I started writing this entry about two months ago. Normally, when I write the words flow quickly and smoothly, however, not this time. I had the idea to write about taking risks in life and how we should never be too afraid to jump. It wasn’t until I learned how to put my money where my mouth is that I was able to finish this entry. Funny how that works! So, here it is, two months in the making. Let me know what you think. -Danny
This is the trampoline in my backyard. It was a gift from my mom to our children. I remember the day we got it, they were so excited, they just couldn’t wait to jump. It took a couple of hours to put it together. About every 2 or 3 minutes we’d hear, “Daddy, can we jump yet?” My wife and I got so tired of saying, “No! Not yet!” It became somewhat humorous in that our two kids would say in unison, “Daddy, can we jump yet?” My wife and I began to respond in unison, “No! Not yet!”
Because everything is a song to me, the whole time we were putting the trampoline together, I kept singing Van Halen’s song, “Jump.” I heard these lyrics in my head over and over:
“Might as well jump! Jump! Might as well jump! Go ahead, jump! Jump! Go ahead, jump!”
I remember the first time I heard that song. I was in 8th grade and my biggest risk in life was trying to get away with a mullet that was 3 inches longer than what the school handbook deemed appropriate.
Now, back to the trampoline. Once we got the trampoline and safety net assembled it was interesting to see how the kids warmed up to it. At first, my wife and I had to sit in the middle and not jump because we bounced them too high. It took a quite some time for the kids to let us jump with them simultaneously, but once that happened, it was on! We all loved to see how high we could launch one another into the air. Then we got brave. Mere jumping was no longer enough, so we began to experiment with different types of stunts.
It seems that my kids will try any kind of jump or stunt now but they rely heavily upon the safety net. I constantly find myself telling them, “Stop relying so much on that net! One day it’s going to break and you’ll fall and hurt yourselves.” I’ve often thought to myself, “What would happen if that safety net wasn’t there?”
That thought leaves me asking the question, “What are the safety nets in my own life?” In other words, “What am I relying far too heavily upon to catch me when I’m jumping?” It’s easy to jump when you know there’s a net, but not so easy without one!
I have lots of safety nets. I can find lots of excuses to justify not jumping. One of my biggest excuses is disguised under the auspice of Scripture. Psalm 38:15 is a verse I often hide behind, “I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God.”
I spend a lot of time waiting on God to give me answers. I want so badly to remain in God’s will and do the right thing that I pray for some kind of sign or direction. But a lot of times those things never come. So, I stay on the trampoline, confined by my own safety net.
Today it finally hit me. Often, when I think I am waiting on God, the reality is that He is waiting on me. That’s right, I believe God spends a lot of time waiting on us. He is waiting on us to do the next right thing. He’s waiting on us to stop making excuses. He’s waiting on us to jump!
The biggest thrills in life come from taking the greatest risks. Ask any sky-diver! God-sized opportunities require God-sized jumps, forcing us to abandon our own safety nets.
If you and I want to experience life to the fullest we’ve got to be willing to take risks! It’s a big world out there. You can either jump or stay in your own backyard, on your own trampoline, surrounded by your own net.
Henry James once wrote, “Be not afraid of life, but believe that life is worth the living and your belief will help create that fact.”
What’s your safety net? What are you hiding behind? What are your excuses?
“Might as well jump. Jump! Might as well jump. Go ahead, jump. Jump! Go ahead, jump.”
Tom
Great thoughts Danny! I have definitely come to believe that so often understanding follows obedience and risk, not the other way around. Due to my personality and my human nature I often need to have everything “figured out” before moving forward in life. I try so hard to stay within “God’s will” and avoid choosing the “wrong path” in life so as not to fall outside of God’s will (as if that would happen). In the end, I don’t move at all because I am so hesitant and unsure. I think you’re right- God wants us to take those leaps and trust in his presence and provision…
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – 11:04 AM
Hey D! This is a very inspiring Blog post. It’s so easy for me to get comfortable in my life and JUSTIFY why I’m being comfortable, particularly when it comes to caring about other people at the grocery store, at Target, etc. This really cool youth motivational speaker that I once knew, Clayton King, once said “Feel the fear, and do it anyway”. I so badly want to live by that mantra and to take GOOD risks in my faith and in reaching out to others. The struggle for me is stopping to smell the roses so that I don’t miss the need to take risks in my “busyness”. Thanks for the reminder that it’s important to JUMP when we feel the tug to do so!
