Roller Coaster Living

As we host missionaries this week and give our church family a window into the lives and ministries of our partners, our hearts and heads are full. But even in the midst of the "extra-ordinary," the ordinary continues. I'm still snatching moments to do laundry, empty the dishwasher, stop at the store, and help with homework. Laced throughout the extra-ordinary and ordinary of this week for me has been a series of unexpected, sometimes uncomfortable, events that have stretched me at an already stretching time. Even this morning, they keep piling up. I would've made a list if I'd known a trend was starting :) It's better that we take things one at a time. And to top it all off, Jacob had a "Roller Coaster" project to complete for his physical science class. It came close to defeating me. ;)

The coaster had to be built from a length of foam pipe insulator, and a marble was the stand in for the rider.  The goal was to use inertia, momentum, energy and gravity to successfully keep the marble in the coaster for the entire length of the track. It was a delicate business to reach our goal = not falling off despite twists and turns.

Blame it on Adam and Eve, but life is a series of twists and turns and unexpected loops, creating force that throws us to the outside and hurls us headlong through events that take our breath away. Thinking of those women who share life with me, this week has included twists and turns of depression and addiction, broken relationships, physical illness, and fear, just to name a few.

Take it from a mom who watched hopefully this week as our beloved marble set off on a challenging track .... without something to hold us in, we often fall off. Maybe you feel like you've been on a roller coaster this week, and maybe you feel like the forces at work on your life are threatening to throw you off of the track of following God. I love this promise from Psalm 37:23-25

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old,yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging for bread.

If we ride the coaster of life, we're going to feel the force, but we don't have to be thrown off track by it. If the Lord is the One who holds us in by His Spirit and the powerful truth of His Word, we can cry "Victory" when the ride is over.   It's possible .... and Jacob's marble can prove it. ;)

Hang in there with me, sweet reader. The Lord wants to hold my hand and yours.