Excited to go the day before… I wrote on the board in our apartment. A pic of Kristen, Kevin, Tim, and I with the guy that hooked us up with all our snow boarding gear!
We (Kristen, Kevin, Tim & I: World Racers) woke up amazingly and met Joshua, Dayne, David, & Josh @ 6:45am. It was a 2 hour ride up into the mountains. A few times the thought that I was actually going Snow Boarding crept into my mind and made me feel anxious. However I quickly put it out of my mind … Saying to myself "Deal with each moment as it comes." I just leaned against the window watching Serbia go by. I drifted in and out of naps (to fight off motion sickness) and listened to the others in the van talking.
We arrived right on time 9am at a nice ski resort. First we stood in a circle and prayed … thanking God for the day together. Then we all got suited up and walked to buy our lift passes. ! Walking in ice … Ugh! I was having horrible flashbacks of my falls in Romania last month. I was super careful and uncomfortable. Kristen was helpful and encouraging though. She carried my board so I'd have one less thing to worry about as I cautiously stepped through the slick ground. While Kristen & Josh were buying the tickets I stood with the rest of the guys feeling so excited. I looked out at skiers coming down the slopes and lifts going up. It looked so awesome… Nothing I had ever seen or done before. The weather was perfect and beautiful. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky. Just big blue sky, bright shinning sun, and sparkling white snow everywhere. I took a few pics.
Then we headed to the lifts. Julie (serbian ministry contact) had already told me the lifts here were amazing and nothing to be concerned about. I believed her even though others had said that getting on and off them can be the scariest or hardest part for beginners. I figured it can't be that bad if millions of people do it. I had no doubt it was something others made worse than it is. I was right.
The lift ride up the mountain was great! I felt so blessed. Wow, I'm going snow boarding in Serbia. It was so peaceful and majestic up there. Nice Serbian music was playing from The speakers on the lift. I couldn't stop feeling so thankful. A part of me just wanted to stay on the lift all day. I also knew that as soon as I got off… the relaxing peacefulness would be gone. It would be game on!
Kristen agreed to be my snow boarding coach. She wants to actually work/ coach at a snow boarding park. I had no idea what i was doing but figured maybe with wake boarding under my belt I would do okay. Everyone kept saying it's nothing like wake boarding … and it isn't. I spent more time in the snow on my knees or on my butt. Falling in the snow hurts and having to stand back up each time is exhausting. Kristen was so encouraging telling me "you got this girl!" & complimenting Me on the skill she could see, each of the few seconds I was up on the board. I was just so unsure … I felt she was just being nice. I couldn't figure out how to stop or slow down on the board. So I just kept falling either from over reacting a stop or on purpose. I fell on purpose most of the time because I would get going so fast and feel out of control or would be coming up on skiers and wasn't sure I could maneuver around them. Kristen stayed with me patiently encouraging me… Telling me stories of herself and others she trained and claiming I was already better. "you got skills girl" She said "my first time I ended up mad and walked down." I started thinking about walking down … That sounds great!!
There was an internal battle going on in my head. My tailbone hurt so bad from falling at least 20 times on it and I was loosing the strength in my arms to push myself back onto my board. Maybe I should walk down ?
Thinking:
I tried .. I snow boarded!
It's too hard!
I'm hurting and weak!
I'm 36 years old!
I'm from Florida!
Every excuse was racing through my head. I watched the guys go flying past me down the run for the third or forth time. I asked them … How much farther is it until the end. They said "your about half way." Oh God … Seriously? … IT'S BEEN TWO HOURS.
I sat in the snow frustrated almost to tears but I was not going to cry! Every time I fell I would grab my scarf and wipe snot off my face .. Still battling a cold. I knew crying would just make me snottier ..getting me no where.. And weaken my spirit. So what do you do when you fall down (in any situation)? Get back up? No, before that!
PRAY!!!!! So I did.
Then, I thanked Kristen for how amazingly patient and encouraging she was being. I felt bad. Everyone was having fun and she is stuck with me. I told her after this I would go sit somewhere and let her go. She encouraged me to just board to the next orange cone (30 feet away) Then if I wanted I could walk the rest of the way. I got to the cone and force fell. The guys (kevin & tim) were coming down the slope again and they sat in the snow with us. I needed to gain strength. They decided to encourage me and stick back with us this time. I got back up again after a chatting break.Thinking "I can't walk down! That would be failure!"
