I told you about a book that my wife is reading entitled Reunion.  In the very first part of the book Bruxy Cavey tells about his experience with his dad flying a kite.  He and his dad got it up in the air and then his dad went somewhere else, leaving him alone to fly the kite.  “As a boy I had a vivid imagination, and I often personified my toys.  To me, my new kite was a person, deserving of the freedom to explore its own potential.  It seemed to pull away on purpose, struggling to be completely free of the constraints of the sting and my guiding grip.  (Ya, I was a weird kid.)  I felt I was holding it back from flying as high as it could fly and going wherever it wanted to go.  So I let go.  At first there was a flutter of freedom and flight.  But is was short-lived, and the maiden voyage of Bruxy’s first kite ended with a nosedive into dirt.”

The kite in some respects is typical of our journey through life.  We are tethered to our parents during the early years of life and begin in the teenage years to want to be free from their control of our strings.  We think that being free of those constraints of our parents will give us the freedom to fly wherever we want.  Once that freedom is given, we find out rather quickly that freedom carries its own consequences.  What we thought would bring us fulfillment only brings disappointment.  Broken relationships.  Worn-out-cars.  Our income not going far enough to meet our expenses.  Jobs that lack enough challenge.  Broken friendships.  Death.  The list goes on and on.

There was a song sung by Peggy Lee entitled Is That All There is  It’s a song about life from being a little girl to the point of being old and standing on the edge of death.  When we are free and untethered, we find that what seems to be of value in this world fades over time and we continue to ask the question, “Is that all there is.”

We have the opportunity in this life to become retethered to the One who brings purpose and meaning to life.  As Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life and that you might have it abundantly.” John 10:10.  On this journey, if you find yourself untethered and floundering through life, it might be advisable to retether yourself to the God of this universe that does have a purpose and meaning for everyone walking on this earth.  We only have to recognize that our freedom has led us down the wrong road and ask to be tethered to the One who can give life and give it abundantly.