Life is Roller Coaster

This is a picture of the new roller coaster at the Kemah Boardwalk called the "Boardwalk Bullet." I took my son Jordan who is 5 on this massive roller coaster that was carved from one piece of wood! Actually, he is the one who wanted to go on it, and after numerous attempts to try and convince him otherwise, he insisted. I knew the whole time while we were standing in line that he had no idea what he was getting himself into, but I felt it would be a good opportunity for him amd I to learn some lessons. He was walking into it blind because he had no idea what to expect, and I was scared for him to say the least. While we were slowly creeping up to the peek of the wooden monument, I began to see reality set in for the little guy. He put his hands over his ears to try and drown out the overpowering rattle of the machine, and tucked his head into my side as if I were his only hope to survive the event that was about to take place. So I embraced him and put my arm around him, held him tightly, and cringed at the possible outcome of our overwhelming task. After we finally climbed to the top of the coaster, we beagn the fastest, heart dropping, most intense 2 minutes Jordan has ever experienced in his brief 5 years on this place we call earth. The drops, the bends, the speed, and the multitude of screams, drowned out any attempt on my part to hear the cries of my 5 year old, if there were any to be heard. As we finished the ride and sluggishly crept back into the starting blocks, I glanced over to see his eyes were as dry as mine, but the look on his face spoke a million words that never had to be spoken! After we exited the ride and began our descent back to reality, I began to brief him on what he had just experienced. He told me " You were right Daddy," and " That ride hurt my heart."(Surely speaking of the heart dropping 93' drop he had just endured.) While reflecting on our experience, I thought to myself how I am exactly like my 5 year old when it comes to this roller coaster we call life. Sometimes in my vain attempts to create my own way, I walk into things blindly, not knowing what to expect and put my hands over my ears and snuggle up with my heavenly father to comfort me through all of the speed, bends, and drops. Just as I put my arm around Jordan, he puts his arm around me and holds tightly as I walk down this road that he has mapped out for me. I often find myself with similar responses to God as my little daredevil 5 year old too. " You were right Daddy," and " This ride makes my heart hurt."

Confused

So the other day I was strolling through the bookstore when it hit me like a mack truck running over a dead snake for the hundredth time, how can all of these people write books? I mean which one should I pick, and if I do decide to pick one, what gave that person the authority or should I say the expertise that they were qualified to write a book. What do they know that I don't? I feel like if you write a book on something, you must be pretty knowledgable about the subject. So how come when I see books titled "How Would Jesus Vote," or the many " What God Desires For You" books, it has suddenly turned me off. Don't get me wrong I love to read Christian literature all day long, but I can no longer read books like this. I don't feel like these books get me anywhere anymore, not because I'm so far advanced in my reading, but I need to hear something new and fresh. When I see the titles as I pace through the store with my indecisiveness, it frustrates me to think that these people have some kind of inside edge on God that I don't. I mean how do they know what God desires for me, or how do they know how Jesus would vote? If you have been to the bookstore lately, check out the covers of the books, they have gotten to be so creative that even a book that might not even be good will be purchased simply for the artistic creativity of the cover. Sometimes I feel like it is all a game, and the only people that are winning are the people that are writing them. However, I am still an avid reader and more than just a casual fan when it comes to Christian literature, but I must say that these things do disturb me.