We were asked to write a blog about how we felt before leaving on this mission trip. Here is what I’m expecting…
We just got to the amusement park. We are so excited. We run to the front gate and immediately we scream back and forth about what ride we’ll go on first. We decide on the Titan, the biggest, baddest roller coaster at this park. We practically run to get to it. However, along the way, some people want to stop & ride a smaller ride. We squabble sometimes; other times we ride it, the line is fast and the ride is fun. We leave laughing and talking about it, but still excited about the Titan. Finally we get there. And we’re stopped cold by the line of other people who raced to get there. We join the line and we’re still excited. Half an hour in, I’m slumped against the rail, my sister is complaining about the heat, and my nephew is swinging and hitting other people with his legs. Tempers flair, so we stop talking. 10 minutes later we’ve moved, we feel the breeze and we can see the gate! The ride is almost here. We start talking excitingly again. 15 minutes later, we’re on edge- AND on the ride!!! Overhead, the workers are telling us the rules, but we’re barely listening. Then we take off. Butterflies are in my stomach as we go up- and up- and up- and up! Then we speed down, screaming and laughing at the same time. We’re whipped around turn after turn. At one point, the g-force is so strong we can’t see! The ride twists us and turns us. And then it’s over. We’re dizzy and trip when we get off. We laugh and hug each other and run down to see our picture. We can’t stop talking about how great the ride was. Then we start walking and someone mentions that the line sure was long for such a short ride. We get a little down about it, but then somebody says, I would do it all again! You in?
That’s exactly how I think this trip will go. It’ll be new & exciting. It’ll take me to new places. It’ll test my patience and endurance. I’ll grow so close to my team that sometimes we’ll get snippy. I’ll forget to pay attention to the rules and sometimes will pay a price for that. It’ll wreck my nerves. It’ll be the time of my life. Sometimes God’ll be so close that I won’t even believe what I’m seeing I’ll just have to feel it. I’ll be twisted inside out and unsure when I step off the ride. I’ll want to share it with everyone. The shine’ll wear off.
In the end, it’ll be the ride of a lifetime and all I’ll have to say is:
I would do it all again. You in?
