The Loop Dee Loos of Life!

First of all I’d like to wish all of you a happy new year! How many of you are excited that we’ve started the new year? I am thrilled that we're in 2009 because it means that I’ve survived 2008! I need to mention that the piece of chocolate that you are about to read was written as a message to an amazing group of MOPS moms however due to the adverse weather, our meeting was cancelled. So, I believe that this message was meant for all of you amazing women. My mops group, (Mother’s Of Preschoolers), is notorious for sending out those “get too know you” surveys. You know they’re the ones with 20 questions where you pick 1 of the two options given- that tells us a little bit more about who you are as an individual. So I have one of those questions for you today. Here are the two options: roller coasters or ferris wheel? I would pick the roller coaster. There are so many things I love about riding on a roller coaster. I like the adrenaline rush right before you get in your seat. I like the speed of the turns and twists and I like the potential of the sheer shock factor, (probably because I know it’s only momentary). Almost always when I’m standing in line to get on a roller coaster there is either someone in front of me or behind me who has already ridden this particular roller coaster at least two times. They talk about how you slowly escalate up the long wooden track and how at the pinnacle you feel weightless right before the massive plunge to the bottom where you feel gravity taking its course on all 100 something pounds of you. But here’s something that we don’t take in account. That persons' experience riding the roller coaster is never going to translate into your own experience of riding the same roller coaster. It’s like that in life! If you’re a mother you know that when you went through your first pregnancy you had a bunch of other women who were already mothers come up to you and tell you the story of their pregnancy. So, you nod-and smile, and are genuinely interested in what that mom has to say, but the truth of the matter is your pregnancy is individual to your body. And if you look at my body you will understand that our pregnancies were probably very different. Here’s something that I truly love about God. He decided to build a roller coaster of life for each of us that he knew we could handle. He understood that to put me on a wild ride it meant that I would have to have more than a thong seatbelt to keep my hiney in that chair! And He knew that I would need a set of rules because sometimes I want to test my limits. For instance, on a roller coaster you have to be a certain height to ride, you have to keep your arms and legs inside the seat at all times, and if it’s a real headbanger you’ll want to take out your earring, belly ring, eyelid ring, and lip ring so nothing gets snatched off mid turn. Before you and I decided to get in line to ride this roller coaster there were already those rules established. Guess what? For life, we already have rules that are established for our personal safety and they are found in the word of God! Rules like: honor your mother and your father, what you reap you will sow, love your enemies, and my personal favorite-turn the other cheek. That works particularly well for me ‘cause a woman of my stature has a lot of cheek to go around! Thank the Lord! Those three specific rules ensure a long life, prosperity (if you reap goodness), and a character like Christ. Moving on. Just after you get into your seat what’s the first thing that happens? You connect your seatbelt. Wouldn’t it make sense that the seatbelt is applied in the first place because there is an implied danger ahead? Of course! Jesus is our seatbelt. Ideally, everywhere I go, he goes with me along with his protection. Then to seal the deal, a scrawny, cute, teenager turns my size 12-14 to a wicked 3-4 by pullin‘ that seatbelt strap as hard as he can! Now that’s a diet plan. Now here’s a question for you- you know when you’re about half way through the roller coaster ride and you see those bright flashing lights in your face and you know they just took a picture of you with your hair cockeyed, your eyeballs popping, your mouth wide open, you've got triple chin syndrome going on, and probably a drool streamer flying out of your mouth? Why would I want a picture of that? Honestly, if I wanted a picture of that for my friends, I’d snap a picture of myself just after waking up, mail it to you so that you can add it to your refrigerator mug shot collection! Why don’t they take it after that kid transforms me to a 3-4? I don’t know, just food for thought. Here’s the truth, when the ride has already started and we are well engaged- and the loop de loos start commin, when the ups and downs of the ride start wearing on our bodies and we feel a little beat up or scared, God allows our minds to take that mental picture so that when we get to the end we can see what He’s brought us through and be grateful for where we are. You ever notice that when you get off of the ride, you never get off the way that you got on? That’s God’s design too. See he allows us to go through some hard turns to the left and to the right, he gives us the opportunity to experience some cork screws and deep plunges of life for a few different reasons. 1. He loves us so much and he wants us to understand that he will never leave us or forsake us. He knew that if he put you and me on a kiddy ride we would sit back and not even consider calling on him for fellowship, help, or support. 2. He is interested in us having a developed character. See a person with undeveloped character doesn’t know how to fight. The Bible says that we fight not a battle of flesh and blood. It’s a battle of our mind, will, and emotions. Trust me, he is battling on our behalf. Jesus has developed character. And the bottom line is that He wants us to be like him! Jesus had an amazing roller coaster ride. His first loop de loop was being born by a virgin. Can you imagine how kids must have teased him at the play yard? Jesus went through corkscrews of torture, betrayal, and being crucified. Talk about some serious dark moments in his personal roller coaster. And yet with all of the challenges that he faced, he did it with courage, strength, and by the way, he did it all perfectly. 3. He wants us to share our roller coaster riding experience with Him! He wants time with his kids. Just like if you went a while without seeing someone who means the world to you- once you get the chance, you want all the time that you can get. He’s the same way. For some, this past year has had so many upside down moments that when we got off the ride we didn’t know which way was up. Some of you have had some deep plunges where you didn’t think that you could recover. But I’m here to tell you that Jesus is holding on to you really tight and he will never let you go. Be encouraged, the Bible says that it’s through our weakness that His strength is made perfect. So if you’re tired and weak then celebrate because you will find out that he will supply your every need, he will sustain you and keep you out of harms way. According to Jeremiah 29:11 He will never have plans to harm you. But he’ll give you a hope and a future. I’m not going to set any new year’s resolutions for you. All I’m going to say is make sure that you invite Jesus to go with you on your roller coaster ride of life. You won’t be sorry. Love you all ,Dede