Kristen boarded with Kevin the rest of the way and Tim hung back for a few mins with me. Then I fell and was alone. I had to do this there was no one there to complain to now or feel sorry for me. I couldn't justify walking down. I told myself … Stop falling just stay on the board and GO!! I prayed again, probably out loud this time. "God, I'm so weak but I know with you I can do this!" Then a Serbian guy skied up to me and pulled me to my feet. I tried to apologize, feeling pathetic, saying "my first time!" He didn't understand English. He just lifted me up, smiled, and skied off. I had to wiggle my board to get it moving. The snow was super fluffy here and I was in a kind of a plain before the next decline. I took off and boarded for at least 100 feet … Wow, my longest run! Again I fell on purpose because I was too close to other people and didn't want to hit them. The snow was different here. I liked this snow soft and fluffy. Much better than the hard icey stuff I had been on. Falling didn't hurt as bad and I felt more in control of my board! Once there were no other skiers around me I stood up and just went for it. I boarded all the way down to the end of the slope where Kristen was waiting and cheering for me. Then as promised I took a cappuccino break and let the others go have fun.
I felt proud. I did what I came to do. I didn't give up … I snow boarded my first slope! Ouch… My butt hurt so bad! They had blankets at the cafe. I put one on my chair to sit on. My whole body was shaking … a combinaion of muscle fatigue and adrenaline. I sat on an outside deck sipping my drink, people watching, enjoying the weather, and watching the slopes. No regrets … So glad I didn't quit.
Thank you God for picking me up (Serbian Stranger) and fluffy snow!
There was a cute couple sitting at a table next to me. They were kissing, cuddling, and taking pictures of each other. I offered to take a pic of the both of them together. Then they asked where I was from and what I was doing in Serbia. We talked very shortly because of the language barrier. One word you don't say in Serbia is missionary. Serbia has had very bad experiences in the past with missionaries. I do say.. I'm a Christian, traveling the world, meeting the needs of others, and sharing bible stories about Jesus! I handed them one of my cards with my blog page Internet address.
Soon my whole group was sitting on the deck with me. We relaxed for a short while sharing snow boarding stories. Then it was agreed that we all should get back out and stop wasting the perfect day. I was very hesitant to put myself through that again. Kristen encouraged me with reminding me of how well I had done the last third. I told her it was because the snow was nicer there. Then Tim said .. The snow is like that everywhere now.. even at the top. I wasn't sure I believed him. I hoped it was. I thought I'll never have this opportunity again. So I grabbed my board and went again.
The snow was fluffy at the top and everywhere. This raised my spirits. I did much better this time. I got down the mountain in 1/3 the time and only crashed into one old man on skies. Fortunately, it was me that went face first into the snow. The old guy was fine and even came back to make sure I was okay. LOL! (Tim had been getting video of me snow boarding. Tim and I are both disappointed that this was not captured.) Tim stayed with me this time and encouraged and cheered me all the way down. Tim was on skies and had never snow boarded. He was perfect at sensing that I needed someone who would be hard and non-sympathetic.
I learn best through independently overcoming (fears / failures) and being alone with GOD …
in snow boarding and LIFE!
Right after my second run everyone wanted to go immediately again. The lifts would close in a half hour. My body was exhausted and tired. The 36 year old in me said "No!" but my ego said "Yes!" So up I went again… Even though I could feel my legs were wobbling just standing. We all took some fun group pics at the top of the mountain. Kristen and I took a great picture of us looking hard core! lol
Proverbs 16:18?
Then we began boarding again. It was probably my second fall and close to the beginning of the run when I knew I was hurt. I laid there in the snow thinking … This is bad! I told the others "I'm really hurt … I think I should stop" but there were only two ways to get down the mountain … Board or walk. Neither seemed ideal except boarding would be quicker. So with Tim verbally pushing me to keep going I painfully made my way down. He also threw snow balls at my face if I sat in the snow more than 15 seconds after every fall. It was an amazing day of pushing through with good friends & God! I was spiritually filled up in so many ways! Despite my injuries … If I could go back in time .. I would do it again (minus the last run) in a heartbeat because it was so inspirationally metaphoric to my life and relationship with God!
Thank You God for a Very Blessed Day to Grow & Play!
