Slime & Swim for the Gold

I have the oddest dreams sometimes. 

Let me preface this dream by explaining to you how much I LOVE swimming and how AMAZING I am at it!

I’ve never LOVED being in the water. I remember some fun times in the water as a kid, but I don’t remember wanting to get in the water.  I didn’t really KNOW how to swim, but I could doggie paddle and I knew how to float.  I tended to unintentionally swallow a good deal of water and for my taste, the water was never quite warm enough.  If other kids complained that the water was too hot….it was just about right for me. 

My husband is a fish!  At 21 years old, he taught me how to actually swim.  He LOVES the water and so do my kids.  He was on swim teams and water polo teams as a kid, played water polo in college and was on an intramural YMCA swim team for years of our marriage traveling around the country and even out of the country twice to compete.  Naturally, he wanted a house with a pool…..IN OHIO. 

Our pool is NEVER warm enough for me.  We considered a heater for the pool, but that would likely ruin it for the three who ACTUALLY enjoy the water in this house, so for me….the pool is just a crystal clear pond and one more task and expense associated with where we live.

I believe I average between 1-5 times per summer getting in the pool and generally only as a way to rinse off quickly after going for a run or working in the pool and it’s always in, out, and a HOT shower to follow. 

So here was my dream: 

I was selected for a water sport at the Olympics to represent the United States.  I enthusiastically said yes when I was invited.  Shortly before the event, those chosen from each country were invited to this round table where the rules of the event would be shared, questions could be asked and the event organizers could get their talking points for the announcements. 

The event:  Each of you will take your favorite little tub of slime (which would somehow sink to the bottom of the pool), throw it into the pool, then you would dive off the diving block, swim down to get your slime, get out of the pool and hit your buzzer.  

Why slime?  I don’t know, probably because my 17 year old has rediscovered slime, which I BANNED from our house in 3rd grade because of her obsession.  With her own money she made as a barista, she probably bought hundreds of dollars worth of glue, borax, shaving cream, food coloring and other objects to make a SLIME LABORATORY in MY TREEHOUSE “She Shed.”  All my tupperware is missing. 

I went out to the treehouse the other day and she was sitting at the desk in an office chair humming and watching her Kitchen Aid mixer as it methodically churned out her 21st batch of slime.  I no longer have a fight in me.  I shrugged my shoulders, took a picture against her will and said, “please don’t get it in the carpet this time,” to which she gave her characteristic, “Don’t even worry about it Mom.  I got you.”

So anyways, back to that roundtable.  They asked me, “Donna, what is it you LOVE about this event?”  I said, “I’m not comfortable speaking and I don’t really know how to swim.”  They chuckled, talked about my modesty and moved on to the next person. 

The time for the event came and there I was with thousands of people watching.  The gun went off, I awkwardly chucked the little slime egg into the pool, jumped off the block feet first so I didn’t hit my face trying to dive in and when I got to the egg, I was blowing air bubbles and kicking my feet trying to propel myself to the bottom of the pool to get the egg.  

As was often my experience, my sub-par goggles filled with water and I had to belly flop out of the side of the pool because my body has never been strong enough to pull myself out of a pool with grace and I ran to hit the buzzer. 

All of the sudden, the crowd ERUPTED with applause and confused I looked around the room at everyone cheering!  My coach came, grabbed my right hand and pulled it up above my head in an act of victory and told me to wave and nod my head in acceptance as over the intercom it was announced that DONNA SANCHEZ was the GOLD MEDALIST in the slime and swim event and would be on the top platform at the awards ceremony.  

My face spoke loudly of my confusion about the whole thing.  I had done terribly despite my best efforts and I had watched the other people not even break the water when they effortlessly dove off the block, glided to the bottom for the slime and popped out of the pool as though angels themselves had lifted them out and placed them on their feet. 

That was it.  Dream over.

Friends, this is ALL of our experience in the Kingdom of Heaven.  We see our faults, our failures and our shortcomings.  We know our thoughts and feelings and we are very well aware of how much better we believe those around us are doing, but in the Kingdom of Heaven, God is NOT concerned with our innate giftings…He gave them to us anyways.  

There are those who train their whole lives and APPEAR to be doing it perfectly, but their heart’s motivation may be off and in the eyes of the judge….the motivation of your heart is as important as the outcome of your effort.  

I know me.  I know me pretty well at 46 years old, and I know that I’ve put a lot of effort in over the years with the LORD that led me to where I’m at with Him today and I can promise you that my incredible walk with the LORD has VERY LITTLE to do with all the effort I put in over the years.  Two and a half years ago I finally understood that the victory in my life had NOTHING to do with me and EVERYTHING to do with the Greater One in me. 

I’m not going to let my inability to dive off the block, my fear of hitting my head, my uncertainty about speaking, my faulty goggles, my weak arms or the embarrassing way I climb out of a pool to keep me from competing because I KNOW that it is the race the LORD set before me and with Him, I will always stand on the winner’s block.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

1 Corinthians 9:24