The Ferris Wheel

Once you have tasted the taste of the sky,

you will forever look up.

- Leonardo da Vinci

Cotton candy, cardigans, and red lips – top that with some lively swing

music of the 40’s, and the mood is all jazzed up. But then the rhythmic

beat slowly fades into silence, as the tension rises. And while hanging

from a bar on the Ferris wheel, Noah insists, “I’m going ask one more

time. Will you, or will you not go out with me?” The scene is ridiculous,

yet somehow playful.

It’s the Ferris Wheel scene from the movie, “The Notebook”. Noah

(played by Ryan Gosling) hangs daringly from the Ferris Wheel, awaiting a

response from Allie (played by Rachel McAdams). If you weren’t paying

attention before that moment, you certainly are now.

It’s not often that I make time to watch a movie, but it had been years

since I’d seen “The Notebook”. So on a rainy Tuesday, a couple of

months back, I dropped the kids off at school, came home and popped in

the movie, and then I snuggled up under a blanket. The Ferris Wheel

scene might have been the only scene in which I didn’t need a tissue

(exaggerating, but only a little).

Referred to as a sentimental fantasy, the movie will celebrate its 20th

Anniversary this summer. The movie is based on the 1996 best-selling

novel by Nicholas Sparks. Sparks is wildly successful in telling emotional

love stories that intertwine destiny and romance. Due to a couple of

compromised morals, “The Notebook”, does not fall into a Christian movie

category. BUT in referencing the movie, Nicholas Sparks made a

beautiful statement saying that, “the story is a metaphor for God’s love for

us all. The theme is everlasting, unconditional love.”

This beautiful truth that Sparks speaks of is prevalent all throughout God’s

word. David writes in Psalm 36:5, Lord, your constant love reaches the

heavens; your faithfulness extends to the skies.

But how can we go deeper, feeling more of God’s love? As we circle back

to the topic of the Ferris Wheel, we find that in going from book to movie,

Hollywood does what Hollywood does best, they dramatize the storyline.

One way in which they did so was by adding “The Ferris Wheel” scene

(not found in the book). Why a Ferris Wheel? Why not - the lights, the

grandeur, the excitement. The French had captured imaginations with the

unique silhouette of the Eiffel tower in 1889. So then, George Ferris, an

engineer from Illinois, responded in 1893, with his attempt to rival the

French, with ‘Ezekiel’s wheel in the sky’.

We could go in many directions with ‘life metaphors’ of the Ferris Wheel –

from the ups and downs of life, to enjoying the ride. But I’d like to

observe it from a different angle, a singular moment. Perhaps the pinnacle

of any Ferris Wheel ride is the moment in which the structure of the wheel

disappears...completely vanishes...and in that moment, you are thrust into

the sky, nothing but you and the sky.

There are moments throughout each day looking to awaken us the

present. These countless moments can lift us and change us, helping us

grow into the likeness of Christ. It happens within the good moments, the

bad moments and all that lies in between. It’s easy to miss though,

because first we must pause, listen, and consider the voice of God. It’s

there in that place that we make space for the Holy Spirit and feel more of

God’s love.

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths,

ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your

souls. Jeremiah 6:16

In that sacred space, the abundant wisdom of God eagerly waits. It waits

to break new ground within us. For joy, truth, discernment, and peace are

looking for you to pause, giving them a place to land. And when we first

take delight in God’s love, it’s then we respond with the right love.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then

peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit,

impartial and sincere. James 3:17

‘Le Pause’

My daughter will soon turn 10, but when she was a toddler, I was seeking

out a variety of parenting wisdom when I discovered the book, Bébé Day

by Day, by Pamela Druckerman. This book offers 100 Keys to French

Parenting. One of the phrases that I kept was “Le Pause.” The French

naturally sleep train babies with this concept. French parents don’t let

their babies cry it out, nor do they hurry to their side if they whimper.

But rather, they pause. They pause, they listen, and they wait. For their

hope is that first their babes will settle on their own.

I was the “there, there”, swoop em’ up mom (which was easy because

they were in the bed, sleeping beside me), so yeah, not much luck here

with Le Pause for sleep training. However, I held on to that concept

regarding ‘the pause’ in many other areas of parenting. I pause when they

need me, letting them know that my work is also important, and when I

finish, I will be there (unless of course it’s urgent). I pause before I

discipline, remembering that God frequently gives me grace. I pause

before I allow the ‘outside world’ of screens into their minds, aware of the

impact. ‘The Pause’ benefits the parent and the child, as again we make a

path for the often-unopened gift of the Holy Spirit.

I love this quote by Saint Augustine, “O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully

into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and

scatter there Thy cheerful beams.”

I’m not sure if you’ve ever eaten the smashed potatoes at J Alexander’s or

not. But there’s some moments in that life that you can’t help but get lost

in. It’s easy to pause for the good things – a joyful conversation or the

perfect sunset. But it’s harder, at the end of a long day, if we’re irritable,

or pressed for time. But perhaps it’s then that it’s the most necessary.

