The Better You Get, The Harder It Becomes

That's what my coach told me yesterday about a move I'm learning. 

It felt like the opposite of what should be.  

Shouldn't it get easier?

I'm still pondering the perplexity of it and how that might apply to life.

Truly baffled.

What do you think?

"Just relax. It's ok if you fall and hit your head."

My first introduction to "Sparkles" (my skating friend) was a shared interest in Mandisa's music.  When I recognized the song "Overcomer" that she was skating to, I asked her if she is a Mandisa fan.  "Yes", she said.  "Me too!", I said.

We became friends immediately.

From then on, she became my second coach.  She encourages me, tells me when I'm doing something wrong and chatters on about many things in her life.  I love skating with her.


She will probably provide most of the material for me in this blog because of her bold, child-like approach to 'coaching'.  I pay for lessons with a private coach, but she provides free lessons without knowing it.

She saw me trying the 3 turn one day and told me to "just relax.  It's ok if you fall and hit your head".

In her 10 year old mind, she's perfectly fine with hitting your head.  I'm 47 and not interested in hitting any part of my body, let alone my head.

But I love her attitude and I have been trying to adopt that "relaxed" attitude approach.  It's true, the more tense I get about what I'm learning, the more likely I am to hurt myself worse.  If I can learn to relax, my body will perform much better.

The scripture tells us not to worry or have any anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication to make our request known to our heavenly Father.  He will guard our hearts and minds with peace if we do this.

Sounds like another word from someone who knows what to do.....just relax.

A Noisy Edge

Apparently edges can be noisy.  In my figure skating lesson this week my coach pointed out that one of my moves was 'noisy'.

Ok, so you're telling me that first I have to learn how to go left, right, forwards, backwards, inside, outside and NOW quietly?

Yep.

I am learning that the more I stay on the edge of my blade, the quieter the sound on the ice.  A sure sign of improvement is that I can do it quietly.

I'm learning to speak up more in my life.  That's another 'edge' I'm living on these days.  But it can be sort of awkward, clunky and yes - noisy at first.

For example, being honest for a change when someone asks my opinion instead of fearing rejection when I speak the truth.  It might come out rather awkward and clunky at first, but that's ok.  If it comes out inappropriately I can simply say, "I'm sorry - I'm learning how to speak openly and honestly so it's not coming out so nicely yet."  

Some people have held things in all the time and so when they start speaking up, it comes out 'noisy' at first.  Others have spoken too quickly all their life and are now trying to learn to hold their tongue.  Either way, it's a clumsy feeling at first, but you'll get the hang of it.

Living on the edge can be noisy when you are first being stretched and trying new things.  Keep trying.  Eventually you will glide into a comfortable position and be graceful about it.

Raise The Praise!

Hear samples of the music from the artists who will present a free night of worship and concert at the Winebrenner Theological Seminary on April 5, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.  Seating is limited.  No ticket necessary.  First-come-first-served- seating basis.

Check out this episode!

Just Like Her

My Mother on the day she married my Father.
Isn't she beautiful?

I finally told my mother that I have taken up figure skating.  I wasn't sure how she would respond.

She smiled and asked a few questions.

When she was a young woman and deeply in love, she and her boyfriend, Paul Crider, decided to learn to figure skate together.  They skated at Messiah Academy (now Messiah College).  She and Paul were later married, but he was killed in a silo accident 2 years into their marriage.

When I told her about my new adventure, I asked her about her skating days.  "Could you do any tricks?" I asked.

"Yes.  A few.  I didn't have any lessons.  I just watched what other skaters around me did and tried to imitate them."

We are so much alike.

I think she's beautiful.

The Cycle of The Edge

  1.  My coach has a vision for what I can do.
  2.  He shows me the first step toward accomplishing it. (I record it so I can study it).
  3.  I try to do what he shows me.
  4.  I fail and feel like a klutz.
  5.  He shows me again.
  6.  I try again and fail.
  7.  He shows me why I'm failing.
  8.  I adjust and keep trying.
  9.  Next day, I keep trying.
10.  Next day, I keep trying.
11.  Next day I start to get it.
12.  I start to get it and then fall and hurt myself.
13.  Next day more improvement, though I'm sore from the day before with complimentary bruises.
14.  He shows me the next step.
15.  The cycle starts all over again.