Keep sharing! Jennifer
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – 11:13 AM
Hey Danny,
Nice Van Halen reference! It made me think of a time I took my youth group in Hattiesburg on Jr. High retreat in Destin. A lot of us were doing a bungie jump and I was right behind a guy who froze before he jumped and we stood there for what seemed like ages. He kept giving excuses and reasons couching them in humor when bottom line was that he was scared. The sensitive and compassionate worker looked at him and said, “Shut up and jump.” Well a few minutes later he did. Probably wet himself all the way down.
Glynn
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – 11:34 AM
Famous Quotes of wisdom
“Safety net, we don’t need no stinking saftey net.”
Abraham Lincoln 1860
“My trampolin is busted”
Henry Ford 1939
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – 02:05 PM
Danny this is a safety net test. I don’t think you can wait on God. As in “….A man without vision shall perish…” If you have the desire and ability, God will guide us along the path that will give us the most pleasure. We have free will to do the right things toward others in His Name. Now if we could just get the rest of the world to be thy brothers keepers; life would be grand.
Love you my brother,
Rick
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – 02:45 PM
Good insight there. Love the analogy. I often thought of that song too when my kids were jumping. We finally had to get rid of our safety net after one too many times of “relying on it”. Then it became my greatest fear that my kids would fall right off after relying on the net so much. Thankfully that never happened and we gave it away before moving. We may have to get another one someday but for now, they will survive!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – 03:14 PM
Bro,
You brought the word to me this morning! I already felt like I’ve been to church and now have an excuse not to drive all the way downtown to go to church this morning. You hit me pretty good with this one. As I was reading it I felt like you was talking to me and me only. I know you have gotten that feeling in church before. When the pastor is preaching and you feel like he’s talking directly to you and no one else in the church.
This blog is right on the money of what i’m dealing with now. My life is the trampoline and Austin is my safety net cuz. One of my biggest problems is what you pointed out young.. which is wanting to be in God’s will so bad, that I just wait on His signs and directions all the time instead of jumping, taking that risk, taking that leap of faith. When you said that, it reminded me what wrote to a 10 year old buddy of mine in a letter recently. It was basically it starts with belief, and if you have that you can move mountains. That you shouldn’t let anyone, including mommy and daddy tell you that you are not good enough to do anything. Because there is a God that loves you. As it’s important to believe in Him, it’s just as important to know that He believes in you. As much faith that you have in Him, He even has more faith in us.
In saying.. you’re absolutely right! We need to take risks and stop relying on any safety valve other than Him because God believes in us with no doubt in His mind. He has faith in us, so could that be the reason that he traded his life for us?
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – 03:37 PM
Hi there Danny!
This was a great entry. It’s funny that you write it….you see, Amber fell off a trampoline (with no net) Father’s Day and broke her arm. She wasn’t jumping, but walking backwards…not watching. So what came to mind is we do need to stop relying on the saftey nets but also be watching for the pitfalls that are put into our path…and the opportunities. We miss New Song!! Tell everyone we think of them often.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – 09:09 PM
Feel the fear and do it anyway. Interesting thought, Jennifer. So often it’s the fear that immobilizes us and keeps us from jumping. Then there’s the rationalization…I like it here, I’m effective here, I’m comfortable here…why jump? I heard a story about two sisters who were at a water park where you can jump from different levels. One sister carefully surveyed the situation, deemed it safe and jumped from the platform into the water. She climbed back up filled with the exhilaration of having leapt forward and encouraged her sister to try jumping, but she chose not to. Which, is not necessarily a bad thing considering the old saying, “if your friends jumped off a bridge…” However, after watching her sister return safely to the top repeatedly with a smile on her face she chose to move ahead. It was not a push or a thrust that caused her to move, but the trust she had in her sister. Once she began jumping, she didn’t want to stop. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Go ahead, jump!
Thursday, August 7, 2008 – 09:41 AM
I love this, Danny! This is very inspring. I struggle with the same issue in my life…I need to learn to take risks. It is very hard to get me out of my comfort zone. YOu are exactly right- God can only bless what I go out and do. If I’m not doing anything with my life, how can He bless it? We have been discussing a major career change for Chris. After reading this, we’ve discussed and prayed about it some more and we’ve decided to JUMP! Chris starts the Basic Law Enforcement Training program on January 2nd!! 🙂
P.S. You are a very talented writer. I’m glad you are using this gift as a ministry to others. I appreciate you!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, August 8, 2008 – 04:14 PM
Danny,
This blog was right on time, I was just praying to God for help with a problem,then I opened your blog and it hit me like a ton of bricks. As you stated in your blog that “he is waiting on us to jump, for us to abandon our own safety nets. I knew then my prays had been answered. Keep up doing the Lord work, great job.
Monday, August 11, 2008 – 11:41 AM