My Thankful Place

Today I was thankful for no rain finally. I know there are many places that need rain right now, but our yard is saturated. I wanted to ride yesterday,  but it was too muddy to get the bike safely out of my building and to the driveway. Today I was determined it was going to happen. I got it out OK and slid around a bit getting to the driveway,  but by the grace of God I was finally able to ride. Tomorrow it will be raining again, so that’s why I truly felt I  had to go today. I’ve learned that I’m much more focused on the positives while I ride and mentally I needed that time.

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s my alone time with God and no immediate demands other than a connection with Him. There was a day quite some time ago when I had ridden for quite a long ride compared to what I had been doing.  When I got back I told my hubby I felt guilty being gone so long. He told me I should never feel guilty when I ride. For the longest time after that, I never felt guilty about it and totally was absorbed in the ride.

More often than not lately , I find I’m feeling guilty again when I ride,  about taking that time for me, and I don’t like that feeling at all. Today I did not feel guilt, but thankfulness.  When I got out on the road it was just God, the bike, and me. I immediately found myself talking to Him and thanking him for so many things that other days I seem to take for granted. It made me realize too that the guilty feeling is not from Him, but from Satan.

Every ride starts with a prayer for safety and then our “conversation ” begins. Sometimes He gives me these thoughts to share with you,  other times He doesn’t. There has been so much going on the past few months and with the weather not always being acceptable for riding, I know I haven’t always handled things as I should have. I realized when riding today just how much I depend on the ride time in order to stay more balanced and more focused. It’s amazing to me how something like riding can have that impact. I’ve tried to have that alone time even when I can’t ride but it’s just not the same . There are distractions that always seem to creep in; people, technology, my puppy, and the list goes on and on.

One thing became very clear today and that is if we ever move, it will be to a place where I can ride more, not less. I have never been so ready for Spring! I’ve always been an outside person and this wet weather that doesn’t allow for riding or gardening is becoming overwhelming . Even as a child it was all about outside activities,  unlike most of today’s kids. It was all about playing outside , hunting , fishing , hiking , canoeing , climbing trees, and riding my bicycle. In the winters having grown up in New England it was still about being outside; snowshoeing, sledding , ice skating , snow mobiling, and building snow forts. God’s great outdoors is where I’m most content.

As for the things I thought about today that I’m thankful for. I’m thankful for a job where I’m not stuck inside all day. I’m thankful that my husband has been able to spend quality time with his dad the past several months. That has truly been a blessing for me to see, having lost my own dad a few years ago. I know in my heart that it’s only because of God that this has been possible for many reasons. I’m thankful that my mom is doing so well at 80 years young. I’m thankful for our beautiful granddaughter and seeing my “baby boy” and daughter in law raising her with so much love and about to give us another granddaughter. I’m thankful my oldest son is happy and in love with a great young lady. The list could go on and on.

I’m super thankful for my husband who has taught me so many things about myself and of course how to ride. If he hadn’t taught me to ride , you wouldn’t be reading this right now. All of these ramblings wouldn’t exist without riding. (So you can thank him that I ramble to y’all. 😉)

I guess if you’ve been reading these all along you also know that I’m thankful for God who sent His son to die for us so we could live with Him in eternity,  if we choose to do so by accepting Him as our Savior .

He has been with me for almost 53 years now and has never failed me. I have failed Him many times since I came to accept Him 36 1/2 years ago, but He’s always there waiting for me to repent and learn to do better. Some lessons I learn quicker than others,  but He never gives up on me, even when I give up on myself.  For that I’m truly thankful. I know that no matter what life may throw at me, He will never leave me. That is so much more than what I or any of us deserve.

1 Chronicles 28:20

“Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God—my God—will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.