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Last week, my husband jumped out of an airplane.  This time, though,the point he was trying to get across could not be done from the safety of a stage or from behind a pulpit. The message was too big, too risky, too important. He called me week before the stunt and I could immediately tell something important was on his mind. "Hey babe," he said. "Hey." "How's your day going? Are you having a good day?" "Yes. I am...Why do you ask?" "Well, um...I was wondering what you'd think if I jumped out of an airplane...." "HUH? WHAT? Wow. Well, someday I think that would be fine. Would you mind picking up some milk on your way home?" "Friday. I want to skydive on Friday." I was dumbfounded but, surprisingly excited for him. I felt inclined to allow him the space to experience pure- adrenaline -rush- only- supplied- by- insanity. I'm proud of the fact that we're generally a risk taking family. We deal in adventure. We do roller coasters, we hike, we do marathons and triathlons. We prize toughness. We sometimes forget to wash our hands. Skydiving was a new addition to the list but, I said I would endorse his escapade with one condition. I wanted to be there. After all, someone would have to collect his broken bones if the chute didn't open..... So, Friday, the kids and I traveled to the airport with Mike to watch him fling himself willingly from a perfectly good airplane. He had to sign a waiver. You know, that document that lets you know that if anything happens as a result of your OWN CHOICES, the operator of the COMPANY THAT PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY, is not in any way liable for anything catastrophic that may or may not happen. I shouldn't have read it. It was not what one would call GOOD FOR THE NERVES. Here are some exerpts: "Jumping out of an airplane is a very dangerous thing to do. Please do not ever say that we told you skydiving is safe. It is not." It goes on to list the different injuries one can sustain from skydiving, "broken legs, angles, wrists or fingers," and "death from hitting the ground too hard." He signed it, kissed me and our 2 kids and boarded the airplane. Just as he was heading out to the air strip, we spied this quote on the wall: "Take risks not to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping." This prevented me from begging him to return immediately to the car. The kids and I watched his plane take off, watched it disappear in the clouds, and watched a tiny white speck plummet toward the earth. I was mostly calm. At least that's what my kids would tell you. Inside I was desperately trying to quiet the crazy raving lunatic telling me that I would never see my husband in one piece again. When the parachute deployed, we could see and hear him clearly. Relief flooded by soul. He made it down safely and I was able to breathe normally again. You can watch thevideo at the link below. So, why did he jump? What was the point he was trying to prove? Overlake is heading into a huge, mind blowing vision campaign. The campaign itself is not mind blowing but, it's goals are. Goals like 1,000 slaves set free, 2,000 orphans adopted into loving families, 1,000 churches planted, 50 Community Health Centers to combat HIV/AIDS...... We're asking our congregation to give of themselves in a way that many of them never have. We're asking them to take this risk with us and give of their time and resources in sacrificial, radical ways, even in the midst of this crazy repressive recession. We're asking them to trust God. These things, my friends, are why I let my husband jump out of an airplane. |
