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Roller Coasters and Joy Sickness

Writer's picture: Michael TookerMichael Tooker

Updated: Jun 9, 2023


Kid sticking out tongue on a roller coaster

Intellectually, I love roller coasters. In reality, I hate them. What I like are theme parks. Disneyland, for example, is awesome! I enjoy every ride in the park. Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain and The Matterhorn are all great.


However, crossing the walkway to Disney California – well the thought of it makes me nauseous.  

That park contains disorienting rides. And the truth is I don’t like to be disoriented.

The last time I attempted a sequence of disorienting rides was at the Arizona State Fair (circa 1986).  I rode a half-dozen “G-Force” rides culminating with me lying in the grass near the food court while my friends traded adventure stories.  I roused myself to join in but simply threw up on the stuffed bear Kerwin had won after we left the Tilt-A-Whirl.  Sorry Kerwin!


God “blessed” me with an eldest son who loves roller coasters, g-forces, free falls, blind turn – all things disorienting.  God also gave me a wife with a bad back, and another son ambivalent towards these iron monsters.  I’m the only remaining blood relative to accompany my son when he pleads for a companion.


My son was 10 when he first rode California Screamin’.  He stared longingly at it for hours before mustering the courage to announce, “I’m doing it!”  I was thrilled to discover the “single line” – which ushered him to the front, bypassing a 40-minute wait.  This also exempted me from having to go along. He rode it twice by himself and it was the highlight of his trip.


Two years later we returned.  My son couldn’t wait! In the weeks prior, he fixated on California Screamin’ – asking me repeatedly if I’d ride it with him.  I inadvertently led him to believe my answer was “Yes!”


As I strapped myself into Disney California’s longest and fastest roller coaster, I knew this would be both the high and low point of my day.  Pun intended!  With the 4 point harness imprisoning me – I knew I’d pay dearly!  I knew that hours after the pneumatic brakes whiplashed us to a halt, I’d be left dizzy, nauseous, and disoriented.  I only hoped I wouldn’t throw up on my son!

As we prepared for the violent acceleration, 4 words went through my mind.


Count it all joy!


Referring to James 1:2-4, the full verse reads:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.    

Don’t misunderstand me.  I’m not suggesting roller coasters are “spiritual tests.” But they are a metaphor for parenting.  As parents we see spiritual tests coming. Like standing in line for roller coasters, we see what awaits us.  When the doctor informs us, “there’s an abnormality on the ultrasound,” when we see our kids’ hearts broken, or we witness our kids self-sabotage – we know what lies ahead isn’t pretty.  In near cliché form, we know we’ll wrestle with self-doubt, anemic faith, isolation, a need for control, and feelings of inadequacy. We’ll even question whether God exists.  But God does exist.  And He calls us to count it all joy.  ALL of it!


So the ride began with a drag race-like start and quickly deteriorated into a series of climbs, drops and turns that blurred my vision and drew bile into my mouth. As we headed for the barrel roll my son screamed, “Isn’t this awesome dad?!” Clutching the bar and suppressing my gag reflex I screamed, “I love this ride!” As my feet went over my head in the loop I thought, “I hate this ride!” In the same moment I thanked God for appointing me to be my son’s “ride-along.”


When it finally ended my son was grinning from ear to ear and chattering about something. With my head reeling, we climbed out and I fought to get my legs. The best I could muster was a hollow, “that was cool!”  I probably sounded drunk…but he wasn’t REALLY listening. He was recounting every acceleration, turn, roll and loop. He was euphoric. I was catatonic. But then me agreeing to ride along wasn’t about me. It was about him. Parenting is kind of like that. It isn’t about us. It’s a roller coaster. And God asks us to count it all joy!


The nerves, the sore back, the subtle taste of vomit, the whiplash, the headache and vertigo (and I’m not talking about the roller coaster here) – all of that…Joy! As a parent, I don’t always FEEL joy. But if God says it produces steadfastness that makes me perfect and complete – lacking in nothing – then I will COUNT it joy!


I’d love to hear about your parental roller coaster…and how you’ve fought to count it all joy.

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