This Carousel Called Life

I made it to my first Heritage Festival here in Southeast Texas. What fun! My favorite part? Fried mushrooms and pork kabobs. I did not, however, enjoy the rides. I didn’t even get on the rides. In fact, the constant spinning in my view as I walked through the fair reminded me of a few weeks ago when I had vertigo. If you’ve never had it, be thankful. For twenty-four hours, the world was literally spinning, even if my eyes were closed. I was sick to my stomach, my head hurt and I had to pretty much crawl or hold on to the wall if I needed to get out of bed. I’ve only had vertigo a couple of times but as I am getting a little older, I can’t handle a lot of motion.

Sometimes I feel like my world is figuratively spinning out of control.

Today I couldn’t even make a grill cheese sandwich successfully. The bread was sticking to the pan and I seemed to be dropping everything. There are times I wake up with a mile-long list of things to do. I carefully fit my thirty eight chores into the fifteen hour time-slot for the day. Ready to juggle all the balls life throws at me, someone unexpectedly throws another ball in my mix, ending my juggling sensation. That one ball too many might be someone who asks me to do something I don’t want to do. Someone giving me bad news could do it too. Say something to hurt my feelings? All my balls dropped! I’m left empty handed and heavy hearted.

In each case of motion mayhem, I find myself searching for something to cling or hold on to - like the wall that upheld me in my dizzying days. When I’m wise, it’s God. Some of my favorite verses from the book of Psalms talk about God being our rock. The safest place in a storm is near something strongly anchored. Our God is immovable. He’s not going anywhere.

When I have one of those actual crazy spinning spells like the one I mentioned, I also get in a dark place like under a pillow. You might say this is my refuge. It’s my hiding spot where I block out the light and sound which makes my head hurt worse. God is my refuge for the things in life I want to hide from, and believe me there are plenty. I remember early in my elementary school days, finding refuge in an unexpected place. My class was on the playground one day and someone hurt my feelings. There were two tire tractors stuck upright in the ground for us to crawl on and crawl through. But that’s not what I did. I curled up inside one of the tires sort of like the letter “C” and hid; from that girl and everybody else. Jesus is our hiding place; a place where we are safe. He’s like base.

Have you ever played the relay game where the runner keeps her head on a bat that’s standing between her and the ground? She spins ten times or so, then runs and tags someone down-field. It’s a real kick to watch as she can’t run straight. She’s lucky if she doesn’t fall. Don't the participants realize it’s unnatural and unsafe to revolve around a bat? Likewise, when we choose to structure our days running around trying to be the super-girl we think everyone expects us to be - things don’t always go so well. When life revolves around anything but Jesus, we run off-course even if we’re able to stay on our feet. It says in Psalm 46: “Be still and know that I am God.” If we spend enough time being still thinking about and thinking TO God, we’ll find our path more straight and steady. And remember when you’re feeling small like I did on the playground that day, God provides the best hiding place-in him!

Next year when I go to the Heritage Festival, you better bet I won’t be on one of those rides. No ma’am! My eyes will be focused on what is still. And every day between now and then and every day after; I'll look to my immovable God - the one who is steady; the one who holds me up.

1. Life’s clock doesn't stop. When you find yourself dizzied by its commotion; be steadied, upheld by His hand. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely. -Psalm 63:7

2. Try using a commonly held motto - in reverse: You can't run, but you can hide. While you can't run from your problems or harried life, you can and should hide {in Him}.

3. Its ok to be still. Purpose over Productivity. More is often accomplished by simply being in his presence than by running around trying to be productive.

Author Kristi Burden writes at Gods Girlies. Check it out!