Ramblings of a Christian Grandma Biker

It has been a windy weekend here.  Yesterday I let the wind win and I didn’t ride.  Today I fought back. It was in the 50s and sunny so I rode.  I admit it’s not quite as relaxing when there’s gusts of wind to deal with, but it’s still my time to release my thoughts,  connect with God and myself, and get refocused.  There are sometimes distractions that try to keep that from happening; other vehicles,  weather, texts or calls, and any other number of things that occur daily and don’t stop just because I am riding.

As some of these things happened today I forced myself to stay focused on the ride.

The sun was shining on the trees that are still mostly clothed in colorful leaves. The cotton fields are mostly picked and there’s bales and/or roles of cotton waiting to be picked up. Soybean fields are not quite ready to be harvested and the corn fields are just left with stubble.

As I was thinking about all these things and there were some strong gusts of wind,  it made me think about the seasons and storms of life. The gusts of wind although irritating, force me to work on my riding skills. I have to remain focused and alert and stay well balanced.

Life is like that too. We go through storms in our life that can try to get us off balance and catch us off guard. We must remain vigilant and aware at all times.  We can let the wind and storms defeat us or we can fight back.

I personally grow the most during the storms. It doesn’t mean I like it or I make it through unscathed,  but I don’t give up. If the winds get bad, I can’t just decide I’m not riding any further. I have to get back home. I can’t just quit fighting during life’s storms either, I need to get home. We are just passing through this life,  this is not our home.

Like yesterday when I let the wind win, there are times when I choose not to fight back, but sometimes not doing anything can also be the right thing.  I have to listen to that “still small voice ” and try to obey.  Not every battle is mine to fight.

Sometimes that means not doing anything and sometimes it means not saying anything.  Both are decisions we each have to make based on the  situation and the season of life we are in.

I’ve come to the point in my life where my kids are grown and on their own, it’s just me and my hubby,  and we have a beautiful granddaughter. She is the most precious little girl and I am excited to see how God will use her. The joy she has already brought to this Grandma is unexplainable. There’s just something amazing about your “baby” having a baby.  I see the way she looks at him and I melt. I have made my share of mistakes along the way, but I’m a proud mom/grandma.  Only by the grace of God and with the help of my hubby did things turn out the way they have. I’m blessed beyond measure and I am thankful for this season of life, even with its storms.

That’s not to say I enjoy the winds and the storms when they come, it just means I know that they too shall pass and it will be ok in time.

During the earlier seasons of my life I did not have the peace I now have, but He was always there to see me through. I didn’t necessarily see it or even always believe it then, but looking back now I can see it. They say hind sight is 20/20 and I have to agree. Yes there are things I would change if I had it to do over, but then again if I had done things differently,  I wouldn’t be where I am now.  Knowing that,  I choose to forgive myself for the past and live for today.  If God can forgive me, then who am I not to do the same.

Others may try to throw our past at us, but God does not. Its easier to forgive others than it is to forgive ourselves,  but without forgiving ourselves,  we hinder God from using us to the fullest extent.

He died for my sins and for your sins. I don’t want His death to be in vain. I want to live the life He wants me to. As Thanksgiving approaches I find I’m focusing on being more thankful for so many little things I haven’t before. I’m thankful most of all to have reached the point in my life where I can finally focus more on Him and less on the world and myself. What He thinks is so much more important than what others think.

I’ve stopped watching the news and reading all the media’s negative reports. The media is worldly and full of sensationalism that serves no good purpose. They want everyone to stay in a season of discontent. The winds of change will come in time to them as well, hopefully before it’s too late.

John 16:33

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Today was the first ride in a while where I just headed out with absolutely no idea where I would go or how long I would ride. The temperatures were warmer; low 60s, and it was an absolutely beautiful sunny day. I was able to wear my regular helmet instead of the full face and my vest instead of my coat. I felt freer physically and mentally.

At first I thought it was going to be a ride to just clear my head and have nothing to write about. I soon discovered God had other plans. I’ve mentioned before this is my most productive alone time with Him and today was no different in that respect. The longer I rode,  the more it became clear that I would indeed be rambling when I got home. As the cool air blew on my face, it awakened many thoughts within me from recent and past conversations I’ve had as well as things I’ve read from others.

The holiday season is upon us and although it can be an exciting and happy time for many, it can also be a very difficult time for others.

Every one of us reacts differently to every circumstance we encounter.  Why is that? I have 3 boys and I can tell you they are definitely all very different. 2 are very similar to each other in a lot of ways, but they’re still each unique in how they view life and how they approach similar circumstances.

