Great Expectations

This week-end has ended and I am still alive.  It is as I had expected, but not as I feared.  I feared I might fall to my death.  I expected to do what needed to be done without major incident.  I am glad my expectations won out and my fear of heights once again proved unfounded. 

The tasks for this week-end included several trips to the roof of my house.  I had to clean the gutters then put the Christmas lights up.  I am OK with climbing the ladder.  I’m even reasonably OK with walking on the roof, so long as I am near the middle.  But as I get toward the edge where I can look down and see the ground, then it gets scary for me.  Unfortunately, some crazy builder put all our gutters on the edge of our roof, so cleaning them is very unfun for me.  Hanging the Christmas lights is not much better.  I couldn’t get away with just leaving a pile of lights in the middle of the roof.

I have always been afraid of heights.  I have a fear of falling; especially the part at the end where you hit the ground.  Nevertheless, over the course of my life I have managed to overcome the fear at times and do what needs to be done.  So far, I have survived.  I guess a little fear can be a good thing.  It makes you be more careful.  However, I am glad this week’s activities prove that at least some fears are often unfounded, and the thing you fear will happen is often not on the agenda.  The gutters are clean, the lights are up, and I didn’t fall.  Just what I expected to happen.  Though I sometimes fear the worst when looking down, I try to keep my expectations looking up.

The LORD upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down.  The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season.
    – Psalm 145:14-15