Up.

One of the highlights of our trip was the afternoon that Matt, Morgan, and I went parasailing. Initially I had little desire to spend money on an activity that I assumed would cause me diarrhea-level anxiety, but after I watched Matt and Morgan successfully parachute from the back of a boat, I thought, Heck, lemme at it.

And thank goodness - the experience was hardly scary at all. In fact, it was beautifully relaxing. I could have stayed up there all day.

Matt heading up, up, and away.

Matt enjoying the view.

Matt's carefree descent.

Morgan sailing above beautiful Mazatlan.

Morgan's landing.

I loved this part of the experience. In my case, all I could think was, "Are these guys seriously going to catch me?"

Doesn't she look like a beach pro? And those Mexicans are totally checking out her backside. Aye, Aye, Aye!

This is me listening intently to a very gold-toothed man (seriously, he had some serious bling). Can you tell that I'm staring straight into the sun?

I love this picture of me with the sailboat passing by.

A skinny Mexican riding in a tiny, yellow boat named Spartacus. Yeah, our fate was in his hands. Or not - he's not even using his hands. Crap.

It was a truly lovely (and safe) experience. In fact, let me share with you an excerpt from my journal the day we went parasailing:

Went parasailing today. The view of Mazatlan was extraordinary from that high up. You can't see the trash-filled abandoned lots or the stray dogs desperately in need of a meal and a bath. From the parasailers view, Mazatlan appears near perfect. A resort-lined crisp shore dotted with crystal blue swimming pools and happy palm trees. From that high up, Mazatlan's brokenness is erased leaving only beauty and potential.

What a perfect metaphor for how God sees us. From His view, our ugly side (and I don't mean the physical) is diminished and our beauty becomes His focus. He sees beyond our crappy attitude and chronic selfishness. He looks upon us and sees beauty that has the potential to turn into magnificence.

What about you? Have you ever experienced life from a parachute?