Rappell tower of life

Welcome visitors from my Old Testament class! Today, I learned the ropes - literally! I spent the day on the ropes course here at my job so that I can be a successful facilitator when my first students show up. There's something about climbing four flights of stairs to the top of an open-air tower that adds about 150 lbs to your weight! By the time I got the top of the tower the first time, I had tons of emotion and fear setting in. I won't spoil the tasks of the course for any potential trainees out there who may read this, but understand that the first one was not easy at all for me. However, it was necessary. Matthew's Gospel reads: "Come," [Jesus] said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" (NIV, Mt 14:29-30) I have an inkling of an idea of how Peter felt - though I was harnassed to aircraft-grade cable and my footing was a lot more sure than his. It reminded me of Christianity and a song by Third Day, "Wire". Christ compares it to a camel walking through the eye of a needle as well as a narrow path that we must not stray from. However, just like today, if we stray, left or right, there is a safety harness there - God's forgiveness. It may not be a pleasant experience, but it is a second chance. By the end of the day, I had rappelled a 40' vertical drop, five times and set my own lines for the journey down twice. Not a bad way to spend a brisk wednesday in Alabama!