I have always loved Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Thanksgiving seems to now get lost it seems, because there is so much focus on the commercial aspect of Christmas.

Growing up, both holidays were special because of spending time with family.  I guess that’s why quality time together having a meal has remained important  to me all throughout the year even now, more so than quantity time or material things.

It was a time when I knew we would all eat together and sit around talking and just enjoying each other. I still look forward to doing that and to giving to others simply to see them smile.

This isn’t the case for many other people though.  I’ve had conversations lately with several different people that say they are more stressed,  overly sensitive to things, and just plain dread the holidays.  It’s a season that seems to cause depression and other health issues for many. That thought saddens me deeply,  but I know it’s true. I’ve seen it year after year with more and more people.

During the holidays and throughout the year,  there’s so much focus on material things that will supposedly make us happy and fulfilled. If that’s true,  then why are so many people that are rich, monetarily,  so miserable? We have lost sight of what really matters. Our relationships with others and most of all with God should be the most important aspects of our lives. Billy Graham turned 99 this month and there’s a station on Sirius radio that’s been playing his sermons from over the years. His messages are simple, we need Jesus.  Without Him, there is no true happiness. Does that mean if you become a Christian everything is suddenly easy and pain free? Absolutely not.  In fact Christians often suffer as much,  if not more, than non-Christians. The difference is Christians know that through it all, they have a God who is with them every step of the way if they truly believe and invite Him in and that this life is only temporary.  Eternity with Him is the ultimate goal.

Hebrews 13:5

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

If you believe everything the media tells you, you would believe depression, mental health issues,  addiction and many other health issues are just excuses people use. I don’t believe it. We are all wired differently and we all have different ways of thinking. It’s easy for us to look at someone with a disability and say it’s the way they are and it’s not their own doing.  In my opinion, in many cases it’s the same for people who struggle from depression,  addiction,  anxiety,  and so many other issues. There is proof that these are real and in many cases are related to chemical imbalances and other factors that are out of a person’s control on their own.  Just as we need medications for physical pain we experience,  there are legitimate needs for medications to help with these other conditions and a need for us to be more compassionate.  Not everyone who is depressed, or anxious,  or addicted,  or biploar can just “get over it” and they don’t choose to be that way. For these people holidays are not a happy time. It means more crowds,  more demands, more expectations, and therefore more frustration.  It can stir up feelings of not being ” enough “, of not being “worthy “, not measuring up to what others think or expect.  It’s no wonder there is so much negativity they feel.

I guess I personally have always seen Christmas as if through the eyes of a child. It’s a magical time to see them open their gifts and see how they look at all the beautiful lights and trees and decorations.  I love looking at Christmas lights. My hubby and I used to just ride around looking at lights others put up. It was awesome quality time together. We haven’t been able to do it the past several years because he’s been on 2nd shift and I’ve missed it, but I am thankful for the memories of the years we did do it.

As the holidays get closer, I would like to challenge us all to be more compassionate and less judgemental.  Be more willing to listen and to give quality time to others, rather than focusing on what material items to give. I’m sure most all of us have heard it’s better to give than receive. Let’s give of ourselves, not our money. Some of the best gifts are free; our time, a kind word, or simply a smile.

When you’re shopping and about to lose patience, stop and be thankful you’re able to shop,  many cannot.

When you hear a screaming child that’s getting on your last nerve, stop and be thankful you can hear.

When you are driving and start to get angry with another driver who just cut you off, stop and be thankful you’re able to get out and go places. Maybe that person is rushing to see an injured or dying family member.

When you see someone who appears they may be homeless; instead of judging how or why they got that way, be thankful and say a prayer for them.  Maybe even buy them a meal.

Remember during the holidays and every day, you never know what battles others are facing. Pray, don’t judge.

If each one of us does our part to try and be more understanding and more compassionate,  just think how that could spread to others. Let compassion for others be your passion.

Ephesians 4:32

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you

Colossians 3:12

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Do you ever get excited about little things, or just the big ones? Today after running a couple errands I came home to get ready for a ride.  I didn’t realize at the time that I was hurrying to do it. My husband asked me why I was rushing and I probably never would have even realized it if he hadn’t mentioned it. I was simply excited because the sun was shining, there was nothing pressing I needed to do, and it was a pretty day to ride.  Granted it was only 48° out, but that didn’t matter. I got my warm layers on as well as my full face helmet and was ready to ride.

