The Buoy at Virginia Beach. . .Summer 1976

As the Navigator Summer Training Program at King's Dominion in Virginia drew to a close in August of 1976, the TP director, Mike Baldner, gathered the 80 of us together one last time to encourage and exhort us. His words and the events of the next few days have been a significant lesson and constant reminder in my life ever since.

Mike's parting words to us were powerful. Words to 80 committed young collegiate Christians who had set aside and spent 10 weeks of their summer to learn of the lordship of Christ and the cost of discipleship. To this group, he said quite simply that in 10 years, more than likely, only 20 to 25% of us would still be walking with God and counting the cost. But, he said, it would not be the major issues in life. . .but it would be the LITTLE things that would cause us to drift away.

His words made me think. . .and then I tucked his words away and headed out with the rest of my teammates for one last fun weekend together before we went our separate ways. . .back to college and our lives. . .unaware, at that point, that God had a real life illustration in store for me that would permanently engrave Mike's words in my heart and mind.

On Saturday, Linda, Fran, Mary and I went to Virginia Beach. We decided to just sit in the shallow surf and talk. When we first sat down, I noticed a buoy directly behind us. . .about 50 to 100 yards out in the water. We sat and talked for a while, with the waves lapping at us as we talked about the summer and the fall term that awaited us all. After about 30 minutes, I happened to glance back at the water. To my amazement, the buoy was no longer directly behind us, but way off to one side of where we were! I realized that the buoy had not moved, WE HAD. . .and we were not even aware of it!

Mike's words came rushing back very vividly. . ."It won't be the big things in life, but the little things that will draw you away from walking with God." . .the small compromises that we are often not even aware that we are making and pretty soon we stop to look and there is this great distance between us and God. It was scary how subtly and unknowingly we had drifted down the beach without being aware that we were even moving!

It was a visual image and a life lesson that I never want to forget. . .nor do I think I ever will. . . not only for the specific lesson here. . .but to be reminded to always look for God's lessons in everyday life. . .whether it be mundane or marvelous!