Just like riding a bike...

I remember the first time I tried something new. My memories of childhood are very vivid, and I often wrote in a journal. I never had to worry about anyone trying to read my journal, I was an only child. I was worried for the first time sometime before first or second grade. The whole summer had passed almost, and I still had the training wheels on my bicycle. I had planned to get off them baby training wheels before school began. It was time, I finally had the chance to do something. I had been to swimming lessons, summer camp, ballet camp, church camp, gymnastics camp, and even soccer camp, (of which I hated.) All that running, and for what.... one ball. One stinking lousy ball that's had everyone's feet all on it, and it's not even one solid stinken color. Not black, or white- but checkered black and white. I guess the soccer association had to make it both colors not to be racist. Man, where is the brown, and rust color, how about the tan?

So here I am, I'm bored, nothing new. I actually miss school, all my friends, physical education, and even the lunch room. When I was a kid, I was super tall, and I wanted a new bike; but I wasn't ready to let go off those training wheels on my old little bike. My Mommy, (that's what I like to call her,) told me to let her know whenever I was ready, and we'd take them off. It was a cool summer evening, and I told my Mommy while she was cooking dinner that I was ready to take off the training wheels. She turned off the oven burner, wrapped up, and put the half cooked food in the refrigerator. Immediately she got our neighbor with the tools to take off those training wheels. She took them off herself, savage I tell you. What had I done? "No Mommy, I changed my mind." I pleaded with her, I begged. She was like a mad woman on a do or die mission, thankfully she got relaxed for a moment and said, "Okay sweet-heart, I'm not putting your training wheels back on, but maybe just get on and I will push you." I said, "Mommy, what if I fall?" She said, "Impossible, I will be holding on to you. Just give it a try and see how much you like it. " So I did, and man my mommy can run, she ran until I guess I got to fast for her. I took off, and never looked back, I never crashed, fell, or lost my balance on the bike. I took off, and I have been doing that every since. I'm fourteen years old now, and I finally have a chance to sign up for public speaking. I think it will turn out just like the bicycle thing when I was little. I will feel nervous at first, but I will practice and practice in the class room until I am ready. Even though I'm dyslexic I have a great memory and a steady voice. I may not be able to read the books quickly, but I can memorize my own speeches. After all they'll be in my hand, and in my own order of my own words. I think my mommy is dyslexic like me, because I always could read her writing very well. She uses rainbow colors sometimes, and draws eye-balls on the word LOOK. She puts a dot in the middle of the letter's O, and puts eye-brows on top. Well, it's just to straight lines above the O's, but it looks like eye-brows to me. When I was little she used to somehow draw words in ways that I could read easily. The s's she wrote looked like snakes, and the t's looked like crosses. I couldn't even read my friends, or teacher's writing easily. In third grade I was taken to Scottish Wright to be tested for dyslexia, and they caught it. I'm so glad I am going in 8th grade, and public speaking is a course offered, imagine if it were public writing. I have been waiting for this opportunity for the longest time. It's my turn to shine, no more struggling to read so much. I dig this, I am very excited. Who knows I might become a Senator, and give progressive speeches to the different parties. Republican, or Democrat... hmm I guess that's a decision that I can make after I turn 18. I am in 8th grade now, and I have been chosen to be the Civics Representative at our National education stand off for our school. Wow, I have been practicing and practicing in public speaking all school year. I gave a couple speeches in youth group last summer for the 6th grade youth group. I'm just going to focus on the whole school being right behind me in support. It's like they will be holding my bicycle seat, and I will take off in success because I feel so comfortable doing it. I have a new emerald green dress, and some new leather flat dress shoes. I am tall enough, I don't where heels, except my Mommy's to dress up in. I feel so confident, I said a prayer to myself before I went, and also on stage. My mommy prayed with me before I left for school. Now that it's over, I think I will run for governor after college. I wasn't nervous once I got started, just like riding a bike.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3

This was my our key scripture in our family devotional this morning. I have committed my life and everything I do to the Lord. I wonder if that scripture includes a person's life, or individual plans? It doesn't matter, because now that I have been baptized and Christ dwells in me; I know my plans will succeed. Because after all my plan is just a small part of God's plan.

Beth Murray