Once riding I got into the usual relaxed stress free zone. I got thinking about the little things that matter. I thought how happy children are with boxes and paper at Christmas more than the actual toys so often.  This will be our granddaughter’ s first Christmas and I’m excited to see her reactions to so many things; Christmas lights, the nativity,  the tree, presents, and all those “firsts”.

I thought about some of the people I work with who get excited about a diet coke or a golf cart ride. I thought about how so many people who are labeled as “disabled” are really more “able” than those who are “normal”. We disable ourselves with our own expectations from others and ourselves.  I know many who are considered disabled that are happy and smiling almost all of the time.  They enjoy the simple things that most of us just take for granted.

We should be more like them and like little children; carefree and happy. My granddaughter smiles when you talk to her and play with her.  She smiles as soon as she sees her daddy enter the room. Honestly this past week I’ve felt in some ways just like that.  My hubby’s shift has changed and I now get to see him and get a hug and kiss before I go to work, what a great way to start the day. He’s there when I get home from work, and then at the end of my day, I get another hug and kiss as he heads off to work.  I don’t particularly like the shift he’s working, but I do like the time I now get to see him each day. Instead of dwelling on the bad, I’m choosing to cherish the good.  It’s the simple things that can be the big things.

I think of all the time I’ve wasted in the past wishing for this or that.  I don’t want to waste any more time on “what if”. I realize now more than ever that life’s short and you never know what tomorrow will bring.  I am going to try to cherish each new day for whatever it has to offer and not think about what might have been or what could be tomorrow.  I don’t want to miss the little things while looking for bigger things that may never come.

I’ve unfortunately spent quite a bit of time lately in hospitals but it makes me appreciate things more. When you see what others are going through, you realize you could have it so much worse. It also makes me thankful for family and friends and a Savior who has been with me every step of the way, whether I deserve it or not, whether I make good decisions or bad.

As Thanksgiving approaches I am very thankful and excited.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always,  pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

The older I get, the more thankful I find I’ve become and the less I let the “little things ” bother me. Things that not that long ago would have really bugged me and sent me into a mental battleground, no longer have that power. I once read a book called,  “Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff. ” Check it out some time, it’s all about perspective.

I find I’m putting things into perspective in a different way now. I know of several people that have unexpectedly died at a young age and have seen where many children are being diagnosed with cancer or other diseases.  There have been a lot of health issues with several family members over the past year to year and a half and on many recent rides,  I’ve found myself creating a “bucket list.” ( Things I’d like to accomplish before I die.) All of the items on my bucket list are things I want to see or do. None are material purchases and most are things I would like to do not alone,  but with my husband.  Whether or not I’ll accomplish any of them remains to be seen, but just making the list has been eye opening.

I challenge anyone reading this to try making your own bucket list. Remember it’s your list, so it doesn’t matter how likely you are to complete it or what anyone else would think about it, it’s personal to you. The bucket list I would have made 3 or 4 years ago would have looked very different from my bucket list today.

Getting back to the small stuff. Do you have times when friends or family or coworkers may get on your nerves? I think most of us do and instead of stressing about it, I’m trying to learn to embrace it. There are many people who are alone and wish they had someone to bug them. I’m not saying it’s easy to do, but when I do succeed at it I know I feel more at peace. Life’s too short not to enjoy at least part of every day. Again, there are many people who wonder if they even have 1 more day left. Be thankful even for the irritations.

There are definitely those days when I would just as soon stay in bed or on the couch and do absolutely nothing, go nowhere,  and talk to nobody. This is not an option for me though. I know there are things I need to do and people I need to help and if I didn’t force myself to get up and go on those days, I’d feel bad about it later both physically and mentally. Sleep is often highly over rated. There is a thing as too much sleep, at least for me. The days I don’t get up at my normal time, I feel worse.  I’ve tried sleeping in and later regret it. I know that’s not true for everyone,  many people need more sleep than others. This too is a personal thing we all have to evaluate and determine for ourselves. As I write this I’ve slept about 4 hours and cannot get back to sleep so figured I may as well write.

We need to choose to be thankful where we’re at, no matter how bad we think things are. If you look around,  you can always find something to be thankful for; food to eat, a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and a God that loves you in spite of yourself.  When we focus on what we have, not what we want or don’t have, it changes everything.  I’ve learned to be content where I am, most of the time. 😉 Believe me I have my moments but I try not to allow myself to stay in that moment long.

I mentioned in an earlier post I believe that we have to choose joy. We also have to choose contentment.  There will always be those who try to steal these things from you but you don’t have to allow it.

