Sunday Day of Adventure

I have two main "goals" that I want to accomplish by the end of summer.  They are to go paintballing and wakeboarding.  Saturday I was going to go paintballing for the first time ever, but it ended up storming and I couldn't go.  BUMMER!  Sunday, my Pastor started a new series that seems to be interesting.  It's actually part of a series that goes along with a book that will go along with some small groups that will be forming in our church.  It's cool to seem my church branching out in such a way.  For the most part they don't do a whole lot of small group stuff, so it's neat to be able to see that growth.  Unfortunately, I can't really be a part of the small groups because by the time they start I will be going back to class.  Thats okay though, I am thoroughly enjoying the young adult group that was started at my church.  We had an unexpected guest two weeks ago start attending.  He was a guy that I used to go to school with and haven't seen in 4 years.  I always viewed him as kinda a punk who was way into alcohol in drugs.  I can't say that he's changed (because I don't know) but he definitely is deeper than I would have originally thought.  To be honest, I was uncomfortable with him being there the first week.  It was actually kind of selfish of me to be uncomfortable.  In my mind, this is my small group.  I want it to be full of hardcore passionate Christians so that I can grow.  Thankfully, the second week he came I was much more comfortable.  I have no idea why he is coming, it really doesn't seem like a  place he'd normally go.  However, he is going on his on free will.  He does rarely attend church on Sundays, but I think thats just because his girlfriend and girlfriends mom sometimes come.  Either way, it is kinda cool that he is coming.  Perhaps we can really reach out to him and he will experience something amazing through our little group.

Anyway, after church there was a birthday party for a little girl who attends our church (she turned 13).  At her birthday party my parents got talking to some of their friends from church and ended up making a play date at their house.  They live on a sizable pond and own a boat.  Of course, my first question was is if they had a wake board.  Disappointingly they didn't, however, they did have water skis, a double tube, a knee board, and "airchair"???  I figured well, this is better than nothing and I can even try slalom skiing -- which I figured has got to be close to wakeboarding.

I had only been water skiing once before so I am no pro by any means and the first time I did it after I got up I had no idea what I was doing.  I got up after the second try and was able to go over 2.5 miles and go in and out of the wake a view times before falling.  I couldn't believe how tired it made my legs.  My brother then tried with limited success.  Then my mom tried, and the last time I saw her try was a few years ago during my first try.  After a number of falls she never got up back then and ended up with a nice bruise.  Yesterday, she ended up getting up for a little bit and was satisfied with only a mild bruise on her arm.  Then, surprisingly my dad decided he had to try once.  I don't even know how long it's been since he went water skiing last.  I knew three things right off the bat.  One, my dad used to be really good at water skiing.  Two, he is no where NEAR the shape that he used to be in.  Three, my dad is recovering from a back injury and going to PT for it.  They told him he can do whatever he wants until it starts to hurt.  So, here is an old "pro" who hasn't skied in forever who is out of shape and has a hurt back.  Well, that didn't stop my dad.  He got up on the first try!  This was amazing.  It was like watching my dad from a past life.  I haven't seen my dad do anything like this in my ENTIRE LIFE!  The closest thing I've seen him do was a small wheelie on a motorcycle.  Anyway, he went for a few miles and even tried a slalom course.  Shortly afterwards, I think he started to feel it on his back, but he wasn't going to go down without a bang.  Before quitting he tried to kick off one ski and begin a single ski run.  This only lasted a few seconds before he couldn't place his back foot and fell into the water -- unharmed.  This was a spectacle to see.  Certainly I was impressed and this was beyond anything I could have imagine.  He got up like he was riding a bike, weaving in and out of the wake way better than I could and I am half his age (probably my age is the last time he water skied!).  Before I end with my Dad's tail I would like to mention he is certainly not over the "loss" of Zoey, his granddaughter.  My sister got on video chat with Zoey the other day, and my mom said my dad couldn't really watch it without crying.  And that he didn't want to let "her" (Zoey? My sister?) see him cry.  So yea... he's still not doing too well there.

 After water skiing me and my brother got on the double tube and had the ride of our life.  The guy driving the boat loved to try and knock people off.  The first time I was only knocked off cause my brother landed on me and I was like what the crap is on me... oh... its Andrew.  The second time we were on there was a time that my brother was like falling off with one arm.  I wanted to keep the ride going and I saw his one arm go up... So I held on with my right hand as hard as I could and with my left hand I forced his hand on and was like hang on brother.  It was pretty epic and they were watching from the boat.  After it was all done my mom said I don't think you two have had that much fun together in a long time... if ever.  Shes probably right... and the saving my brother thing was pretty fun and entertaining.  My mom was like "well now you can't say you never saved your brothers life" haha.

After this, my brother tried water skiing again with limited success, and I tried slalom skiing (one ski).  To my disappointment, and despite it looking easier, I could not get up.  I may have been tired, but I was sad that I couldn't to get up.  I figured it was the closest thing I could do to wake boarding... but oh well maybe next time.

The last thing I tried was something called an air chair.  Now this is a crazy experience.  I cannot describe the contraption in words so a picture is going to have to say a thousand for me.  

When you get that thing up out of the water it's crazy.  It was really hard to get up in the first place but I think that if I could have gotten it up I more often I could have figured it out better.  Anyway.. you are like weightless on top of that thing.  You feel like you are flying and you even LOOK like you are flying.  Then, like in the picture you can make it jump and flip and stuff.  The thing looks incredibly dangerous and I was reallllly wary about getting on it.  I don't like the idea of being strapped in or constrained that tightly.  I like being free and able to escape if need be in any situation.  But once I was actually trying it, it felt really safe.

In the end, I forgot one really big thing.  I get sick when I get too much water up my nose.  So last night I could barely sleep, and today, even now I can barely breathe... even with Claritan D (sp?).  I will be ok in a few days, but it really messes with my sinus.  This happened to me last year when I went whitewater kayaking.  It sucks, but I'll live, and for the most part it was worth it.  Especially to see my dad having such a good time, and for letting my mom see me and my brother together enjoying life and not fighting/arguing.

Sorry this post didn't have much to do with God.  But then again, everything doesn't have to be directly about God.  God wants us to enjoy life, we (my family) were enjoying God's creation using man's technology through God given minds.  Besides, I am still contemplating a future blog that I mentioned last time.  Enjoy Life!

Your friend, brother, and companion in Christ,
-Zachary Haas