Diving deeper.

I have never been scuba diving.  I have friends who took some classes, learned the skills, and have done it.  Me?  I've been in some beautiful waters and have even ventured into snorkeling.  Snorkeling allowed me to see all kinds of beautiful fish and corals.  But I've not yet tried scuba diving.  It's not that I don't want to.  I think it would be pretty neat.  To be able to go deeper than the surface.  To explore the depths, to see the unseen.  I think it would be tremendous.  But it would also be scary.  One has to wear big tanks for air, tight rubbery clothing, and learn all kinds of new things in order to do it safely.

Since the summer of 2006, I have been diving deeper in my spiritual life.  I enjoyed simply swimming in the waters.  I enjoyed the beauty surrounding me.  Yet, something called me to the deep.  So, I've been exploring that deep ever since. 

It has definitely been an adventure.  I have seen beautiful things.  But I have also seen scary things in the depths of the darkness.  Some of the scary things have been reflections of myself, others have been other things.  Sometimes it has felt like I've been privileged to see the most wonderful of things.  At other times it has felt like I forgot to put enough oxygen in my tank and I wasn't going to make it.  I have learned.  I have grown.  What have I learned the most?  That I have much to learn and a long way to grow.

My heart's desire is to go deeper still.  I don't know where "deeper" will take me.  I just want to go.  I want to follow the Way (Christ), to serve, to love, to forgive, to offer hospitality, to reach out to the least/the lost/the last, the poor/the hungry/the oppressed... to be in community with others who do as well.   

It may not look pretty from the observation point.  Like my snorkeling attempts.  Even though I was able to see pretty fish and coral below the surface, no telling what my floppy legs looked like as I tried to keep myself underwater.   I'm learning to live into this, learning to be okay in my own skin as I explore and go deeper.

What about you?  Are you ready to put on your spiritual scuba gear and set out for an adventure?

~Debra