The Ride

Last weekend to celebrate Jackson's birthday, we packed up the kids and took them to Worlds of Fun, a local amusement park. We met up with the Kramps, friends who have become like family to us, and spent the night riding coasters, eating Cinnabon and kettle corn, and laughing at the kids having the time of their lives.

We raised our kids right, in terms of roller coasters anyway. They love them. Jackson cried when we realized he was half an inch away from riding a few of them. (We even put him in the tallest shoes I could find.)

Isabelle went straight for the big guns when she was five years old: her first roller coaster went upside down and backwards. She chose one of the biggest in the park to begin her coaster riding career. I held my breath and tentatively watched her face as she strapped in and waited for the ride to begin. She had a huge grin. She was holding on tight. Her daddy was beside her.

She was ready.

When I describe this past year and a half to others, I tell them it's felt a lot like riding a roller coaster. I wish the path to healing was a linear one; a straight shot to feeling whole and put together. But it's way more like a roller coaster than a smooth ride to the top of a summit. Lots of ups and downs. Stops and starts. Upside down and through tunnels. Flashes taking your picture for all the world to see when you least expect it.

But I can have the same confidence that Isabelle did. A five year old ignorance of what lays ahead but confident that my Father will keep me safe. A feeling of adventure as He leads me to do new and hard and wonderful things.

When Isabelle got off of her first roller coaster, she was thrilled. "Let's do it again, Daddy! I want to do it again!"

Will I ever want to walk this path to healing again? Not in a lot of ways. But I do love the confidence I have of my Heavenly Father beside me. Riding with the assurance that He is in control and keeping me safe.

Bar down. Arms up.  I'm ready for this ride with Him.