A Little Foolishness

“I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me!” 

2 Corinthians 11:1

Yesterday the kids and I had a fun little outing.  My friend invited us to her house on Grand Lake to go for a paddle.

You must keep in mind that we’re new here.  You don’t learn about boats in the middle of corn fields in central Illinois.  It was a new, exciting adventure for these Michigan newbies.

I didn’t want to embarrass myself by tipping over before I’d even started, so I was pretty pleased with the almost-graceful way that I tucked myself into my kayak and began to navigate around the shallow bay.

My kids were enthralled with the freedom of skimming across the water.  Jonah, usually my fearless warrior, was a little nervous about heading into the middle of the lake, so we stayed close to shore, peeking into people’s back yards and examining the zebra mussels.

Our turn-around point was a small dam that keeps Grand Lake from tumbling into Lake Huron.  It was a good spot to let the wind bump us up against the wall and to nibble the boxes of theater candy the kids had been given. 

My daughter Emmalyn spotted something intriguing wafting around the lake floor just below us.  Curious, I followed it for a while, paddling in circles to stay close to it.  The water was clear, but its rocking movement made it difficult to focus on the white object.

We decided we needed to know what it was.  I dug my paddle into the sand and grabbed Em’s kayak to keep us in place while she tried to push the object onto my paddle with hers.

It was a complete failure.  Mischievous waves pushed us apart, and the object of our curiosity stayed coyly just out of reach.

Eventually we gave up.  But as I tried to reposition my paddle, leaning to the left to pull it up out of the water, I had the sudden and alarming feeling of disequilibrium.  If I had been an experienced water person I could probably have stopped what was about to happen, but as it was I could only emit one started “Yeep!” before I was dumped into the lake.

I didn’t panic.  I wasn’t afraid. As I flapped about in the water trying to figure out which way was up, one thought, just one, occupied my mind: “Oh, geez.  I bet I look completely ridiculous.”

I trudged over to shore, grateful Jonah had kept us in shallow water, and tipped the water out of my sloshing kayak.  There’s nothing graceful about climbing into a small boat in deadweight jean shorts and wet-mop hair, but I laughed my way into position, shoved away from shore, and off we went.

……..

The best part about falling into the water is that my kids were there to see it.  I’m so glad that they were able to watch me flail and fall, stand back up, snort the water out of my nose, and have a giggle at my own expense.  I want them to learn that sometimes you look silly, and that’s okay.  Ridiculous happens.

There is something to be said for foolishness.  It’s my area of giftedness.  I make a big goober of myself on a regular basis, to the great embarrassment of my family. I just figure that if you make your decisions based on whether or not you might end up looking silly, you’re going to miss out on a whole lot of life.

……..

God is fearless when it comes to looking silly.  Our mighty Creator chooses the most surprising ways of accomplishing His work. A father gives the life of His Son to redeem a bunch of goobers.  It’s downright ridiculous.  Yes, “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing . . . but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Cor. 1:18.

Christ on the cross makes no sense.  But it’s the perfect way, the only way, to make us His.

God doesn’t mind looking foolish in the eyes of the world.  And by being willing to let people think He’s a little bit silly, He gave ME life.  I don’t have to miss out on a thing.

As I flail and giggle my way through life, I cling to the ridiculous love of my surprising God.  We may be goobers.  But we’re goobers who are loved, no matter how silly we may look.

I love living loved. Maybe that explains why I’m going to greet my next adventure with a big old goofy grin.  Even if I end up getting wet.

First printed in the Alpena News, June 29, 2013