It was the last ride of the last day of our Disney birthday celebration for my daughter’s 18th birthday. The rain had finally stopped and we had a few minutes before leaving the Magic Kingdom.
Our group climbed into our ‘hunny pots’ (she was always a Pooh fan!) tired, but happy…ready to close the Magic Kingdom at midnight. Tigger bounced and Pooh hummed as we journeyed through the story singing along….and then…nothing.
The ride stopped. The music stopped. The hunny pots stopped. Everything stopped.
For a few minutes we sat in darkness. Then glaring lights turned on and a loud voice instructed us to stay put. ‘Please remain in your hunny pot, it declared. ‘A cast member will be by shortly to assist you.’ The announcement was repeated over and over and over for the next fifteen minutes.
There was no last wonderful ride at Disney. No magical tour through the Hundred Acre wood. Just five shivering folks in cheap rain ponchos…waiting to be released from a yellow plastic hunny pot. Eventually two perky folks in costume came along and pushed the magic button to release our lap bar. We climbed out one by one and began walking along the track through the story.
This was a side of the ride we had never seen. We got to touch things and look up close at fake rain puddles and glow in the dark Heffalumps. We were able to come face to face with Pooh and joke with the other passengers who joined us along the way.
One of them noticed my daughter’s birthday button and the entire group burst into an impromptu birthday song. It was awesome!
The whole thing felt a lot like life to me. Sometimes we are cruising along on our journey and then wham! Everything stops. The safe secure path you expected to travel is no longer an option. You are forced to evacuate Plan A and walk an unfamiliar path. It is dark and a bit scary. ‘This was not part of the plan’ we cry. ‘It was not supposed to be like this’.
But along the way, remember these things that are still true:
- Your detour did not take God by surprise. He is right there with you in the dark.
- There are always folks along the way to provide guidance and help.
- It may not be the ride you expected, but your new perspective may show you a side of God’s heart that you would never have seen otherwise. Riding along in our hunny pot, we would have never been able to touch Pooh’s face. Maybe your life’s detour will allow God to touch you in ways you never dreamed possible.
- There can be magic and joy along the journey but you have to look for it. Fellow travelers who could have grumbled our way out of the ride instead chose to laugh and sing. Is there someone whose life you can brighten today?
- And no matter what- at the end we eventually come out into the open again. On our Disney adventure, there were fireworks and a castle that sparkled…even in the rain. In life, there is a hope of heaven, eternity with Jesus and a reunion with all those who have gone before.
Psalm 16:5Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure no matter what.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you. My first New Year as a widow and I really needed to be reminded of this today. God Bless You.
Janna – dear friend, thank you for taking the courage to comment. All of those firsts are so hard. But somehow they are something we have to go through, not around or over. I pray you feel His hand in the small of your back as you face other firsts this new year. Sending you hugs and hope even in the midst of the really hard stuff!
Thank you for sharing. I have been a widow for 3 years now. One of my first thoughts when I learned of my husbands illness and that he most likely would not make it was, “We were suppose to grow old together”. Now I am on this journey by myself and I have realized how much I relied on my husband instead of God. I still try to do it myself but I am learning that God will help you if you just let him and ask for his guidance. I feel like I am closer to God now but I still have a long ways to go. As humans we try to do it ourselves, but He is always there to help if we will just let Him.
Thanks Anne Lee for your comment. I think that is true of a lot of us. And you don’t realize how much until they are gone. We know God is big enough but in this journey we truly experience it. Much love – Danita
I especially relate to this — everything stopped – sat in darkness for a few minutes – loud voice telling us please stay where you are – help is on the way (my interpretation) – so true of this journey – so true.
I too felt that catch in my breath when I read those words, Danita. “Everything stopped – sat in darkness” The loud voice of the Lord telling me help is on its way. Thank you, Lord Jesus, that You don’t leave us in the darkness. That you care for and love the widows. Thank You that we are at the center of Your will.
I like this story- how out of the brokenness of the ride came the most beautiful story. Look at the beauty in your girls and in your spirit, Danita. What an inspiration–glorified through Christ!
Tonight I read through Chapter 1 of James with the boys. We talked about how our trials should be considered joy because of the testing through perseverance and how the experience of overcoming the hardship stays with us so that in the next trial, we will remember how well God took care of us, and we will be stronger because that experience gives us hope the next time. Wow. What a lesson!
Linda – I have felt on my journey that this has happened many times, besides the initial loss. Things have stopped and I have been in darkness. And yet, He is always there. I think we must realize that it is not a clear cut progression with steps but that the journey is different for each of us. Thank you for sharing.
Danita,
Loved this. So often our plan B (or C or D or LMNO-P) isn’t what we envision. It’s not what we would choose, if we had that ability…but still, we can find little pieces of joy, jumbled in the darkness, the uncertainty, the “standing still” in moments where we don’t know what is coming next. All along knowing we have our hands in God’s
Happy belated birthday to your oldest. Glad you were able to celebrate in the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
Cheers to your entire family, with prayers for a blessed year.
Nancy
Danita,
Thanks for sharing this special story and for the 5 truths from God. Each and everyone is so very true! Appreicate you being real and honest with us all the time! Shine on, dear friend…as brightly as the beautiful castle.
Kit, Nancy Julie – at the end of the day, honest is all we’ve got, right ?
I love you guys and appreciate your kind words so much.
Thank you for the story. I have just read it. I never thought about my life going into Plan B. I just felt lost and going around in circles trying to work out what I’m doing and where I should be going. I’ve been trying for the last 15 months to find where I belong. I have some thinking and soul searching to do. Thank you for giving me a new perspective, something different to think about, something with a more positive outlook.