They Are Red for a Reason!!!

Dear BB’s and Happy Asses,

One day when the gulf was particularly ferocious before a pending storm I looked off a balcony to see many tourists getting in the water. There were red flags and double red flags and to add to the milay there were sheriffs with bull horns warning people to get out of the water.

I remember thinking, have they lost their ever loving minds???? What the heck, Don’t they know they are putting not only themselves in jeopardy but also the poor responsible life guards that would feel the heavy weight of jumping in after them. Sadly we have had too many tales of people trying to rescue and then losing their lives because people ignored the obvious red flags.

I was quite indignant and a tad bit self righteous and I remembered as I thought of it how many, many times I ignored red flags?  I mean they were so red and there were more than double and still it was not enough to keep me out of treacherous situations.  I tried to wish them away!!! I thought I could rescue said people that were holding red flags.  I did anything and everything BUT HEED the red flags.  I had friends with whistles and horns and I still dove head first!! 

And the sad truth is that NOT Once and I mean not once have I ignored those blazing and blaring red flags have I said to myself, “ That was a great choice, I am glad I ignored all obvious reasons not to go in that churning water.”  Every time I came out tossed about by the waves of life and more than once I had to be rescued or pay the consequences of ignoring the flags.

I wonder how many times us humans have to swim parallel to the shore until the current stops churning and we can float safely in?  For myself I wish I could say that I am cured and as soon as I see a red flag I run the opposite direction but alas I still think that just this one time I can save myself or others when the best thing for all concerned is to just stay out of the DARN water. Take the day and go have a picnic for pity’s sake just stay on the shore!! 

Just like our TDC has those hopefully life saving red flags to warn us to stay out, I think God does the same with us. I think if we listen, I mean really listen and then the next thing we obey that signal we can be saved from many a tossed about life.  

Much of what I have learned to hopefully get me to pay attention to that wonderful warning system we have in our spirit has come from, reading, studying and praying.  The problem comes in the application of these lessons.  Us humans are a funny lot and we tend to learn more by jumping in.  I am hoping with more practice and a steady life guard system I will be better at staying on the shore. 

Oh how thankful I am for all of you!!! I hope one day I can be the one with the bull horn on the shore saying please don’t go in and you will listen and we can all just have a nice bonfire on the beach and enjoy the warmth and the lessons we did not have to learn!!!

I love you all so much!!!  

Grateful,

karen