1 Chronicles 16:34 NKJV

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

1 Chronicles 29:13

And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

I’m not sure where to even begin on this one. It’s been on my mind several times recently while riding though so I know it’s something I’m meant to ramble about. As with all of these ramblings, I will just write as I feel He is leading me to and we’ll see where it goes.

I was brought up to treat everyone the way I wanted to be treated and to always be open about things. I am probably a little too “open” sometimes and need a filter, but that’s me. I’m trying to be a little less direct sometimes but it’s definitely still a work in progress. Sometimes when I stop myself, the person I’m talking to will say, “Well if you thought it God already knows it so you may as well say it now.” Although this is true, there are times when things are best left just as thoughts. Not every thought needs to be spoken. On the other hand, honesty is crucial.

Sometimes it can be painful, but so can non-truths (lies) or half-truths. Sooner or later the truth will come out so it may as well be sooner. I have had to deal with a lot of people recently in many different situations that have made me realize just how much half-truths and dishonesty are common every day occurrences and to me that’s a very sad reality. Accountability and self -preservation seem to be a battle for many. Our society is so concerned with what others may think, that we often let that dictate our actions, even though inside we know better.

We may hear vague answers to avoid the reality of the truth or we may hear out and out lies. I had a recent encounter with someone whom I asked a very straight forward question in order to be able to help with a simple situation. She danced around the answer as I asked it 3 different times and I knew what the truth was by her responses, although she wouldn’t just come out and say what she’d done. It eventually wore on her conscience apparently and within an hour she came to me and told me exactly what had happened, so then I could easily remedy the situation.

I have also dealt with many people lately who have told me they were going to do this or that and I assumed they meant it, then later found out they really didn’t do what they said they were going to do. Accountability seems to be lacking more and more in my opinion. It’s become too easy to come up with excuses for why things happen, or don’t happen, and blame others or to just have the attitude of “well that’s just the way it is” or “that’s just the way I am.” Every person and every situation can have a different outcome, if we as individual people make that choice.

I happen to have a very active imagination at times, and due to certain things that have occured in my life, I also have some serious trust issues and some insecurities as well. Give me a vague answer or response, and there’s no telling where my mind will go with it, I want details. That brings up another point, because I like details, I often want to answer with details when all the other person may want is a simple yes or no. Then if I get used to answering them instead with yes or no and they now want details they have to pull it out of me. I am sometimes the most complicated person I know! Anybody else feel that way?

In many ways we are no different than people were back when Jesus was alive, and yet in other ways we are very different. Lying and deceit have been around forever and we can see the devastation it can cause yet we still do it. We can see what happens when people lie, cheat, steal and murder and yet we still have it happening. We can see how the farther we move away from God as a nation, the worse things get, yet we continue to allow it.

I’m not going to get on a soap box of what I think needs to happen except to say that God is the only answer. Only He can change us, one person at a time. When things are going bad it’s easy to blame Him. Until we accept accountability for our own actions as individuals and as a society, it will not change. God is not the one who has moved away, we have shut Him out and have not kept our relationship with Him as close and personal as we are supposed to. He has the power yes, but He has also given us free choice and there are consequences to those choices we make, individually and as a society. We may not understand the reasons things are the way they are, but He is there and it’s not up to us to understand. It’s up to us to obey, trust and believe. He never promised smooth sailing or an easy life. Jesus did not have smooth sailing or an easy life even though he never sinned, so why would we think we should?

One of my all-time favorite scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

I have had to give many things in my life to Him and leave them there and I continue to do so daily. If I didn’t I would not only fail more than I do, but I would drive myself crazy trying to handle it all. He never meant for us to carry all of the burdens. He meant for us to lay them at His feet and leave them there, not pick them back up.

Psalm 55:22

Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you, He will never let the righteous fall.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

The popular hymn by Joseph Scriven says it all:

What a Friend we Have in Jesus

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

How many times have you heard someone say, “I’m just one person, it won’t make a difference?” I’m sure most of us, if not all of us, have heard it or said it at some point in our lives. The real facts are that one person can indeed make a difference. What type of difference depends on the person and the situation.

On Sunday when I was riding, one person almost made a very big difference in many lives due to his reckless driving. I was going along at 55 mph which was the posted speed limit for the road I was on. I saw a vehicle pull out to pass someone and he was headed straight towards me. Fortunately there was nobody directly behind me so I hit the brakes hard, as did the vehicle this man was trying to pass. The vehicle he was trying to pass came almost to a complete stop in order for the passer to cut back in front of them and avoid hitting me or them. This one person could very well have affected the lives of everyone he knew, I knew, and the other car’s passengers as well. God protected us all and for that I am extremely grateful.

