith... ( 4 times longer than on the trip five years ago). I drove to Pine Bluff. And then she drove another 1 and half hours... The second day she drove about half way. For the most part I was a pretty good passenger. For the most part. I am getting better. I am sure that Pam might have something different to say, but she is seeing the progress.

Back to the Parasailing. Pam mentioned it early in the trip and I said, "Sure." Then I thought to myself, " What are you thinking... you know you will never want to do this." But I put it out of my mind. On Tuesday, I signed up, paid the money and we were scheduled for Friday. On the form we signed it said, "NO REFUNDS!" Not good news for someone who might want to back out. After all it cost more to Parasail than it does to feed 6 people at a nice resturant. So I was committed.

We got out on the boat, and I have to say that I was plotting a way to be the second group up in the air ( there were three couples on the boat). So imagine my paralyzing fear when the guy took our ticket first. Did he know that I was scared? It was probably all over my face.Pam? No fear there...she says, "Bring it on!" She has always been that way. I love that about her...except when it requires both of us... and then I think "How did we get together?" She is great.

So they strapped us in... My confidence was not bolstered when the Deck hand turned out to be the guy that runs the beach chairs outside our condo. He had been drafted, because the other deck hand quit. So it was his first day to get all the straps on us correctly and tell us what to do. He was also learning on the job about how to keep all the cords untangled, and how to tie the knots. The Captain of the boat made sure we understood that he was training this guy. I was not interested in being "trained on." But he did okay.

What a ride. Hooked in, and rising up in the air, above the boat.... 850 feet in the air. It was so still, peaceful and quiet. Pam was strapped in right in front of me, and she and I could talk just like we were in the living room. My knees were wrapped around her side, and I think on a couple of the dips and turned, I squeezed pretty hard. The wind was pretty calm, so it was a fairly easyride... I loved seeing the shoreline. One interesting this about the wind. Because it was so calm, the captain had to take us way out away from shore where there was more wind. We were a long ways out there.... dark blue ocean.... so beautiful. We got one dip into the ocean which was a treat. Then we were lifted up and eventually brought back to the boat. What a ride!

It was so fun... fun to do something that I thought to myself two years ago that I would never do. Fun to do something with Pam that she just really loves. Fun to see the power of God from that distance.

Pam said, " No wonder the Birds like to fly." It was pretty cool.

Out of my comfort zone....yes....But I am going to do more of those kinds of things. Not stupid things. but things that challenge me on different levels... and when I accomplish something like this, I feel good.