Poland

So…we’re going. To Poland. In the summer. To go on rollercoaster. Yes, more rollercoasters! I don’t think it’s a mid-life crisis thing. Actually, I know it’s not. We’re going because Zac loves rollercoasters and he invited us! Last year, at the last minute, we went to Belgium and Holland to go on rollercoaster with him because a trip he’d planned with his friends fell through. This time though, we’re the “in crowd”. We’re the chosen ones. We’re the “Oh yes, do you remember Goliath?” crowd. And…we want to go. Well, mostly we want to go. Last year’s rollercoasters were fantastic. Much to my surprise I really enjoyed them. Never been interested in them before and wasn’t too sure what I would think and whether I’d go on all of them. But I did. All of them. And more than once! In Poland though, it might be different. Last year, Goliath (and the name tells you it’s a big one) stands at 160ft tall. In Poland the tallest ride, Hyperion, is 260 feet tall! That’s really high. And, truth be told, I don’t have a great head for heights. So…I’m looking forward to it. I think! Zac assures me that the experience of riding on Hyperion will be amazing. I hope he’s right. But it’s not just Hyperion. There are lots more coasters (see I’m even into the lingo now)! And, the trip to Poland isn’t only about Rollercoasters. It turns out that the rollercoaster park is close to the Krakow Plaszow Nazi concentration camp of WWII. One day of the trip will be a visit to the camp and it will be different kind of rollercoaster experience. I’ve been to the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem and it was harrowing. I expect a visit to Krakow Plaszow to be harrowing. Juxtaposed between the exhilaration of one kind of rollercoaster, will be the experience of humanity at it’s worst. And here’s the thing: both the trip itself and the contrast of activities and experiences are simply a reflection of the way life really is. I thought I was done with rollercoasters. I thought I’d done the biggest and the best. I thought I wouldn’t have to face another lift hill climb where all I can think about is how high I’m going! Now though, I’m going to do it all again. Only this time everything is bigger and faster. And in the middle of it will be an experience of a completely different sort, where I’ll wonder how what I witnessing could ever even have happened. Life is a mixture of experiences. We love to tell the story of Peter climbing out of the boat to walk towards Jesus on the water. Both amazing and frightening! But he didn’t do that just once. Not long after he’d made the worst mistake of his life, where had denied he ever knew Jesus, the resurrected Jesus came to meet him on the beach for breakfast. And there, in the midst of Peter’s pain, Jesus asked Peter to follow him again. Only this time it would be harder because Jesus would be with in the same way as before. Peter thought he was done. Jesus had other ideas. That’s how it is when follow God. It’s a mixture of all that challenges us and exhilarates us. And just when we think we’re done, God turns and an invites us to follow him again. So, I’m going to Poland where the challenges will be bigger than last year, in more ways than one. Makes me wonder how I’d respond if God turned up one day soon and invited me to follow him in a new and challenging way.