Everyone’s actions and words every day have the potential to affect others. I discovered that this site I use to ramble on keeps statistics on certain things. I learned that since I started this blog in June it has been viewed close to 1500 times by people all over the world in 13 different countries! That blows my mind honestly. Do you still think that what one person says or does won’t make a difference? Now I’m not saying I have made a difference in all of those views, but if even one person who viewed was impacted in some way, that’s making a difference.

God has given me the gift of writing this blog. I don’t know why and I don’t know who it affects. I do know that it has affected me since I started it. It has made me appreciate my alone time with Him more when I ride. I absolutely love listening to music and obviously I love riding my bike. This past week-end I decided it made sense to then combine the 2 loves. I put in my earbud, turned on some music from my phone and set off to ride. Well that’s where thinking on my own proved very wrong. I hadn’t gone 5 miles and I had to stop, turn off the music, and remove my earbud. Listening to music while riding was interfering with my alone time with God, even though it was Gospel music I was listening to. It was keeping my mind on the music, not on my direct line to God. I couldn’t hear Him or talk to Him, due to the outside interference of the music.

My praising Him through music is now done at home and in my car, and my time on the bike is set aside totally to take in the beauty of my surroundings and my intimate time alone with Him. Once I took out the ear buds, I noticed the beautiful blue sky, the lush green of the evergreen trees, the vibrant orange, yellow, and red leaves from the trees changing colors. I also noticed the blanket of white from the cotton fields that reminded me of the chorus in the song; Jesus Paid it All –

” ‘Cause Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow”

Jesus was one man, and He made a difference for us all.

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The next time you hear someone say that they are just one person, what difference will it make, tell them it may make all the difference in the world to someone. The next time you think that you don’t matter or make a difference, remember that’s not true. If you are still alive and breathing then it’s for a reason. God can and will use you to make a difference to someone. You may not even know you are making a difference, but I assure you that your are. There is only one you, and you can have an affect on others if you will only obey and follow what He guides you to do or say. If you don’t, you will still make a difference, it just may not be the difference He wants, good or bad it will be a difference.

Ephesians 2:8-10

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Romans 12:2

This weekend’s rides seemed to make me think about this word repeatedly, quality. We often hear about quality of life, especially when discussing someone who has been diagnosed with an illness such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and many other diseases.  In my job, when  I train staff I always stress the importance of delivering quality services to the individuals we serve. Everyone deserves our best,  whether it’s at work,  with our family,  or others we encounter day to day.

Each of us needs to desire to be a better person today than we were yesterday.  We all have “off” days and there’s always room for improvement. This weekend presented itself to be full of quality family time. I got to spend quality time with my precious 7 month old granddaughter,  my son and daughter in law, my mom and my mother and father in law.  I also got to go riding with my hubby! That doesn’t happen very often because of his work schedule. It was a quality ride and was an absolutely fantastic feeling for me. He is the reason I started riding to begin with so any time we get to ride together,  it means more to me than I can explain.  Like I said,  it’s quality time that counts most, at least in my opinion.

God wants us to spend quality time with Him as well; in prayer, in His Word, and in daily fellowship with Him, as well as with other believers. He wants sincerity and honesty and hears our every thought.  That means all of our  thoughts.

Psalm 139:4

“Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely”

I hate to admit it, but all of my thoughts are not the best quality all of the time. I’m human and therefore I’m a sinner with some less than favorable thoughts on occasion.  I’m thankful that He’s full of grace and mercy. I know when I don’t measure up, He will forgive me if I repent and He will extend forgiveness. I can then work on doing better, trying to provide a better representation of who He wants me to be.

Ephesians 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Each new day is a new chance to strive for a better quality of life. He will help if we only ask from a sincere heart believing in Him.

Hebrews 10:19-25

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God,²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

This week has been an interesting one when it came to communication. We now have so many possible ways to communicate in every aspect of our lives.

I noticed while riding,  drivers communicate by the way they drive. Some are very courteous to others, while others tend to drive aggressively. Others seem to be in their own world and totally unaware of what’s going on around them.

This got me thinking about other ways we now communicate with others. This week we lost our internet service for awhile and there have been outages off and on all week in the area. This means that communication by email and FB messenger as well as other social media were affected.  This is obviously more important to some than others.  We rely so much on technology now it’s actually kind of sad.

