Roller Coaster

The Boat Show was in town last week and I gathered my four grandchildren after school and we were off for a field trip. I have done this annually with the other three, Blake (6) William (almost 5) and Catherine (almost 4) but this time Sam (2) was old enough to join us. I
let them vote as to wether or not to park and go into the Reliant Exhibit Hall or park and ride the rail and walk into the entrance there. The vote was unanimous... take the rail. It was Thursday, and the Park and Ride lot on Fannin was virtually empty leaving me with a front spot, the rail timing was perfect and I herded my little crew into the rail, stopping just one stop later. I had cruised through the McDonalds on Fannin before on the way to the Park and Ride for a dinner that we would have later, and we were set.

There is lots of running run at the Reliant Arena. And on this particular day the complex was dead so I allowed them the free reigns to scatter int he halls as long as I could see them, but without being too close. The older three bolted through the doors and in pure happiness frolicked, chasing each other. Sam, just happy to be included was running with those chunky legs as fast as he could, but he was never to catch up. Then he stopped, quite abruptly and looked at the huge escalator going to the second floor. He was clearly intrigued and I knew he wanted to experience that so I called the kids back, and we rode that escalator up and down. At that point for Sam we could have gone home. He had a smile as big as Texas on his face and the others, well they mostly just have fun being together.

We did finally make our appearance in the Boat Show and clearly with four in tow, and hardly a soul in the exhibition room, we were noticed and believe it or not welcomed. They climbed aboard, drove, checked out the props, and commented on anything that sparkled or was shiny. They even had fantasy races on the jet skies, as they sat double seated. There was a fishing pond in the back and we did that but there was one thing that they all got a kick out of. It was a simulated roller coaster ride. When authorized with payment and by a congenial ride guard, they immediately, with no hesitation jumped in the covered, blackened, large rectangular small bus looking simulator and were ready to go.

I held Sam's hand and we waited in reserve but I saw his face, and knew that he was so disappointed that he was not getting to go. So I asked the ride manager if we could ride for free, not sure he would even like it, me too for that matter. And he agreed. It was a roller coaster simulator that had benches inside, and once the door was closed all you could see was the lighted screen in front. Then the ride began, and it was quite real feeling. The simulator twisted and bumped and jumped and jolted, and as long as you were looking at the screen you truly felt you were on that roller coaster. This was not so much a ride for me but as I held Sam tight in my lap, every once in a while, I turned him around, and me too for that matter, so that he could pause from the screen, and could see the kids who were sitting behind us having a grand ole time. He seemed a little confused but happy nevertheless.

Now about roller coasters....life sort of seems to be one sometimes. Filled with ups and downs and jumps and bolts, and fast turns and jerky emotions. On this ride as long as I had my eyes on the screen, I could feel the anxiety of the ride, but when I turned away, pretending to check on the kids, I was fine, because my mind had reevaluated my position and was no longer centered on the ride rather on my position in this crazy little boxed up simulator. I often wonder of I, in deliberate conscience can do the same thing with my life. Not look at the screened situation but focus on my position in the Lord. I am not going to expound on this for you know where I am coming from, But I will add that situations change, and doors open and at one point one roller coaster ride will be over and we will be able to break until another one comes along.

But then I had to think, what if I don't want to ride another one? And I considered how God operates. Does he ride roller coasters? Is he jolted to and fro as he sits on the benches in darkness? And the answer is No. He is the authority who sets the controls, and knows how to help us ride out adversity even in our darkness. But we must look away from the screen of circumstances and focus on the position that we have in Christ. He is with us, he loves us, he knows what it takes to grow us up and mature us, he manages circumstances in ways that we do not comprehend, and he is there to calm our emotions and give us grounded hope through whatever coaster ride we have found ourselves on or in.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

We had a great night, had a red carpet dinner as there was no place to sit, and red carpets were the pathways for all aisles. We ended with cotton candy, and that always makes an outing perfect. But I will say on the way home, the seating was a little too tight, I had four in the back seat, and there was a slight bit of ruckus and pushing that got out of hand when we were singing This Little Light of Mine in grand volume. Really they had been great all night and they had had a grand time and it was late. I had kept them out past bedtimes for sure, oh but what memories we made.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the blessing of grandchildren and their spirits of adventure and appreciation for the little things that are new to their little eyes and minds. Help us to be like they are on roller coaster rides, and enjoy life in spite of the bumps and jolts. May we trust that you are with us always and will guide us with your light through our darkened spots that seem to close us in. Help us to keep our eyes on you and not on the screen of our circumstances. Amen

Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!