The ride

The ride

     "Hurry up,"the boy yelled up the stairs.  "I've made reservations and we can't be late.  We need to be leaving right now."

“I’m coming.  You know not to rush me.  This is a special night.”

He had arranged with her boss to get her off work early, but she did not know that.  He had texted her right after lunch and had asked her to see if she could get off early, that a special opportunity had just came available to him.  The truth was he had made arrangement months ago for a special one year anniversary dinner, one that they had talked about doing someday but she would never had guessed that he had planned such a special afternoon.

“Dress casual but warm,” he had told her.  “You might even bring a sweater.”

That had stumped her.  Where could he be taking me that demanded casual dress and a sweater?  Ice skating?  No, neither one could ice skate?  Surely not cave exploring.  He know how she hated small places.  

“Come on.  We’ve got to go”

She checked her hair one last time, grabbed her sweater and headed down the stairs.

“You look wonderful,” he exclaimed as she walked down the stairs.  Every time he saw her he still was in amazement that she would have agreed to go out with him and and even more amazed when she said yes when he asked her to marry him.

As they walked to the car he told her, “ I need to blindfold you so you can't see where we're going.  I want it to be a total surprise when we get there.”

“Where are you taking me”, she asked.

“I'm not saying’” he said.  “It is a surprise as he opened the door to the car.”  Once she was seated he handed her and bandana to cover her eyes.  “Be sure not to cheat,” he told her.  She smiled and said that she could not see see.

He drove around for a while before he headed towards their destination.  He wanted her to be totally surprised when he removed her blindfold.

She was totally confused.  She had tried to imagine where he was taking her but all the driving had really messed up her sense of direction.  Finally she just gave up and relaxed in the car.  When he reached for her hand, she welcomed his comforting hand holding hers.  Finally the came to a stop.  She felt a wave of excitement as he turned off the car and told her to wait, that he wanted to get her out of the car before she took the bandana.

He opened her door and led her several steps.  He gently whispered in her ear, “Happy anniversary, sweetheart,” and he removed the blindfold.

She screamed in excitement.  Before her was a hot air balloon.  They had often dreamed of taking a ride together, ever since that had watched “Up.”

Dinner will be served up in the air, he said to her.  He opened the trunk and got out a picnic basket.  I've packed our favorite sandwiches, peanut butter and strawberry jelly,  with plain lay potato chips and our favorite drink, Dr. pepper, ice cold.  Come on.”

It felt like she was walking on air as they made their way to the gondola underneath the balloon.  The pilot helped her climb over the wall of the basket and as soon as they were settled, he pulled the cord and the flame ignited and the balloon began to rise.  Other than the sound of the burner heating up the air inside the balloon, there was only the sound of the breeze blowing the balloon.

The sights were amazing.  As they slowly rose they could see the city and though the breeze was blowing them away from the city, they could see the little house they were renting.

They sat down around the small table that the owner of the fballoon has placed there and they opened the sandwiches,chips and the Dr Peppers that he had brought for them.  The pilot would occasionally ignite the burner to keep the balloon in the air but other than that sound, it was peaceful and so quiet.

They engaged the pilot in some small talk after they had eaten but really nothing of importance.  They just stood, holding hands and looking at the incredible sights.  As the sun began to lower on the horizons, the views became even more spectacular.

Neither had paid much attention to how the balloon operated, they were so enraptured with the beauty they were witnessing.  The hills and valleys, the shadows as the sun began to lower on the horizon, the farms that dotted the landscape and seeing it all from the ballon, from high above the ground.

There was now warning, no dramatic grabbing of the chest, no last minute words, the pilot just slid down the side is the gondola and he was dead.  They both rushed to his side but it was obvious, he was dead.

"What do we do,"she shrieked.  "Do you know how fly this balloon or whatever you do to it?  How are we going to get down?"

He reached into his pocket and opened his phone.  “Thank goodness for the nations largest coverage area.”  

With that he dialed 911 and explained to the person who answered the phone that they were in a hot air balloon and that the pilot had died.  

"We don't know how to bring this thing down.  Can you help?"

So what do you do when you find yourself in trouble?  You know, when you are way in over your head and you have no idea what to do, how to get down, how to save your life's?

Let me give you three suggestions.  

 1.  Admit you're in over your head

         A.  For most of us, pride keeps us from seeking the help that we need

                  I.  We can do this on our own, we do not need help

                  II.  The truth is that we need help to navigate the challenges of life

          B.  We all need to realize we cannot save ourselves

                  I.  I cannot on my own change my life enough to impress the Lord.  His standard of perfection is a standard I can never meet on my own.

                  II.  We all need help

2.  Call on someone who know how to rescue you.

          A.  There is someone to help

                    I.  He is alway willing to listen to your call call for help

                    II. He knows the answer to the problems you 

         are facing

          B.  He may not rescue you but he will provide the strength to handle whatever comes your way

                    I.  We cannot always get earthly forgiveness for our actions but we can get eternal forgiveness

3.  Do whatever they tell you to do.

          A.  If you have come to the place that you realize that you cannot save yourself save yourself, then when you callous for help,  do whatever they tell you to do

                    I.  Many of us struggle with the same problems because we do not follow the instruction that we are given

          B.  And we have to continue to follow the instructions.  

                    I.  This is a lifelong discipline that we need to develop if we are going to navigate the challenges of life.