Life is an Adventure

May 18, 2025 
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Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius
Some days it's good to know that you are alive!  Not too long ago a friend, I'll call him farmer Tim, invited Armona and I out for some casual Christian conversation and steaks.  Sounds kind of like an evening for old people, right?  Not so! 
 
The words that first appear in the movie Star Wars begin with, “In a galaxy far, far away.”  As the evening began it was as if we had been transported to a far, far away place.  First of all, the house, to which we had been invited, was in such a far, far away, hidden place, I don't even know how my friend found it to buy it.  It's exactly the kind of place I'd like to live, in the woods, very secluded, serene, and beautiful.
 
Upon arrival and after having a few minutes of casual conversation, and after meeting another invited couple, farmer Tim said, “Let's go on a ride in my 4x4’s through the woods.”  About right here I began to feel like I was really alive as my heart started thumping faster, and my brain began thinking, “What have I gotten into?”  Safety and caution to the wind, I climbed into one of those 4x4’s.
 
Vroom!  Off I went on a new adventure in life over hill and dale.  As I bounced around in that 4x4 off road vehicle, through acres and acres and acres of trees and woods through which farmer Tim, obviously wanting to be Daniel Boone, had cut roads, well, sort of roads, I was really white knuckling it.  Farmer Tim was in the lead and my new friend, that I had just met, was driving the 4x4 in which I was a passenger.  Suddenly farmer Tim stopped ahead of us, walked back, and said to us, “Put the 4x4 in low.  From here on, it's going to get a little dicey.”  I know enough to know, that “low gear and dicey” means rough terrain ahead.  I'm telling you, I did not know exactly what “dicey” really meant.  As we bounced along, I could look out both sides of the vehicle and see at least a 50 foot drop.  Suddenly, the 4x4 ahead of us disappeared from view as it began its descent down a very steep hill.  Of course, we were right behind.  If you've ever ridden a roller coaster and, as you crested the first drop, there's a sign that says, “Point of no return.”  That's where I was, but only for a moment, a very brief moment.  Did you know that an object falls at the rate of 32 feet per second, gaining 32 feet with every second?  It didn't take very long to fall; I mean drive to the bottom of the hill.  As we all gathered in the valley, I asked farmer Tim, “Do you even know where we are?”  His reply went something like this.  “Well yes, I do.  We need to go back up that hill.”  Gulp!  Now I know what an astronaut feels like when he's on his back, strapped into a chair, going straight up in a rocket.  About right here is when I realized that I was really alive.  How did I know that?  I thought I was going to die😊.
 
I trusted farmer Tim, to lead us home, and he did.   I am reminded that Jesus leads us home as well, if we just trust in Him, put our hand in His, and let Him lead.
 
Life is an adventure.  Don't be afraid to live it!
Pastor Allan                                      
 
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