Chapter 16 - Skiing
Another free chapter from the book "Bank Chicken. And other spiritual lessons from every-day life."
One spring morning, I went snow skiing with two friends from church. We took advantage of the very last day of the ski season, just before the resort would close until next winter. The mountains were beautiful, and there was still lots of snow to enjoy. The snow pack at the top was more than 100 inches deep! That’s almost eight and a half feet of white, snowy goodness! The trees were all covered with a light dusting of powder, and while the day wasn’t sunny, there were patches of blue sky here and there.
We all got in several satisfying runs down the mountain, with several chilly rides up on the chair lift. Then, as we zipped down one trail on our way to the lodge for some lunch, we decided to take a shortcut. Soon, the snow got deeper, the trail narrower, until we came to an abrupt stop where a bright orange rope was stretched across our path. And not only was there a rope, but a sign: “Trail Closed. Violators lose ski privileges.”
What do you think we did? Of course, we took off our skis and hiked back to the main trail, right? No, but we should have! We didn’t see any danger! It looked safe to us. Besides, this was a shortcut, and we were hungry! So, we climbed under the rope and went ahead, despite the warning.
I began feeling guilty and wondered if this was a bad idea, but all seemed fine as we continued down the trail. That is until we rounded a corner near a steep drop-off and there was a HUGE yellow sign that screamed, “Avalanche! Danger! Go Back!” Suddenly, our fun-filled day of coasting down the mountain had turned into fear, warnings, guilt, and now even a chance of death!
Much later, after we had taken off our skis, hiked a very long way back to the safety of the groomed runs, and were sipping hot cocoa around the lodge’s huge fireplace, I reflected on our experience. The warning ropes and signs we had ignored were there to protect us, not to ruin all our fun. And that’s how we should view God’s laws. He wants us to be healthy. He wants us to get to know Him. And He wants us to get along with our fellow skiers!
For further study:
“Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. I wait for your salvation, Lord, and I follow your commands. I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly.” (Psalm 119:165-167)
“In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3)
Support this newsletter
These book excerpts will always be free, with new chapters sent out each Wednesday to your inbox. I hope these stories inspire you to look for your own spiritual lessons. They’re all around you! Subscribe below so you won’t miss an issue!
You can find my “Bank Chicken” book on Amazon. It’s available as a Kindle eBook instant download or 212-page paperback.
Are you following me on Instagram? There’s loads more content there, including short videos featuring inspirational thoughts I’m discovering every day! Here’s the link: https://www.instagram.com/bankchicken
Thanks for reading, and see you next week with another object lesson!