Dinosaur-Go-Round-O’-Death

Psalm 139:7-12

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.


Last week Lisa, Joshua, and I went to Hersheypark to use to some free tickets we got through our internet provider D&E Jazzd. If we signed up with them, they'd give us two free tix to the park. Wow! Can't pass up on that offer.

Something terrible happened to our 20 month old son, Joshua, while we were there. The day started off well enough. The first ride we took him on was the carousel. All three of us could get on the ride and hold Joshua on the horse that didn't move. Joshua's eyes beamed wide and took it all in. When it stopped, he clapped, but still looked bewildered. But then we tried the next ride.

It was the ride called the "Dinosaur-Go-Round" that caused us to win the "Most Cruel, Unloving Parents-of-the-Year Award." Here's what happened. I stood in line holding Joshua while Lisa manned the video camera. I walked into the ride and put Joshua is the back seat of the ride and I got in with him. The ride technician came over and said politely, "This ride is for kids only." I wanted to ask, "What's your point?" but I knew he meant I couldn't ride with Joshua. I looked at Lisa and we shrugged our shoulders. We didn't know what to do. So I got out, strapped Joshua in, and walked out of the ride to join Lisa.

The bomb dropped when “Dinosaur-Go-Round-O’-Death" cranked up. While every other kid enjoyed the ride, Joshua freaked. With each pass of the dinosaur Joshua was riding, the terror on his face told the story. "What did you do to me!? How could you allow this to happen to me!? Why am I here!? Where did you go!? I can't believe you left me! Do you know what's happening to me!?" While he can't talk, he communicates very well.

All the other parents looked at the newbies. Their eyes said it all. They were thinking, "Awwww, the new parents didn't know any better. Too bad their child is freakin' out. Shame on them." We both wanted to jump the fence and pull him from the ride...but I knew he'd be fine. While Joshua had no knowledge that we were there the entire time, we knew he wasn't in danger. Joshua obviously felt otherwise.

Psalm 139 points out that God knows everything and is everywhere all the time. Nothing is hidden from Him. Sometimes I go through things in my life and I feel that God has His back turned. I feel like He doesn't know what's happening. According to David, the author of this particular Psalm, He knows where I am - no matter what happens to me. That's a comforting thought.

God, thank you for always being there for me - even when I can't comprehend why things are happening to me. You go with me where I go. Nothing is hidden from your sight. Thank you for protecting me and understanding what I'm going through on the merry-go-round of life. Help me to have your perspective more often - to know You are with me, understand what's happening, and won't give me more than I can handle.