Forever on your side...

Like 90% of Americans, or possibly humans in general, I set forth this morning to start the new year on a positive note.  I want to be healthier and happier and more like Jesus in 2019.  So, the first thing I wanted to do this morning was go for a walk.

Thankfully it wasn’t raining because I loathe the treadmill.  So I threw on a sweatshirt and my tennis shoes, and right before walking out the door, I decided to ask the kids if they wanted to join me.  They got new bikes for Christmas, so Jax and Paxton decided they wanted to ride their bikes along beside me.  Knox just wanted to walk though.  He likes to hold my hand and walk and I’ll let him do it for as long as he wants to.

So we started on our walk/bike ride.  We were almost to the one mile mark of our journey when Paxton had her first bike crash.  She took the turn a little too quick and went down.  She hopped right up, a little shook up but not too badly bothered.  She got right back on her bike.  We hit the one mile mark, and turned to head back home.  Jax and Paxton rode ahead, and Paxton was riding faster, trying to keep up with her big brother.  Knox and I walked behind them, still able to see them always, but they were getting smaller and smaller as they got farther away. 

Then I saw it happen.  She crashed again, but this time it was much faster and harder.  I saw her go down and I raced toward her, just knowing that she was going to be bleeding and have busted teeth from hitting her face on the pavement by the time that I got to her.  She laid in the road.  Screaming.  Crying.  I couldn’t get to her fast enough, and Knox ran toward her too.  Jaxon had turned his bike around and was heading back toward her too and he got to her right as we did.

I picked her bike up off of the top of her.  I picked her up and brushed her off.  Thankfully there was no blood like I had suspected.  There was just tears.  A lot of tears.  I hugged her and held her for a few minutes as I tried to calm her down.  As she was crying with her head on my shoulder, I realized two things.  Number one- I couldn’t carry her back home.  It was too far and she is too heavy.  And number two- we were somehow going to have to get her bike back home because I felt certain there was no way that she would be brave enough to get back on it.

So I asked her, “do you think you can get back on your bike and ride the rest of the way home?”

Through tears, with her bottom lip protruding she just shook her head “no.”

And that’s when I saw the coolest thing happen.

Her brother, Knox, the stubborn 7 year old that lives to fight with his little sister, spoke up and said “well, can you ride it home if I walk beside you and hold onto you?”

And then Jax said, “and I’ll ride beside you…”

And her little head perked up, her bottom lip went back where it belonged, and there were still tears all over her cold little red cheeks, but this time her head shook “yes.”

So she stood up.  Knox held her bike steady and I picked her up and placed her back on the seat.  And she rode home.  With one brother walking beside her, his hand never leaving her right handle bar as he constantly steadied her.  And with her other brother riding protectively alongside of her and making her feel surrounded and safer.

And I couldn’t help but think that this was the way God planned for things to work all along.  When one falls, the others pick her up and travel beside of her, steadying her, surrounding her, and rallying for her all the way Home.

You’re not as afraid of falling when you know there is someone beside you that won’t leave you alone and that’s going to help hold you up when you’re too scared and weak and hurt to do it alone.  You feel braver and more confident too.  It’s easier to stay steady when your brother has his hand on your handlebars and he’s assured you he’s not going to take it off. 

“Oh I don’t know what’s around the bend.
Oh, all I know is that my love, it knows no end…

All these pieces they fall in line
Because I’m forever on your side
Take my hand when you can’t see the light
Cause I’m forever on your side
I will carry you every time
Because I’m forever on your side
Oh I’m forever on your side

They’ll beat you up
But don’t let them keep you down
You’re always tough enough
And I’ll always be around…”