Roller Coasters
It seems like whoever you talk to nowadays, everybody has a different word to describe life. One of my favorites, and one I’ve heard several times recently, is that life is like a roller coaster. For sure, life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns and so many times when your stomach doesn’t know whether to be in your throat or in your feet. In it’s most negative sense, there have certainly been times when I just wanted to stop the ride and get off. BUT While some find this roller coaster theory to be negative on the whole, I look at it from an entirely different perspective. So while I agree that life is a lot like a roller coaster, my reasons for thinking that way are really not what you might expect.
My philosophy is likened to the old joke about sliding into heaven with a used up body; beer in one hand, chocolate bar in the other saying, “Damn that was fun!” You see, in my world, roller coasters are about one of the coolest things ever.
Take the one in this picture for instance. It is called Aftershock and it is located at Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho. (I always thought that this was funny in and of itself because Athol is a town of about 700 people in the middle of nowhere where two highways intersect at one signal light – and they have a theme park and their own Wikipedia Page) The first time I rode this coaster, I rode it repeatedly. Here are some factoids about this roller coaster.
- This is a suspension roller coaster.
- The towers are 191 feet tall and vertical drop on the ride is 177 feet.
- The speed of the cars is 65 mph as you go shooting through the loading area from the first drop.
- There are three inversions. (You go upside down three different times)
- You are drawn up to the top of the second tower and when released you get to do it all over again – only backwards this time
Check out the video!!
Roller coasters are actually an accurate likeness to my spiritual journey and for more reasons than just the ups and downs, twists and turns and upset stomach. The really good ones scare the shit out of you but in the end, you come into the finish with a huge smile on your face, laughing that you lived through it and wanting to do it again almost immediately. I think that it’s a lot like when God leads us into something. The more daunting the task, the greater the reward and the larger the desire to do it over and over and over.
Haha that video was SO COOL!!!!!!! LOL I love your analogy about rollercoasters, Mike. Unfortunately I feel more like I’m on the Gravitron at the moment. Did you ever go on one of those? You’re basically squashed up against the wall while the bottom drops out of the floor, haha
I wish I could go on roller coasters. I have the utmost respect for those who can
Sue
December 18, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Mike. I love this analogy, and I see this to be true in my own journey as well. A total roller coaster. I don’t think it is negative, but reality and good… Being in a relationship with anyone is like that, you have your up moments, and your down… Same with Father, I feel close to him and amazing, and other times I feel quite the opposite, but I do believe that even if I am in a fowl mood or something Father still does speak to me in my lowest of low moments and his love is never changing… That is the good thing about being in a relationship with Father, no matter what I do or how I act, he accepts me for who I am and what I do… This is such a great post and resonates with me… Glad to see you back, or are you back?!
In Freedom, Nicole!
Nicole
December 18, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Oh yeah! I love me a good rollercoaster! Life would be boring without the ups and downs. It’s the derailments that are hard to deal with.
HW
December 19, 2008 at 5:59 am
Hey friend, so glad to see you back. I have missed you. I love the analogy of the rollercoaster and I welcome all the twists turns and ups and downs. They are exactly what we need to realize the ups when they come. Love ya!
Tami
December 19, 2008 at 7:01 am
I LOVE roller coasters…too bad I have to drive 18 hours to get to one. Although now I know about this place it’s down to about 7 hours or so.
But it’s so true that life is all about enjoying the ride and not worrying too much about any one high or low. Because it will change before you can blink.
Erin
December 19, 2008 at 8:47 am
Mike – you have been such and steadfast and encouraging presence in this community. Your words of wisdom and enouragement have been a blessing to many including me. It’s hard to see you go through this tough time but I know that these “dark night of the soul” times develop our faith and authenticity.
What is the nature of your struggles? Please share if you feel comfortable to do so, so that we can encourage and interceed for you.
This quote popped into my inbox the other day and I though it might speak into your situation.
Let any man turn to God in earnest, let him begin to exercise himself unto godliness, let him seek to develop his powers of spiritual receptivity by trust and obedience and humility, and the results will exceed anything he may have hoped in his leaner and weaker days.
… A. W. Tozer (1897-1963), The Pursuit of God [1948]
Bless you brother Mike!!!! You are such a blessing to others.
Ruth
December 19, 2008 at 9:54 am
I love the analogy! I also love roller coasters. I’m thinking that my husband would hate this analogy though because he is scared to death of them, lol.
lauren
December 19, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Sue ~ This might be overshare, but that ride was the very first ride that I went on that made me hurl afterward. Ever since then, I have not been able to spin around in a circle without wanting to puke. Outside of that, it was kind of fun.
Mike
December 20, 2008 at 1:03 am
Nicole ~ I’m back but I am going to be tempering my time here.
Mike
December 20, 2008 at 1:04 am
HW ~ I wish this ride was a little harder to derail sometimes. I guess I need a little more time in the fire making the metal more sturdy eh?
Mike
December 20, 2008 at 1:06 am
Tami ~ Backatcha sweetie!!
Mike
December 20, 2008 at 1:07 am
Erin ~ I thought for sure that there would be a cool one in Portland somewhere. I think that it is hard for me to remember sometimes while I’m on my way down that at the end of the down, there is an up.
Mike
December 20, 2008 at 1:09 am
Ruth ~ I can’t divulge much more than to say that every year about this time, I go into a funk that lasts anywhere from one week to all month. I have never been able to figure out why but it’s like clockwork. This years funk, although shorter than some, was pretty harsh.
It is quite humbling to me to know that you consider me to be a blessing because as I have said, sometimes (at least lately) I feel like such a hypocrite; one that can’t even follow his own instruction. I guess that there is some comfort in the knowledge that I am a work in progress.
The quote was awesome. Thanks for sharing it. I have HAD to trust that Daddy was there because I could not see him through the smoke screen that I had put up.
Mike
December 20, 2008 at 1:16 am
Lauren ~ Maybe if you could just talk him onto one, he would change his mind???
Mike
December 20, 2008 at 1:16 am
Watched the video. I’ve determined that you ARE a crazy bastard after all. (Now, where’s my stomach…)
MCM
December 20, 2008 at 2:19 am
confirmation, Thank you
Getting There
December 20, 2008 at 9:56 am
MCM ~ Yep! I am!
Mike
December 20, 2008 at 11:17 am
GT ~ Confirmation?? I would like to hear more about this. Can you post it here? If not how about an email??
Mike
December 20, 2008 at 11:18 am
i recently wrote an artilce on rollercoasters… very similar to yours and it confirmed things for me.. that I am not the only one.. just feel even more less crazy.. if u know what i mean.
Authors Note: You can read her post about roller coasters here. It was a good one!
Getting There
December 20, 2008 at 11:40 am
GT ~ Thanks! And I definitely know what you mean.
Mike
December 20, 2008 at 12:48 pm
And here I was thinking that life was like a box of chocolates!
Nicholas Carroll
December 22, 2008 at 9:45 am
Run Forrest Run!!!
Mike
December 23, 2008 at 9:47 pm