Roller Coaster of Life

I have been recently reminded that life has its highs and lows, like much of my week, this week. At work, we had "corporate" come out and talk with us. I feared this meeting would just reiterate how bad the economy is and how it's affected one of our doctor's decision to send his patients elsewhere. But they admitted they were late on this action and was more reactive than being proactive when this had happened. And actually things look much better (just may take some time to recover) than many had expected. That's just a slice of this week. And that's what life is.

I like roller coasters. Some are smooth and sleek. Some are rough and tortuous. But they are all generated by kinetic energy. The roller coaster reaches its maximum kinetic energy at its lowest point of its path. When a roller coaster climbs and ascends, the kinetic energy converts to gravitational potential energy. The sum of kinetic and potential energy in this system remains constant, if friction doesn't change.

Life is like a roller coaster. there are ups and downs, twists and turns. Sometimes life can be smooth sailing. Sometimes it can be a rough ride. But through it all, you can survive through those wild twists and turns in life.

My life as an example

I started off slow, mostly because I was an introvert, a nerd in high school (perhaps), and that personality transcended into my adulthood. In fact, I once referred myself as socially inept, because I didn't do well in social situations. It took me a while to climb or ascend that social scale. It might look like I have a lot of friends that I have found and reconnected on Facebook, but my quality friends are still just a handful.

I may be not as inept as I once thought I was, but life throws you curve balls-- or in the roller coaster analogy, life gives you twists and turns.

I met women online on dating sites that I thought were potential mates, only to find them not responding to me any longer. Or in the case of one, she was a missionary to Romania, who came home to Minnesota to get financial support, but she couldn't come out to California to visit me. After that, I lost contact with her, only to think we had something together there. Two steps forward, three steps back. Or in the roller coaster analogy again, the kind of coaster that goes backwards and into a side track, eventually leads into a totally different direction and becomes the new trajectory of the journey. Sometimes life can be upside-down and going backward. But as the pendulum swings back, the potential energy is released in the opposite direction, there is momentum to head into the right direction.

I think everyone understands the ups and downs of life-- physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially. Life is not easy. Not the way we intend it to be.

There's a Third Day song that talks about this journey of life. Sometimes we lose our way. Sometimes we are deep in the valley, but we eventually make it up the mountain to the right path and direction.

I confess from time to time I lose my way,

But you are always there to bring me back again.

Even though the journey's long,

And I know the road is hard,

Well, the One who's gone before me

He will keep me carry on,

After all that I've been through

Now I realize the truth

That I must go through the valley

To stand upon the mountain of God.

Sometimes the road on this journey can be bumpy and rocky, and sometimes it's slick and smooth. That's the concept of the friction on a roller coaster. Some roller coasters go through water, which may make the rails slick. But when the coaster is on a decline and SPLASH! You get wet. There's added resistance pushing against the coaster, coming to an abrubt stop or tremendously slowing down the process of the journey. The journey is not over yet. But if you need forgiveness and a fresh new start, you can reboard the ride for another exciting ride.

If you need to confess your past, present and future sins, confess them now.

Heavenly Father, I ask that You forgive me of my sins. Help me to get on the right track by accepting Jesus Christ into my life as my personal Lord and Savior. I need your love and forgiveness. Come into my life, Lord Jesus and lead me on the right path You want for my life. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, congratulations. You are now a Child of God. Find a good Bible believing church who will help you grow in the way God wants to lead you.

Blessings, 
Garret