I'm pretty sure I was swimming before I could walk. Some of my first memories are of my mom–herself an unbelievably good swimmer–teaching me to kick while I held desperately to the wall at the shallow end. Once convinced to leave the edge of the pool for the deep end, I fell in love with the independence of swimming, of being one of the first ones down 100 yards of clean, clear water. For years, no matter which new Army base my family currently resided on, I knew that three afternoons of my week would be spent face first in the water.
Ever since then, I've been one of those girls who views water as something to dive into, rather than someplace to sunbathe beside. I get too excited about being fully submerged beneath the waves to worry about whether my hair is in the perfect messy bun or if my butt looks big in this one-piece. In the water, I'm more beautiful than a mermaid. I'm stronger than a rip tide. I'm as free as any fish.
Water is for me.
I spent most of this afternoon looking up at the world from the bottom of a pool, watching the glassy surface ripple and break with divers and belly-floppers. I heard myself laugh–a strange thing when everything is so silent around you–before shooting towards the sun for air.
Don't get your hopes up. This isn't going to turn into some great theological discussion or extended metaphor about faith. In fact, it's fairly safe to say that this post isn't really about anything at all… except maybe just to recognize that my moments beneath the water were the first still moments I've had all week. It was the first time I didn't feel attacked since coming back from Training Camp.
The Enemy knows that the LORD is doing something big in my life and lately, he's been on the warpath to destroy it. (Oh you stupid being… don't you know you've already lost this fight? Don't you know that your end is near?) And the LORD knows I'm under attack… so He gave me this afternoon under the water where I felt beautiful and strong and free.
There's something to be said for that, I think, and that something is
Oh, Praise HIM. He is HOLY. Oh, Praise HIM. He is STRONG. Oh, Praise HIM. He is COMPASSIONATE. Oh, Praise HIM. He is GOOD. Oh, Praise HIM. He is GREAT. Oh, Praise HIM. He is LOVE.
