I'm with Indy! I HATE SNAKES!

 

So I've been in The Philippines for the past 5 days for an incredible conference focused on Student-Led Movements with people who work with Cru from all over the world!!!  I'll try to write more later to capture the immense effect it has had on me already.  There are over 70 nations represented, and I'm continually in awe as I sit in groups of people where I'm the only person from the states, and almost every continent is represented.

Today we had a time to actually get out of our hotel and meetings, though, and actually see a bit of Manilla and the beautiful landscape of the country.  I do not remember the name of where we went, but it was incredible as we were up in the mountains looking out at this glistening lake with volcanoes in the distance.  At the area we stopped, we were able to zip-line over the jungle at one part, which was breathtaking, and slightly terrifying as our landings reminded me of what running into a wall might feel like.

The main point of this little post, though, is to share another 30by30 item checked away!  At the entrance of the area, there was a place to take pictures with a baby alligator or a boa constrictor.  Now back in January when I made the 30by30 list, I remember some first thoughts I had when I wrote "Do something I'm terrified of."  I immediately thought, "Oh no, this should have something to do with a snake."  I hate snakes.  I'm scarred of them.  Especially if they are over 4 feet long.  A lot of it has to do with how the Lord made me.  A lot of it might have to do with terrifying memories of watching scenes from Indiana Jones with a mama snake being cut into with hundreds of little baby snakes slithering out and the TV Series, Lonesome Dove, including hundreds of water moccasins engulfing a person.  Needless to say, "How one was made" plus "Horrible things before me on a tv screen" equals "Terrified of the whole genre of the creature."  Big.  Little.  Green.  Black.  Poisonous or not.  Snakes = Horrible.  So when I saw the snake, with my heartbeat accelerating, I thought, "Oh no!  I'm too goal oriented to not get this checked off now.  Let's do this as quickly as possible."  So I did it.  Did I mention I HATE snakes?  My heart beats faster just thinking about how that thing was put around my neck and how I had to hold it.  I could feel myself start to shake a little, and I refused to look at it, but just smiled for what were most likely the fastest series of pictures taken known to man. 

So in recap.  I hate snakes.  I wanted to check something off.  The snake was positioned around my neck.  Pictures were taken.  I started panicking and shaking.  They took the snake away.  30by30 "Do something I'm terrified of" CHECK!