what i learned from wakeboarding:

This past weekend, I was able to go to the lake with some of my great friends from school. We went to Kaylee's house (she was a wonderful hostess--thanks, Kales!) and had a wonderful, relaxing weekend with good company and perfect weather. We tanned, read, had amazing quiet times on the dock both mornings, ate really well, played a lot of Nertz, tubed (and got really extreme), waterskiied (well, I didn't, but the others did), and attempted to learn how to wakeboard (some of us succeeded...but some failed- miserably). It was so great to be reunited with some of the girls...I can't believe it has been an entire month since we've been together...this summer is flying by. But anyways, back to wakeboarding... I was one of the ones who didn't actually get to the point of wakeboarding. In fact, I wasn't even able to stand up... #embarrassing (yeah, I know...a hashtag. Hopefully you can handle it). My practically-pro-wakeboarder friend said he is going to work with me though, so I will keep you updated as to whether or not this ever happens for me. So while I didn't actually learn how to wakeboard, I did learn something. As I sat on the boat after multiple failed attempts at becoming a really legit wakeboarder and rested my muscles, I got to thinking, what does our pride keep us from learning? First, I wanted to jot down some points about learning:

1. You must acknowledge that you do not know it all.
2. You must be open; you have to let your teacher get to know you so that they can know how to best teach you.
3. You have to be vulnerable and accepting of the fact that learning isn't always easy.
4. You must be humble: you must be willing to let your teacher and others around you see you fall.
5. You have to be able to evaluate your mess-ups and learn from mistakes.
6. You have to be prepared to trust your teacher as they guide you through your weak moments.
7. You have to have the desire to learn, to be taught, and to be transformed.

Now when it comes to these points, pride is the stumbling block that can inhibit all of them. When we are prideful, we are hardened. We have blocked off our teacher and refused to open ourselves up to be taught. Getting rid of this stumbling block is hard. It's hard to get in the water and try wakeboarding for the first time in front of your friends, knowing full well that they will probably see you fail time and time again. But if you don't get in the water, open up, and try, there is zero hope of learning. I love how, in Jesus Calling, Sarah Young writes, "Seek My Face with a teachable spirit. Come into my presence with Thanksgiving, desiring to be transformed." I wonder what it would look like for me to actually have a teachable spirit. What could I learn and how could I grow if I really did get rid of that stupid pride? What if I humbly acknowledged that I don't know everything and opened up, trusting God to drive the boat and take over his role as Teacher?