Help! I've Fallen, and I Can't Get Up!

A Butterfly at Calloway Gardens

James 4:10

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

It's not everyday you're lying on your back pinned like a butterfly to cardboard to the high school's gym floor by uneven parallel bars.

I had time to reflect on how I ended up in that position as the girls' basketball team worked on their "suicide" drill in the middle of the court.

Coach Hill had told me the uneven parallel bars was a two-person job to set up and dismantle, but I, as manager, wanted to pack up early that snowy January night because I had to ride my bike home, and I still had homework to do. It was already nine o'clock, and I knew I'd be up late.

The girls were behind the bleachers working on Isotonic exercises for muscle strength, so they couldn't see me. I had put up the vault and balance beam.  All I had left was the uneven parallel bars, which were anchored into the floor by four cables.

I examined the cables and bars. I figured if I could loosen each cable, then gravity would help me gently set the bars onto the floor, and I'd be set for home.

I easily unhooked the first cable but immediately realized my arms weren't long enough to steady the bars as I unhooked the cable. The bars began to lose a little stability. However, I was undaunted. 

I released the second cable, opposite the first one. The bars rocked more. I became more concerned. I reached out and grabbed the lower bar to try to steady the bars.

Wow! I thought, these things are heavy. They were also unbalanced, so no way to retrace my steps and undo what I had done. I had to finish the job.

I released the third cable. As soon as I unhooked the cable, the bars lost all stability, and I learned what Newton had discovered about gravity.

As the heavy bars descended toward earth, I tried to stop them with both hands placed on the lower bar. However, the weight of the bars pushed me backwards, straight as a board, until I was buried by both bars.

I pushed with all my might to remove the bars from off my body to no avail.

Eventually, I had to call for help. The girls at mid-court running their suicides paused to look, then burst into raucous laughter when they saw me pinned under the bars.

Several of the girls came to my rescue. They helped put the bars in the equipment room, and, of course, the girls' basketball coach told my coach what happened.

I learned about humility that night. I had to humble myself before my friends and my coach. I learned I don't know everything, and I disappointed my coach, which I had never wanted to do.

God has seen me in many ridiculous situations in life, but I wonder how hard he laughed when I was trapped under the uneven parallel bars?

I'm also sure He helped dry my tears on that long, dark, snowy bike ride home after I got yelled at by my coach.   
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Lord, thank you for loving me, even when I am so full of myself I can't see straight.