One of my student dictionaries defines adventure as a bold, dangerous, or risky undertaking. The second definition, (much more suitable to our family), is an unusual, memorable, or exciting experience. I’m not a jump-out-of-an-airplane kind of girl, but I do like adventures pertaining to the second definition.
I got to thinking about this topic due to an activity Bob and I have done with the girls. Years ago, I’m not sure what spurred me to do this, I had them search for gifts based on the clues I hid for them. When we first began this I believe I was ambitious enough to write rhymes — that didn’t last, but the fun of creating and hiding the clues and the joy of seeing them go on the hunt remained. Honestly, a gift at the end of our “game” is merely the cherry on top of the journey that made the memory.
Did you ever notice what word is in adventure? I didn’t, not until writing this: advent. My student dictionary defines advent as the coming of a new person or thing; we know it as the birth or coming of Jesus Christ and have celebrated it formally during the period of the four Sundays before Christmas. Arnold Ytreeide wrote a series of three advent books that I read with the girls over the course of Christmases when we homeschooled. They were good, quality stories. During those times we also lit candles in an advent wreath and had an advent pocket calendar where they picked a little gift every day; gifts as simple as a piece of peppermint candy, snack, sticker, or a small toy.
The coming of a new person or thing is an adventure in and of itself, right? It’s the thrill of the excitement of the unknown. It can also be with people you know well yet couple it with the twist of a new experience and you’ve got an adventure. By golly, even the turning of a new day is an adventure!
What if we treated our Christian walk like the faith adventure that it is? What if, like the girls with their clues, we took time to ponder the words, to seek, to find, to move on to the next step with anticipation knowing that there’s a gift at the end? And what if we did that during times of trial? Oh, especially during times of trial! Can you imagine what a book or a movie or game would be like if there were no adversity? BORING!!! I don’t particularly care to go through tribulation, but what if I looked for the hidden prize within? Yes, I agree, that is so much easier to do in hindsight. But would you at least humor me and take a second or two to contemplate how flavorful our lives would be if we lived them like they are the adventures that they were meant to be?
Adventure can come in the simplest of forms with people we’re very close to. Case in point: while I was letting my draft “cool”, I was out with Mum and grumbling about having a long wait. She smiles and says, “Consider it an adventure.” She didn’t even know what I was writing!
“Yeah, some adventure; sitting in a car waiting for God knows how long.” One might say I had the crankies pertaining to this errand when I could have been at home taking care of the tasks at hand.
“Couldn’t we just enjoy being together?” she asked.
I smiled. She didn’t know the topic of the blog I was creating yet she was eluding to it . . . and I was grumbling instead of relishing it! I did adjust my attitude after that. It’s not fair of me to bring something to you that I’m not willing to practice. Oh, and further, while shopping with the family that same evening I saw a plaque that had a quotation about adventure on it. I don’t take that experience as irony, I take that as confirmation that this is a current word for all of us. Of course adventure can be more involved than having an unexpected lovely chat with Mum while waiting in line for an hour.
Over three weeks ago Laura and I shared the love of God and Jesus as Savior with a local shopkeeper. Know what? That was thrilling! I didn’t know how or if she’d respond. We ended up having a lovely, lengthy conversation in which she said she would think about what we told her that day. To me, sharing Jesus on that level is one of the greatest adventures.
I’d appreciate it if you’d join me in considering being a little bit more risky in the upcoming future; look for Father in surprise opportunities that bring unexpected adventures. I’ve heard it said that it isn’t the things people did do that they regret so much as it is the things they didn’t do. That’s probably accurate. I caught myself telling Rachel of two instances where I wish I would have at least taken a chance and tried out for the solo part. Yeah, I could have been rejected, but at least I would have tried. So what do you say? Are you willing to join me as we sift through the clues of life, working our way to the prize at the end? I hope so!
LORD, I thank You for bringing us to another Christmas season. I don’t know what those who visit here are facing today, if they find themselves in a season of joy, or sorrow, or somewhere in between; but I pray that all of us would see the true beauty of this occasion: that being Your fathomless love given to man in the form of Your Son, Jesus.
We are approaching a new year and I ask that we may see it for the adventure that You meant it to be. Present occasions of the exciting unknown and help us not to miss them, not even when they’re simple chats with loved ones.
Thank You again Father, for Your grace, Your goodness, and Your mercy to us. We adore You. Amen.
A toast to a very Merry Christmas and an adventurous new year!
God's Word Girl 