Carousel

Have you ever been to the fair? You know how, at least here, the fair is kind of sketchy looking. You walk around a see all the rides that have been assembled and disassembled hundreds of times. You see the food stands that are about as clean as a stadium bathroom. Even though I have been and enjoyed myself dozens of times; looking back, it was a pretty nasty place. But I always thought the carousel was awesome. It wasn't the most fun thing in the park to ride or the most exciting, but as a kid it offered something to me that was appealing.

I have loved horses since the first time seeing The Man From Snowy River when I was young. I remember pretending I was Jim Craig, popping my bull whip and humming the theme song while I played. Now, I know the carousel is nothing like being on a real horse and and chasing wild brumbies through the mountains, but I would pretend to. And to be honest, the pretending didn't last long because, no matter how hard I tried, those plastic horses were never going to break loose and take off through the fair grounds.

Isn't that kind of like us as adults. There are things we dream of doing, but we opt for the carousels life offers us instead. When I was in college I had a possible opportunity to work in New Mexico and in the Keys. Instead of doing it, I let things here at home talk me out of going. I kick myself all the time for not taking those chances and experiencing that. I could have actually lived out the dream I had as a kid.

Its kind of like that in our faith too. God offers us abundant life. He tells us to seek Him and his kingdom and He will bless us. He says seek, knock and ask. He tells us to abide in Him and be blessed. He tells us that we can do all things through Him. God offers us the chance to charge down that stage after wild brumbies, or whatever dream you might have had once. It may not be literally on horseback but it can be every bit as exciting.