At some point last summer, my daughter stepped out of the shower, dried

off, and put on her pajamas. All excited she said, “Mom, I have a dance

that I made up! I really want to teach it to you!”

I hesitated, because I’m fond of a 9 o’clock bedtime. But then I paused,

pushed back self, and said OK, let’s see it.

She had made up a few movements to the chorus of the old country song,

“Fishin’ In The Dark” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (somewhere between the

old country Classics often playing at my parents, and my occasional “I

Love a Rainy Night” playlist on Pandora, she heard a song that stuck with

her).

A few lyrics:

You and me go fishin' in the dark

Lyin' on our backs and countin' the stars

Where the cool grass grows

Down by the river in the full moonlight

We'll be fallin' in love in the middle of the night

Just movin' slow

The song first came out when I was about my daughter’s age, so I was

more than familiar with it. We pretended to cast our poles at just the right

part, then we leaned WAY back when ‘lying on our backs’, as ‘as we

counted the stars’, next we moved our fingers and swayed our arms to

where ‘the cool grass grows’. But the sweetest, and most innocent part

was when we sang, ‘just moving’ slow’, as she had us jog in slow motion.

Honestly, it was so fun. Looking back, I’m glad that night that somewhere

between pajamas and blow-drying her hair that I paused.

I paused to listen to her heart, have a little fun, and create and pretend to

go fishin’ in the dark.

Selah

Where clarity lacks scripture typically makes it clear. The commandments

and teachings of Christ ‘set the mark’ for us as Christ-followers. But past

that, there’s another element of scripture that captivates me. It’s the small

pockets of mystery, it’s the open spaces left for us wonder...

Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is

great: Timothy 3:16

Great indeed – which leads me to the mystery of the one-word sentence,

Selah. Selah appears in the poetical books of the Old Testament, found

seventy-one times in the Psalms and three times in Habakkuk. The

mystery is due to the fact that scholarly opinion is divided regarding the

exact meaning. Some say it’s a musical interlude, others a scripture

reading, or perhaps it’s derived from the Hebrew, meaning “to lift up”.

And while scholars can’t be dogmatic in the exact meaning of the word

Selah, there’s an idea that ties all these thoughts together, a pause.

All notions surrounding Selah involve a pause, a moment of reflection

about what’s just been said, to consider the divine message. And if you’ve

spent much time with God or in His word, you know that there are many

moments in God’s presence that need not be described, but rather

experienced.

In Closing - The Final Scene

Alluding back to “The Notebook”, it’s the last scene of the movie that

people remember the most. Upon recovering from a heart attack, Noah,

despite not being permitted, sneaks into Allie's room one night. There’s a

break in her dementia, and she recognizes him. They kiss, and then fall

asleep holding hands. The next morning, they are found having died

peacefully in each other's arms. It’s such a heartbreaking yet

heartwarming love story.

But beneath the obvious, there’s another layer to the movie, picturesque

bird scenes are scattered throughout. They recur just seldom enough to

where if you’re not paying attention, you’ll miss it. But from seabirds at

sunset, to a rowboat surrounded by hundreds of swans and geese, they

enhance both the peace and the beauty. Then, there’s the more playful

scene at the ocean, where Allie declares she’s a bird, telling Noah, “Say

I’m a bird”, all symbolizing her longing for freedom. Noah thoughtfully

responds, “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird”. The final shot of the movie is a

flock of birds flying over a lake. Throughout the movie this theme has a

deep meaning, symbolizing togetherness and enduring partnership.

We all love good stories, especially ones about love. Perhaps our greatest

desire in this life is to feel love. And God understands the worldly

confusion of that, as well as our struggles and our longings. But so does

Satan. So, we should nourish our minds with God’s word, as filter our

thoughts through the light of scripture. Our Heavenly Father longs to give

a great love story. He knows just what we need. His love is real, and

unwavering. And His love will carry us through our anger, confusion, and

pain as we circle back to a place of joy, clarity, and healing. His love can

strengthen our hearts and then strengthen our homes.

“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for

more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and

that’s what you’ve given me.”

- Nicholas Sparks, “The Notebook”

God’s love is the best love. He’s always there to awaken our souls,

beckoning us to reach for more – always able to plant a fire in our hearts

while also bringing peace to our minds. So may look for opportunities to

pause, making space to hear the whisper of His unparalleled love. For as

Christians we know we are merely passing through, trusting God’s plan, as

we cherish each other and cherish the cross...until someday we reach a

more Heavenly place, a place with an eternal pause...

3-2-1

3 Scripture Verses, 2 Quotes,

and 1 Question to Consider

3 Scripture Verses

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

The wind blows to the south and turns to the north;

round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.

Ecclesiastes 1:6

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah.

Psalm 68: 19.

2 Quotes:

If there's a road I should walk

Help me find it

If I need to be still

Give me peace for the moment

- “Help Me Find It” by Sidewalk Prophets

“Keep looking up, that’s the secret of life.” ~ Snoopy.

1 Question to Consider:

Our Maker, the lover of our souls, longs for us to be still in His presence. Are

we making space for that?