Why a trampoline makes me pee and what it teaches me about faith

We have a trampoline in our back yard. My kids love it! When I was younger, which was approximately 102 years ago (..I might be exaggerating a tad), I probably would have jumped on it too. Of course during this mom-season of life and from here on out, I fear trampoline jumping will be a limited activity for me. You see, when last I tried it, I peed my pants. Well, not in the way you do when you're 2 and you just let it all go. But with every jump it felt like my bladder was bouncing too and during every downward motion, I peed a little. I couldn't help it! Thankfully, my bladder wasn't too full and I didn't have to leave humiliated. I did however learn my limits...and to wear panti-liners...and to pee first...and to take an anti-histamine because if the bouncing doesn't get you, the sneezing will.

Actually, I can thank my bouncing bladder burden on my kids. I can blame many of my current physical imperfections on them...or, I, eh, uh, I mean, I can thank my sweet babes and God. I can be proud to wear them as badges of motherhood. Ahem, yeah...whatever, gravity sucks. The irony of my trampoline issue is that my bladder was, itself used as a trampoline for each of my three kids during my pregnancies. So, there you have it. My bladder bounces...I supposed I should be glad it's still got a little spring else it be more of a whole other issue which I don't want to think about.

The fact is though trampolines are fun!  It's the freeing sensation of being sprung into the sky making you feel light as air. It feels good. It's fun (when it doesn't make you pee). The hard part for many is learning to get on the trampoline and trusting it...it feels unsteady and your balance is thrown off by anyone else's movements. Then to jump for the first time is frightening...you fear falling or the trampoline not holding you. Some people have no trouble at all getting up there and going for it...it's like Cirque De Soleil with the amount of flexibility and stunts some people can pull off. Then you think, "Well, if they can do it, I'm sure I can too." But the thing for us chickens (...I'm including you with me in this...do you mind?) is that it can sometimes take a while to warm up to the trampoline.

This is how I operate: I need to get on there at my own pace (thank God for daylight savings time),  steady myself (which is hilarious, because I'm off balance on solid ground), yell for everyone else to get off the trampoline as to not through off my mojo (the first thing anyone else wants to do is bounce you and try and make you fall), and start of with a light bounce. After a while you feel like you're in a pretty nice groove and you're feeling pretty good. You might even get sassy and start doing some splits or butt-bounces. (I used to do this sort of thing, but now besides the peeing, I fear I'll break something. I'm not as flexible as I used to be). Then all of a sudden, your rhythm gets off or someone else gets on and distracts you. For me this is where the trouble begins. Before you know it, your bouncing and the trampolines motion are off sync and it feels all wrong and suddenly you've fallen down.

Getting thrown off balance and falling down is scary.

But the trampoline hasn't changed...I have or the activity going on around me has.

Some, after a fall will declare they are done and get off.

Some will get back up and start with a slow bounce again.

Some will jump back on with wild abandon like nothing happened.

I find my faith, in re: to God's plan for me, to be a lot like my response to a trampoline. God's plan, like the trampoline, hasn't changed but I pull away and want to stop when I feel like it's not working out or I'm failing. The people who get back on are having a great time and finding the fun and joy in it. They are not burdened with worry or fear and they are letting the trampoline do it's thing which let's them do theirs. The ones of us who get scared and decide to get off, miss out on all that we can enjoy if we just trust in it. Now, the realist and ER nurse in me also says, "Well, you can also fall off and break something or get seriously hurt". Well, sure...you might. But you can also get hurt trusting people, trusting in yourself, doing housework, driving in a car, attempting to do a somersault on your bed to impress your son...long story, don't ask. Ok, it's not really that long, but it's embarrassing, don't ask. OK, I tell ya sometime...but back to the trampoline. God has a plan for us and leaping out in faith is scary, and wobbly and we feel unsure of our selves....but we can trust God is there to provide the bounce for us and catch us every single time.

I need to spiritually get on the trampoline. I need to trust it...need to trust Him and let Him guide me, bounce me, free me and offer me all the possibilities of perspective that I wouldn't otherwise have from the ground. And this trampoline won't make you pee.