So, by now, you are surely asking yourself what happened next. At the very least, you are telling me to “GET TO IT ALREADY – WOULD YA??!!?!?! I want to know what happened next.”
My friend and I decided to head in the direction of the campsite. Why go away from it. Surely something would show itself soon. Surely there would be a way to get across to the other side. At the very least, if we could get close enough, we could scream for help. Help from anyone except Mr. Park Ranger! That’s pride for you.
We started heading west, walking through bushes, under tree canopies and the like, making our way to civilization. About a half-hour in and ready to rest, we spotted a big bridge in the distance.
Hallelujah!! We are not only jumping up and down, but we’re also running now like cheetahs through the forest to get to this bridge. This was our ticket home, and we were getting to ride for free.
When we got closer, we noticed something very different about this bridge. This wasn’t your standard bridge that cars ride over, bikes cross, or people walk over. This bridge carried trains. That’s right, it was an old concrete train bridge, and it spanned the river.
Recall the 30 to 40 feet long? This bridge was even wider than that. Do you want to know what was different about this train bridge? There was no solid bottom; instead, there were a lot of empty spaces. It wasn’t like your grandma’s train tracks behind the old mill road. Oh no!
What are we going to do?
As we’re standing there looking at the bridge, we hear people screaming at us from below. We looked down, and there in the hunk of junk dingy is our two friends, paddling around like they were on some moonlight cruise.
“What are you doing?” they shouted.
“We’re trying to get back over to the other side,” I shouted back.
My panicked friend yells back, “Jump in, and we’ll pick you up in the boat!!”
Uh – NO!
I am not jumping 30 feet into a brown river, only to MAYBE be rescued by a panicked girl who was freaking out about a little water in the boat earlier. Hello, the boat still leaks, and besides that, we already knew my weight caused it to leak more. There was no way she could hoist my friend and me into the boat and not tip all of us. I shouted back, “No, that’s ok, we’ll figure it out.”
“Oh, jump already!! Are you scared? Chicken, chicken, bawk, bawk, bawk,” arms flapping and waving in the air.
My friend the rower chimes in, “Jump; you two will be fine. It’s only water. You have shorts on; you’re not going to lose your bottoms in the water!”
Are you kidding me? Just wait till we get back to camp! Surely they wouldn’t have done a half gainer into the river either!
Well, that only leaves us one choice…… We have to cross……the train bridge…….but wait, you have to read the rest of the story……tomorrow…… because it is too long to leave you here……
Let’s pray.
Father, God, sometimes we let pride get in our way. People give us advice or simple suggestions, and we refuse their advice and help, and we try and go it alone. There are times when we refuse your help and guidance and choose to go it alone. Lord, there’s a verse in the Bible, in Proverbs 16:18 that says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Lord, help me to know when pride creeps in, and your glory moves out. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
In His Service
Jeanette
Recent Comments