Round & Round

I love carousels! I have ridden them in amusement parks and malls in a lot of different cities. It's fun to pick which beautifully painted horse you want to ride on. Sometimes there are different animals in addition to horses. I have even been to a museum where they restore the horses from the carousel rides. I think that would be such a gratifying job to take something that had been beautiful and restore it to it's original state for people to enjoy.

I love to share facts that I learn about some of the pictures that I take. I did some research on carousels and they compared the ones in the United States to the ones in England. In England they are called Roundabouts or Galopers. We sometimes call ours Merry-go-Rounds. The side that faces the outside is usually more ornate and is called the "romance" side. They turn clockwise in England while they go counter clockwise in the U.S. They became extremely popular at the end of the 1800's and "the golden age" lasted about 25 years. More than 6000 were built but after fires, neglect and floods only about 200 of them have survived.

Ever wonder about the different type of horses on there-the ones with at least 3 feet on the floor are called standing figures, 2 back feet on the ground with the front feet in the air are called prancers and the ones with all 4 feet in the air are the jumpers and they move up and down.

When I thought about what to write about today I actually had two different themes. One-ever feel like your life just keeps going round and round and round and you aren't getting anywhere and you just want to get off the ride? Well, if you are living life for your self and God is not the center control then that's all life will be- a ride that goes nowhere and everything will be in vain. Ecclesiastes talks a lot in its book about vanity and how things done for self did not fulfill-self indulgence and knowledge does nothing for you if you are living only for self.

 Ecclesiastes 6:12:

 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?  Ecclesiastes 1:1-Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

The other thought that came to mind was how blocks of wood were taken and made into something beautiful. Christ does the same for us. We are nothing before Him. We may have things in our past that have left scars but it's wonderful to know that the blood of Christ washes us clean and covers all of our trespasses. There is a Gaither Vocal Band song titled- "Something Beautiful":

Something beautiful, something good

All my confusion He understood

All I had to offer Him was brokeness and stife

But he made something beautiful of my life.

Ecclesiastes 3:11  

"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:"

There is also a song that is written about this verse-In His time, in His time, He makes all things beautiful in His time. Lord please show me everyday as you're teaching me your way, and I'll do just what you say-In His time!

So if you feel that you are going round and round, take a moment and turn your life over to God-let Him stop the ride for you! Also remember that we are all beautiful in God's sight-we have been created in His image and He wants have the relationship restored with you-accept Him as your Savior and live for Him one day at a time remembering that:

 1 Samuel 16:7:

   But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.