Saying, "Hello" is usually one of those things that you don't have to think too much about. You just say it and if the person you greeted is so inclined to - and not zoning in some faraway place - they may return your greeting. Simple. Not on submarines.
I had just reported aboard the USS Nathan Hale, SSBN 623 - a fleet ballistic missle submarine (the kind that could destroy the world if ordered to). I was finding my way around below decks and entered the realm of the Engine Room which would be where I would perform my duties and study to be a nuclear operator. I was minding my own business . . . I really was. I started to walk through the hatch to Engine Room Upper Level and was grabbed by a gorilla's arm. Okay - it just felt that way. It was a Machinist Mate - one of those sailors that operates really big pieces of equipment on the submarine and usually have arms as big as your thighs (we called them "knuckle draggers" in the Navy - usually not to their face). He was short, stocky, and just wanted to say, "Hello."
As quickly as he had yanked me through the hatch, he just as quickly turned me on my head, said, "Welcome to the Engine Room!" and took his other huge paw, grabbed hold of my man area, and squeezed as hard as he could. I was at the mercy of Big Earl.
Lots of things ran through my mind. "This hurts." "What is this all about?" "Is this guy on drugs?" But mostly I was wondering how to get out of this little welcome ritual of his. I figured I could only do one thing . . . with both of my hands I grabbed him and squeezed right back.
To this day I am not sure if anyone had ever done that to him, but I discovered that it pays to squeeze your obstacles back - Big Earl let go.
In fact, we became pretty good friends after our encounter. He helped me enormously when it came to understanding how the machinery in the Engineroom operated. He was my go-to guy for questions and advice when it came to his domain. Because of him, I was able to qualify quickly in the areas I needed to comprehend to become a Nuclear Reactor Operator on this Navy vessel. He was awesome!
I have faced many obstacles in life. The most recent is being a 5th grade teacher at a school in Florida. But it all comes back to some basics - when an obstacle gets in your way you can let it overpower you and squeeze the life and drive from your soul or you can grab it, squeeze back and pray for the strength to keep squeezing until it lets go.
Jesus told some of his friends to look at a mountain. I can only imagine their thoughts. "Here we go again, another story." "Is he gonna tell us somethign we won't understand until later - again?" "Good grief, does he ever get tired of riddles?" What he said next must've floored them. He told them that the huge obstacle in front of them could be squeezed out of the way if they had 1/1000 of a meter of faith - faith the size of a mustard seed. Just imagine what could be done with two hands full of that stuff!
So, when an obstacle squeezes you so hard your eyes cross and you can't do anything else, take a really deep breath, ask God for the strength, take both your hands, grab it, squeeze it, and don't let go until the obstacle can hold on no longer. Who knows, it may become a stepping stone or a friend.
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