"Sky, Sea, Sky, Sea!"

My husband has been on a "Top Gear" kick.  For those of you unaware, it is a car fanatics show from the BBC.  There has been a recent American version, but Paul has been hitting back to the original classics he's never seen via streaming Netflix (love that!).  Anyways, on an episode recently watched the three guys were challenged to create an amphibious car...and then challenged to drive the car 40 miles to the English Channel...and then make their "boat cars" go across the choppy and dangerous channel.  It was a hoot.

One of the guys basically put a little fishing boat on top of a truck...unfortunately the steering for the boat aspect was in the back...and he was a rather short gentleman.  So, as he inched across the choppy waters of the channel all he could see (in a panicked voice) was "Sky! Sea! Sky! Sea!"  Now while this was completely hilarious it was also a scary predicament.  The channel is one of the busiest shipping yards in the world.  There were massive ships everywhere...and here he was in a makeshift, homemade, barely sea worthy vessel.  To not be able to see?  Yikes.

It made me think though about how often we try to face life in this way.  As we cross our 'channel' of life in hopes of getting to the other side- often we feel like we are losing our grips, we are losing the battle, all we can see is up and down.  No longer in control, no wits about us.  So what goes wrong?

First- we have a vessel problem.  Just like this chap did.  In order to cross the English Channel you have to have the proper vessel, one that can withstand the environment and get you safely across.  How could a car turned boat expect to cross?  How can we expect to face life in an unfit vessel?  We are a broken, sinful people.  We can't help but want to do things on our own, look out for our own selves.  We can't expect to cross unscathed with a broken vessel, with a broken heart and spirit.  Thank goodness for a CAPTAIN!

Second- you need a good guide.  These guys attempting to do the seemingly impossible needed expertise on their side.  A captain of their ship to help them out.  Sometimes, other people can help us across.  The one vehicle/vessel that did manage to float and make it across ended up towing and rescuing the other two.  People were there to receive the vessel on the other side.  In our lives, we can definitely receive help from others...but we will never feel fully satisfied and protected unless we have the ultimate Captain....the Head of our Vessel.  Jesus Christ can fix what is wrong with our vessel.  He can repair the damage.  He will create a new self giving us the Holy Spirit to help us live with Christ as the head. 

Third- In order to survive those sky,sea moments in life you have to trust.  You cannot anticipate every challenge life will throw.  Even with the Captain heading your newly fixed vessel, there are still old habits to break.  There are still old behaviors that will need to change.  There will still be choppy waters that need to be navigated.  Who can control the conditions?  Only God can.  Not only do the mountains and sea call out His name, but He also knows all that did, is, and will happen to us.  He promises to not give us more than we can handle.  We cannot expect each wave and big ship that crosses our path.  We can only trust and hang on that our God will protect and guide us as we go through the ups and downs.

There are many days I feel like I'm in a "sky! sea! sky! sea!" cycle.  The kids are going nuts, dinner is not coming together, the house is a disaster, I've failed to do basic errands or write a friend an email, the bible study sits unfinished, and all I want to do is watch Project Runway or some fluff show on TLC.  It hit me at about 3 am one morning as my 12 month old cried in the room down the hall struggling to put herself back to sleep that these thoughts came to me.  I haven't taken the time to fully edit them or find the scripture that matches up.  I just felt like writing down my 3am jumbled thoughts and work on the details later.