Little by little it starts coming together. Every step I learn helps build a foundation for the next step and soon I have improved on the very first step he gave me in the beginning.  As I begin to master each step, everything improves.

And so that's how it goes in the cycle the edge.

I want to be changed on the inside by renewing my mind because that's the only way I can change.  The Spirit tells me that I can be transformed by renewing my mind. Rom. 12:2

1.  I sense His vision of change for me.
2.  I study how to do it.
3.  He shows me a negative thought that I continually entertain.  ("God doesn't really love me")
4.  I ask Him to help me change it.
5.  He gives me a new thought to think in its place.  (God loves the world, God is love, etc.)
6.  I start to say the new thought out loud. (Thank You for loving me, You are love, I receive Your love)
7.  When left to my natural tendencies, the old thought persists.  (Nah....He doesn't love you..see how awful you feel?)
8.  I keep fighting it and replacing it with the new thought.  (Yes He does, God loves the world, God is love, etc.)
9.  Transformation begins.

This process will probably take as long as learning to skate.  But it will be worth it.

And so that's how it goes in the cycle of the edge.

For more information on changing your thoughts, I recommend this book.

Inside and Outside Edges

There is a language specific to figure skating.  I'm not only learning how to DO it, but how to understand the lingo too.

I am learning about inside and outside edges.  Not only do I have to learn a lot of fancy footwork, but I have to learn how to do it going forward, backward, left, right and now.....on the inside and outside edges.  Oh boy.

Leading worship in Klamath Falls, Oregon

But I've been thinking (another oh boy).  There is something deeper to this than just my skate blades. It has to do with my life.

I was sitting in the Denver, CO airport a week ago, coming home from a conference in Klamath Falls, OR where I was in charge of the music.  As I reflected on my experience, it was glorious in so many ways.  But probably one of the most amazing parts of the experience was feeling a new freedom at the piano and on the stage as I spoke to the ladies gathered.  The first night after I lead worship, I sat down in my seat and realized that something about me has changed and I must contribute it to ice skating, in part.

Now it's not that I think everyone should learn to figure skate.  But here's the thing.  I have been paying more and more attention to my 'inside edges' these past few years.

The inside things.

Like what kind of message is my heart trying to send to my brain?  It's been a rough couple of years and in a desperate need to change how I think, I've started paying more attention to my heart.

My heart has whispered to me over the years a reminder of the childhood love of skating and that I should consider returning it.  So I am.

But learning to skate has been about way more than just the ice.  I'm discovering new freedom and it's showing up in 'outside' ways.....like when I do a concert or lead worship.  I don't know for sure, but I'm sensing it has to do with the fact that it allows me to freely move my body in a type of dance.

Whether dancing was truly not allowed or I just perceived it that way, I lived my life based on my perception of what was not allowed.  It has resulted in feeling inhibited on stage and a bit on the shy side.  Now that I'm skating, I feel allowed to dance, to move, to express myself physically and it is making me feel free all over.

So here is what I think....though I'm not a theologian, philosopher or expert in things of the heart, I can tell you that when you start paying attention to the whispers of your heart, it WILL begin showing up on the outside.

How does this apply to you?  Let me ask you a few questions....

1. Are you curious about something but have never felt free to investigate that curiosity?  (What would it be like to take that art class or go back to school?)

2. Were there things you wanted to do as a kid but were not permitted to for any variety of reasons?

• illness
• we don't have the money for that
• you want to do what?
• no child of mine is going to ________ 
• too much work to be done, no time for frivolity

3.  What kind of activities cause you to lose all sense of time?  (when I'm in the studio working on music, I feel like time moves so much more quickly).

These can all be indicators of something you should look into and consider.  There is something powerful about the transformation that takes place on the outside edge when we pay attention to the inside edge!