I had just graduated from Bethany University with my freshly printed Teaching License. Charlene and I took a leap of faith and moved to Utah to begin a new step in our life as I pursued my first professional teaching position. To pay the bills I went back to my old summer job of working at Lagoon, but this time as a ride operator in Kiddie Land. How hard could it be right? Let kids in, buckle them, push a button, and let them out. My first day, wearing my crisp new Lagoon uniform, I was given a detailed safety operation training on my new ride, Baby Boats by my squeaky voice 16 year old Supervisor.
In the warmth of the rising sun, the birds chirping, landscaped flower beds, and colorful rides I thought this might not be too bad. The sweet tunes of Raffi began to flood Kiddie Land with Baby Beluga, This Old Man, Are you Happy and You Know It, and kids and families began to stream in. Much to my surprise Baby Boats was one of the kids and parents favorite rides for there was no height requirement and immediately I had a longer line than those other inferior Kiddie Rides like Baby Bumper Cars and Purple Octopus. I felt special as I smugly cast a look toward the other operators with a “look at my line…it’s three times as long as yours”. They returned it with a curious mixed expression of “whatever” and “you’ll see”.
Now Baby Boats is a simple ride. Individual light blue boats are attached together in a cement ring filled with water, and as the boats circle the ride toddlers grip the steering wheel like commuters late for Starbucks, and feverishly ring the marine bells at the front of the boat. A few major issues suddenly surfaced: 1. the boats were below ground level and bobbing on water and 2. kids had parents and 3. kids eat too much. As I lifted toddlers in and out of the bobbing boats, my back began to burn with searing pain as precious children screamed in my face to either “not go in the boat” or “to not get out of the boat” as they stuffed cotton candy up my nose. Parents held their camcorders and offered words of encouragement, “Just force Johnny in…that’s it…hold him down, buckle it tightly…he’ll love it.”, as Johnny gripped with fear, screams and pulls me into the boat with him. Soon my head began to swirl in the noon day heat with the nauseating bouncy Raffi tunes repeating over and over, kids whining and screaming, and parents yelling instructions. Eliminate waterboarding for terrorist, just have them work Kiddie Land for a summer.
By the end of my grueling 8 hour shift, now with a deformed spine, beaten emotionally, physically exhausted and harassed by toddlers and parents alike, I fully understood why in Kiddie Land this ride was fearfully named Baby Boats from Hell by all ride operators.
On a serious note, there was another task that was dutifully prepared but full of pain and hopelessness recorded in Luke 23:50-24:1-12. On the night of Christ’s crucifixion, after his last breath, Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross, wrapped in burial linens and placed in the tomb. The women of Galilee including Mary the mother of James, Mary Magdalene and Joanna prepared the spices and fragrant oils according to culture and respect of the dead. After the Sabbath had passed, they returned as the rising of the sun to the tomb to complete their grieving task. What pain they must have felt, not only grieving for a loved one, but also the crushed hopes of believing Jesus was the coming King, the Messiah, the Son of God. They had witnessed his miracles, listened to his teaching and believed in him, but watched him suffer and die on the cross and laid him in the tomb. Death was unconquerable, Hell was victorious, and their last task was the final touch before the tomb was sealed forever.
The grieving women were the first to witness the most glorious event in human history. The stone was rolled away, the burial linens lay discarded, and the tomb was empty. In their fear and confusion, two angels appeared to them and said,
Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! – Luke 24:5,6
What thoughts and emotions flooded their hearts and minds as they returned to the eleven disciples to declare the impossible – Jesus has risen from the dead!
Easter morning reminds us of the power of Christ as the Son of God and his gift of hope for humanity. Even if your life feels like a daily shift of operating Baby Boats in Kiddie Land, you can joyfully worship this Sunday, in the reality of the resurrection to flood your spirit with the assurance of hope in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
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