Rollercoasters

Rollercoasters: are you a fan of them? In my 28 (almost 29) years of life, I have gone on countless rollercoaster rides. I still remember going to Adventureland with my dad’s work back when I was in 5^th grade. Everyone was going on the Dragon and Tornado, and I was super scared. Jessie looked at me with her big brown eyes and assured me that I would be okay. And I was. It was actually a lot of fun! Since then, I have ventured to rollercoasters at Six Flags, Worlds of Fun, Disney Theme Parks, Universal: Islands of Adventure, and Busch Gardens. So, one would think I would be more than ready to ride the rollercoaster of ‘life,’ right? I have learned that some days are the best days EVER, some are about a 6/10 (10 being the best), and some are just super challenging. Over the past four years, it has felt as if I have been tossed and turned, and sped up and slowed down over and over again. The feelings of my ‘life journey’ match pretty closely to the experience Cole and I most recently felt while riding the Dualing Dragons at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter:

Walking away from the ‘natural high’ of the ride we both felt like we needed an equilibrium check!

And so it is with life. Cole and I were visiting Sunday about our frustrations with our quest to be parents. We talked openly about how God knows what we want, but just has not given it to us…..yet. My favorite line from Cole that day was when he turned to me and said, “Chels, we can’t keep looking for joy in what we desire/want; we need to find joy in what we already have.” This of course made me love the man I married even more! He is so right. Since that conversation Sunday, I have been enthralled by Matt Redman’s song, “10,000 Reasons.” This song was inspired by Psalm 103. After loving the lyrics and song itself, I decided to ponder on the actual scripture. My favorite part is:

Psalm 103: 1-5

1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The bolded words are what popped out on the page to me. 1) I need to remember all the ways He has already benefited/blessed me. 2) He has healed me over and over again along this journey. 3) He redeemed me by dying on the cross for my sins and allowing me to have an instant relationship with Him. 4) He satisfied my desires ----- waiting for this one to come true, but he still satisfies my daily desires of needing to be loved by those around me. 5) I have renewed strength daily by turning to Him; and by being edified through the people in my life.

As I mentioned, I have been infatuated with this song. So, I wanted to read about why Matt Redman wrote it. Here is what he said, “The point behind the song is this: if you wake up one morning and you cannot think of a reason to bring God some kind of offering of thanks or praise, then you can be sure there’s something wrong at your end of the pipeline, and not his. We live beneath an unceasing flow of goodness, kindness, greatness, and holiness, and every day we’re given reason after reason why Jesus is so completely and utterly worthy of our highest and best devotion.”

“10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)”

[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore

[Chorus x2]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
Lord, I'll worship Your holy name

Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
Jesus, I'll worship Your holy name
I'll worship Your holy name

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51fQIiHlu8Q

So, in light of Matt Redman’s song, I have decided to share some of my 10,000 reasons why I can Praise the Lord. He has blessed Cole and me with countless opportunities (there were supposed to be pictures with each one of these, but for some reason technology would not cooperate with me): 

Being united as one, September 23, 2006

Delayed honeymoon to Florida, March 2007
Moving into our first house, August 2007
Visiting Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City Royals game, July 2008
Visiting the Arch in St. Louis, July 2008
Visiting Estes Park, Colorado, for the first time, September 2008

Cheering on the Hawks together, October 2008
Visiting Estes Park, because it’s so beautiful, September 2009
Visiting the Badlands, July 2009
Visiting Mount Rushmore, July 2009
Getting to fly in Ross’ plane in Spokane, WA, July 2009
Visiting Yellowstone National Park, July 2009
Visiting the Grand Tetons, July 2009
Visiting Colorado Rockies Stadium, July 2009
Visiting Oahu, July 2010
Visiting Kauai, July 2010
Celebrating Cole’s 30^th birthday & master’s in administration, May 2011
Trip to Target Field to see Twins together, July 2011
Visiting Duluth, MN, and Lake Superior, July 201
Visiting Tettegouche State Park, MN, July 2011
Visiting Busch Stadium for St. Louis Cardinals game with Israel and Sarah, June 2012
Visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, July 2012
Visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom, July 2012
Visiting Lido Beach, Sarisota, FL, July 2012
Visiting Tropicana Stadium for Tampa Bay Rays game, July 2012
Hanging out with Jess and girls at their pool, FL, July 2012
Being blessed over and over again by our families: Pederson’s
Being blessed over and over again by our families: Matthias’
And being blessed over and over again by our friends: you know who you are!

Thanks for taking a walk down memory ‘blessing’ lane with me. So, I guess I am a fan of rollercoasters – for fun – and for life. The fun rollercoasters at amusement parks have given me thrills and excitement. The rollercoasters of life have helped shape me into the person I am today, and have helped me find joy in the big, and not so big aspects of life. Hoping you can find joy in something God has blessed you with so far in your life journey.   

Numbers 6: 24-26

²⁴ “The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
²⁵ the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’