"We Forgot About the Flowers"

1978 Ice Castles. A story of courage, strength, love. The story of a girl who refused to forget she was once a champion.
I can't exactly ice skate with as much grace and elegance like Alexis. But I can identify with her journey. The music. The lights. The critics. She suffers setbacks, tragedy even. But in the end she skates. Not for the applause or attention, but for herself and for her mom watching from the heavens. She does jumps she was told she was never good enough to do.  She tunes out everything around her, and in the end skates (blind) the performance of a lifetime. Her performance at the end of the movie is a dramatic interpretation of a beautiful journey with those closest to her cheering her on. These friends and family have trained with her, helped her overcome obstacles and given her guidance. No details left undone, or so thought.
Alexis finishes her performance without a flaw. Yet as flowers from the stands line her pathway off the ice, she trips and falls. No applause. Silence.
Then she hears the comforting words from Nick who has come out to get her on the ice, "We forgot about the flowers."  But after all they have endured to get to this point, it's merely one more setback.
He picks her up yet one more time and the crowd resumes it's cheering.
"Stay with me."  She anxiously voices.
"You bet." Nick replies.
So I lace up my skates, eager to work on my triple axels (or just make it across the pond without disturbing the neighborhood hockey game). With each loop of the lace I'm reminded of my own journey and encouraged that I, too can be brave and confident. My journey will have a unique set of hurts, suffering, and setbacks. But I will not quit trying. Instead, somewhere out in the middle of my ice rink I will pause, look to the author and finisher of my faith, and take the next step. I will remember the One for whom I live and breathe, and skate freely in His love. I will skate with unwavering faith and trust.
And should someone toss flowers in my path to trip my way, I will rejoice in the One who is there to pick me back up. I will say , "Stay with me," and He has already replied, "You bet." Deut. 31:6

"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them. For it is The Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. "