The Kingdom of God is Like...

The Kingdom of God is Like...
Brad Reiches
Apr 4 2006 09:56AM

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Tuesday, April 4, 2006

GodThoughts Wired!

"The Kingdom of God is Like..."

A DADDY/DAUGHTER SKI DAY

Yesterday was our annual, "Daddy/Daughter" ski day at Kirkwood, CA.

"Behold, children are a gift of the Lord;

The fruit of the womb is a reward."

Psalm 127:4

It was snowing, windy, cold and wet.  It was a non-holiday Monday and hardly anyone was around.  The weather was harsh and most people are thinking summer by now anyway.  I do have to say though...THE SNOW WAS MAGNIFICENT!  Fresh powder everywhere!  We started off in the lodge to see if the weather would calm down, but we were too excited.  We had to give it a try.  So, fully equipped with all the necessary gear including beanies, hoods and goggles, snow pants, jackets, and gloves, we headed up the slopes.

I was certain that it would only be a matter of time before we returned, and I was right.  We returned to the lodge...FIVE AND A HALF HOURS LATER!, and we (Ali -11, Jen -9, Dad -44) had the time of our lives!  We had the whole resort to ourselves.  While the rest of the "sissies" sat sipping espresso back at the lodge, we had identified a "daddy/daughter game" that was just TOO MUCH FUN to stop...until the resort closed for the day.

All the fresh powder made it too difficult for the girls, beginners both, to ski in by themselves.  However, we found that if they skied in "daddy's tracks," it was easy, safe, fast...and INCREDIBLY FUN!  Daddy, Jen, Ali, then Daddy, Ali, Jen.  Back and forth, up and down for...FIVE AND A HALF HOURS!  The tremendous amounts of snow made the steaper slopes more manageable and when I went first, the girls had "six-inch grooves" to ski in behind me.  It was like a roller-coaster ride for them, with my tracks providing the safety, speed and direction.

Curiously, what added so much to our enjoyment was the incredible "high speed falls" that each of them took.  Ali called her's the "360," and Jen named her's "the summersalt."  The powder was so fluffy and soft that it made falling almost as much fun as the skiing.  Of significant note was the following: 

As long as the girls stayed in my tracks they were completely secure and never fell.  It was only when they strayed outside of the direction that had been provided for them, did the adventure begin.  Also, the snow was so deep that when they fell it was too difficult to get back up by themselves...they needed my help and I was always right there to give it to them.

The memories will last a lifetime...and so will the analogies.

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