Sleeping Bags, Staircases, and The Tango

PART 1:

This past Friday we had dinner with some old friends. 

Hopefully you know the kind of friends I’m talking about. 

They’re those people with whom we have a long history of laughter, tears, major fights and reconciliation, and the comfort of knowing that, at the end of the day, we love each other. 

Even though their kids are older than our kids, Brehm, Elijah, and Alanna LOVE playing with them.

This is always good when the parents want to hang out and talk in the kitchen. 

**Side note**

Why is it that people always wind up in the kitchen? 

And, considering that this seems to be a universal given, why do architects insist on designing homes with formal living rooms? 

I’ve never understood that. 

Just make a giant kitchen with comfortable chairs. 

But I digress. 

So, like every other “hang” time, the adults were in the kitchen when we heard:

THUMP THUMP THUMP then laughter.

THUMP THUMP THUMP then more laughter. 

We investigated. 

The kids were “Staircase Sledding”. 

If you have children and you have never heard of this game, then allow me to explain.

Wait. 

Before I do, I’ll issue this warning:

If you’re a worrywart like me, you might want to pre-dial “9-1” and have your finger ready to push the final “1” before you continue reading. 

OK. 

Everyone ready? 

Good. 

Staircase Sledding involves two kids getting into a sleeping bag together and flinging themselves down a flight of stairs. 

All parents of small children can press that “1” now. 

We came around the corner just in time to see Elijah (who was shoved into the bottom of the sleeping bag) and Brehm flip, roll and bounce down a very long staircase, then crash into our friend’s youngest daughter who was covered in another sleeping bag at the bottom of the stairs. 

Of course our boys thought this was great fun. 

I thought this game should be called “Kill Daddy With A Heart Attack”. 

We told them to stop and explained to them that they could get REALLY hurt or dead.

They looked at us as if the only thing that was getting hurt or dead was their good time. 

 

PART 2:

Several years ago, Laura and I served at a camp in Northern California called the JH Ranch. 

Besides playing on the worship team, during the day, I was a “Tree Lizard”. 

That meant that I spent my days harnessed, forty feet in the air, on a small platform helping campers transition from the ground to the high ropes challenges. 

One of the events was called The Tango.

It consisted of two wires that got further and further apart. 

The campers had to lean on each other for balance. 

When they started, their hands were on one another’s shoulders.  By the time they reached the other end, they were almost parallel to the ground, arms stretched out, and leaning their full body weight on their partner’s hands. 

I’ve done it.

It’s terrifying.  

The interesting thing about it is, that the most natural thing to do is bend at the waist to keep your balance. 

This is also the one thing that will make you fall.

 

PART 3:

Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 both say the same thing:

“There is a way that seems to right to man but in the end it leads to death.”

I used to share those verses with campers who were about to do The Tango. 

It’s also the verse I thought of when my kids were staircase sledding. 

In both cases, the most dangerous thing was the thing that seemed like a good idea.

And so, what’s scary to me about this verse is the phrase, “seems right”. 

It’s scary because, if I’m honest, there have been too many times that I’ve assumed that the “Christian” thing to do was whatever made sense, was logical, or seemed wise to me.

I’ve trusted in my gut and not trusted in my God.

And that’s the “gospel” of common sense. 

Not The Gospel.

It’s following my instinct instead of following Jesus.

And those verses are clear.

Listening to that “good head on my shoulders” will find me in a sleeping bag….

..tumbling down the stairs.