Today while I was riding, I saw repair trucks parked where they were working on the phone lines, I heard my phone going off as I came to a stop, and it hit me. When I was growing up,  if you wanted to talk to someone, you called them on the home phone ( a rotary dial phone at that) or you went to see them, even showing up unannounced.  Our phone was a party line.  If anyone is not familiar with that,  it meant we shared our phone line with others.  Sometimes I would pick up the phone to call a friend,  and someone else was using the line so I had to wait, or just go to my friend’s house and talk. There was no Facebook,  no Instagram, no texting or snapchatting. We had real person to person conversations regularly.

Unfortunately we can now communicate without ever seeing the other person for any reason. Face to face communication is becoming less and less “normal”. There’s an abundance  of miscommunication as well,  because what’s written in an email, text, or message is interpreted differently than the way the sender intended it. If people spoke face to face more,  I believe there would be far less miscommunication.

Luckily for us, we can communicate with God any time; day or night,  out loud or in our head, regardless of the internet connection or phone signal. He’s always there wanting to hear from us. Have you ever contacted someone and had the feeling they really didn’t want to talk to you? I’m glad God’s not like that.  I personally am thankful He is always there to listen to, support,  encourage, and yes discipline me. He is my rock and my Savior. No matter how bad my day may be, I always know I can go to Him and He will make me feel better.

More and more I see people suffering from medical issues, depression, feelings of despair, anxiety and anger.  These are people of all ages, from all walks of life,  and all income and education ranges. Thanks to technology and the media, it’s not surprising that so many feel hopeless.

My hope is in Christ alone. I turn off the news and media and rarely watch any news of any kind. There is a local reporter I’ve mentioned before who shares good news stories and I do check her reports out, but that’s about it. I have found that since I’ve been riding,  and having way more uninterrupted conversations with God,  I am a much happier person and I let a whole lot less things bother me. God’s got it, so why sweat it?!

I choose joy. Joy doesn’t mean always being happy. One definition is simply, “a source or cause of delight.” Jesus is my source, so how can I not have joy? All I need to do is communicate.

Have you ever stopped to really wonder about delays you experience in life? I recently was getting ready to ride and the zipper pull on my boot broke off. This was a delay I initially was not happy about.  When I was telling my hubby, he reminded me that his dad and I are always saying when something delays us, it’s God’s way of protecting us from something.  Well, although I was delayed by my boot issue,  I then discovered, with the help of my hubby, that the new boots he had ordered for me had arrived and neither of us knew it. The delivery driver left them in a location they’ve never left packages at before.  So because of the delay, I got to try out my new boots to ride that day. I don’t know what God was protecting me from, but I was thankful for the delay. Delay=something new

As I rode that day and other days since it made me think about many delays I have experienced.  Every delay I could think of has had results, now looking back, that were good in some way.

This past weekend we had planned to go out of town to celebrate my husband’s birthday.  We were wanting to do some hiking, and because of the forecast and rain chances being pretty high,  we delayed our trip. Although the delay was frustrating, it was also rewarding. We made other plans and in doing so we discovered a cool place to eat out.  This is something we rarely do, but I can see us going to this place again. The atmosphere was totally different than any place we’ve ever been and it was small, uncrowded,  and very relaxing. That in itself is worth quite a bit to us, especially being it was a Saturday night and on race week-end. If you’ve never been to a Tijuana Flats before and find yourself near one,  check it out sometime. Because we didn’t get to go out of town, I also got to spend some unexpected time with my sweet granddaughter. Delay=fun and a new experience

I have experienced other delays personally and at the time I saw no good coming out of them.  Looking back now though I can see that most delays were because God was saving me from something and He had better plans. Delays =God’s plan.

We may experience delays that we never see a reason for, but I’ve come to believe that they are God’s plan and He most definitely knows better than I do,  what I do and don’t need. I am trying hard to remind myself of that daily. I can become impatient,  although I will say I’ve gotten better about this.

Today’s ride after work was very much needed and in talking with God along the way, He showed me other times when his delays saved me from myself. He saved me from following through on poor decisions and from making choices that would not have been wise.

The next time you are delayed from something,  stop and say thank you.  See if just that mindset alone doesn’t make you feel better about whatever is happening.  Delays =time to say thanks and reflect

“Father, if it is your will, take this cup away from me; nevertheless not my will but yours, be done.” Luke 22:42

Lauren Daigle sings the following song entitled I will Trust in You – check it out,