climb on...

Today one of our youth leaders and I went to the local rock climbing gym to update our belayer-training, since we are taking our youth rock climbing this coming Sunday.  We do this every year, and it's often one of our more popular youth events (though this year's timing is a little odd...).  Every year, all the adult leaders have to come to the gym during the week before the event to get re-trained, or update our training, or whatever they're calling it these days.

Today, for instance, we learned a new belaying technique that the teacher described as "safer" than what we have been taught before.  (aside: that makes me feel *really good* about last year and the year before and the year before....)

Today we also had to climb more than I've ever had to at training before.  Each of us had to climb two walls.  It was fun, and also scary, and my arms are very tired.  We had to learn in our muscles, not just our brains, to trust each other.  We had to learn to trust the tiny little footholds.  We had to try to see the wall and its hand/footholds from different angles.  We had to try not to accidentally get caught in our own ropes.  All this in addition to re-learning the knots and learning a new belay technique!

It was a good time.  And a good reminder to trust other people not just intellectually but physically and emotionally.  And a good reminder that sometimes, we need a refresher course because there might be a new thing to learn, a still more excellent way, even.

I get to do it again tomorrow with different leaders, also prepping for Sunday.  I hope my arms aren't sore then.  This is the life of an associate pastor.  :-)

I think I'm having frozen pizza for dinner because my risotto plan is foiled--too much stirring for my tired arms!