A rollercoaster life...

Have you ever thought about your life as a rollercoaster? Experiences take your emotions through the highs and the lows, everytime making your heart race faster and at times you even have to gasp for breath? Roller Coasters are fun and exciting and leave us feeling exhilerated, but is ther a part of a roller coaster that isn't fun?

For me it is going up the first big hill. It is a slow ascend and at times very scary. It makes me think 'what have I gotten into?' I start to notice all the flaws of the coaster itself and hope and pray that I make it through the ride without the whole thing falling apart. I start to see the top and know that the good part is coming but I am going so slow and just can't get to it. Just as I get to the top there is a slight pause, a moment of relief that I have come this far, and a moment of anticipation of the thrill I am about to embark upon. In that brief moment I look down and realize how far I have come and how far down I have to go. As much as I want to plumet towards the ground or water or whatever danger lurks below, the what ifs still haunt my mind. What if this thing suddenly can't hold the weight? What if my seatbelt doesn't stay on? What if...... and then without warning Gravity has taken over. Some scream in excitement and some scream in fear, I always hold my breath and squeeze my eyes closed thinking 'I'm getting too old for this.' I am picking up speed and before I know it I am again at the next hilltop on the ride. The rest of the ride is spent in sheer joy with my hands up and being proud that I haven't shed a tear, even when I was feeling desperate to get off.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Or is this just me? We live 10min away from Great America Six Flags and we pass it everytime that we go from our house to Heath's parents house. The boys always stop and take notice of the big coasters as we drive by. This last time Heath and I listened in on thier conversations as they talked about now being big enough for the biggest coasters. They then talked a little about the water park that has been added on to the park. I heard Josiah say "If that one goes under water then I will do it when I am an adult." Apparently he thinks that life as a kid is about nothing but being a kid and that one day, "when he is a daddy" he will just know certain things like how to hold his breath under water, or even how to take his thumb off and then put it back on.

I guess I am "Adult enough" to ride the rollercoaster of life. Believe it or not I haven't been on an actual rollercoaster in 3 years or more. But life has mimicked the rollercoaster so closley that you would think, I am a theme park junky. I feel that in many ways we are still climbing that first big hill of anticipation, but we look forward to the drop and hope to glide over the next few hills. Meanwhile I just have to stay focused on the view as we climb, and not on the flaws as I normally would. Where are you in this Rollercoster life? Have you measured to see if you are "Adult Enough?" Are you climbing the hills with anxious anticipation or are you coasting along and enjoying the ride.