Ramblings of a Christian Grandma Biker

As always, I said a prayer before heading out to ride today and the ride started like any other ride. I initially had no thoughts of anything I was to write about and was just cruising along quietly conversing with God and myself and enjoying the ride, then all of a sudden one word popped into my head, exposed. Exposed, why in the world did that word come into my head. As I continued to ride I continued to contemplate why that word.

Slowly I began to get it. Riding a motorcycle leaves the rider exposed to many things. As a rider I’m exposed to the weather, to other riders and drivers, to road conditions, and the list goes on.

Being exposed can be both positive and negative depending on how each person views, reacts, and experiences it. On the bike, if the wind blows at all, I know how powerful or calm it is, how warm or cool it is, and whether it is dry or humid air. In a car I would not experience the same things from the wind, as I’m not exposed to it the same way.

I also experience rain differently, as I can feel whether it is cool, warm, or maybe even cold depending on the time of year when I ride as well as how soft or hard it feels as it hits me.

The sun shining on me as well as the air in the shady spots also have an effect on me as I ride the bike, but I dont give either a 2nd thought when I’m in my car.

I guess I take much more for granted when I’m not riding the bike. Maybe that’s why I love it so much, it awakens all of the senses and makes me feel so much more alive. I cannot feel depressed or sad or even afraid when I ride. Even if I am in a bad mood when I start, that feeling is soon gone as the bike and I become one!

I must be alert and aware of all of my surroundings at all times. A bit of gravel thrown up on the road is no big deal in my car, but it’s something I need to take note of when I ride. Wet pavement is not a big deal in the car, but again I need to take note of it when on my bike. If you’ve read any other of my ramblings, you know I’ve been caught in the rain more than once, sometimes very hard and crazy rain. It gave me some great experience learning to handle the bike in those conditions and makes me respect the road and the bike differently.

Going around curves in a car is simple and doesn’t require a lot of thought, even if it’s an unfamiliar curve. If I’m approaching a curve on my bike, I’m looking to the middle as I start entering it and I’m watching for anything that could dart out or be in the road ahead and then looking at where I’m going to exit the curve by the time I’m in the middle. Having the right speed all the way through the curve is crucial, as the bike is leaning on wheels and doesn’t have the contact with the road like 4 wheels of other vehicles. I used to see curves as a bit scary and nerve racking, but the more I ride the more I see them as a fun and rewarding challenge.

When riding you always have to be thinking and looking ahead. Shouldn’t the same hold true in the rest of my life? What good does it do to look back? Yes I can learn from the past, but I cannot focus on what’s behind me or I’ll miss what’s coming. No matter what I do today, it will not change yesterday. If I make a wrong choice on the bike it can have very bad consequences as I’m totally exposed with nothing protecting me but my helmet and my boots. Looking behind me would no doubt have some possible bad consequences. The same holds true in other aspects of my life.

Anyone who proclaims they are a Christian is also exposed. Many places in the world will punish and even kill people who profess Christ as their Savior. I expose myself when I write and profess my beliefs, but it will not stop me from writing any more than possible accidents will stop me from riding. I’ve received both negative and positive feedback but it’s what I do with that information that will determine my next steps.

With riding and rambling I am exposed, but that’s ok because I know God is with me in both areas. I will not let others’ thoughts about either determine what I do or say. I will simply follow His lead and ramble and ride, unless I feel He’s telling me otherwise. We live in a hurting world and I cannot imagine my life without Him. I know not all feel the same way and that is their choice and their right. I respect that and I accept that. It’s not for me to judge others, its for me to simply be me as I ride and ramble.

Isaiah 41:13 NKJV

“For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.'”

I have been blessed to have several long rides lately, long in time, not necessarily always in miles, as some roads were slow going. I can honestly say I’ve learned new skills and gotten some good practice on some older skills as well. I’ve started to write this a few times, but something kept coming up that prevented me from finishing.

Sometimes my thoughts are started on the rides then continue later on before I finally get it all written down. Life will happen and I’ll think back about the rides and it will trigger more thoughts to share, ramblings that is. One specific ride that got me thinking was this past weekend. I actually thought ahead a little bit about a new route I wanted to try. I even looked at a map ahead of time to get an idea of where I needed to turn and roads I wanted to go on.

At first the ride was very calm and relaxing, it was not a real busy road and there was shade along the route. Then all of a sudden it seemed, there were vehicles coming up behind me that seemed to be in much more of a hurry than I was. One thing I’ve learned from day one on the bike is to ride my ride. My hubby always said, “If they dont want to follow you they can pass, you have as much right on the road as they do.” Now mind you I was not going slow, I was staying within 5 miles of the speed limit. There were a few times where I saw a passing zone ahead and actually slowed a little so it would be easier for them to go ahead and pass. Well guess what, they didn’t pass. So I just kept riding my ride, you never want to force yourself to ride above your abilities or confidence level on a bike. You’ve only got 2 wheels and therefore a lot less contact with the road than in a car or truck. You need to know that you have control, no matter what other drivers may think.

Finally after about 15-20 minutes of following me, the 2 oversized tire pickup trucks went on by me. Now I was back to nobody behind me, my preferred way to ride in the country. I began to start watching for road signs. I had 2 specific roads I was considering taking depending on how they looked when I got there. Well apparently in this particular county they prefer to either not put up road signs at all or to just put #s on the signs, not the names used on the map. I decided I had gone further than what should have been needed for either road and knew I did not want to go where this road was headed so I found a safe place to pull over and stopped to look at the map on my phone again before turning around. All I saw was road names, not numbers, so I just headed back the direction I came and decided I’d pick a road that I thought might be one of them.

Fortunately, I do have a pretty decent sense of direction so I knew I could find my way regardless of whether I found the road I wanted or not. I chose a road that was headed the basic direction I wanted to go. Let me just go ahead and tell you now it most definitely was NOT either of the roads I’d picked out on the map. The further I went on this road the narrower and rougher it got. It was still a paved road but it was definitely not well maintained. I came across a sign that showed a cow crossing ahead. My kind of country!! There were cows all along this route and the trees and hills and overall landscape reminded me more of the hometown where I grew up in N.H. than any place I’ve been in years!

The road seemed more like a wide cattle trail than it did a road for daily use. I saw a school bus stop sign and thought to myself there’s no way I would want to drive a school bus on it. This road was probably the windiest (curvy not windy) road I’ve been on so far on my bike. I was very thankful I was on this bike, and not my previous one which was very top heavy. I was appreciative of the low center of gravity my bike has as well as the comfy seat, especially with my sheepskin buttpad added. As I rode and looked at the winding road, the beautiful trees and hills, the streams, all the cows along the way, and smelled that wonderful country smell it was so comforting. It brought back memories of a farm in my hometown where we used to have to follow the cows walking down the main road headed from their pasture to the barn to be milked. You did not try to rush them or drive in between them. You patiently drove along behind until they decided to get out of the road. There were times traffic was stopped in both directions for them to go their own way.

I also came to a one lane bridge on this road that went over a river that was not very deep due to the lack of rain we’ve recently had. This too brought back memories as I saw there were some teens down in the water wading and playing in the water. We used to often go to places like this when I was a teen to swim and ride the water down the slippery rocks into a cool pool of water that was actually quite deep and over my head in places so you needed to know how to swim to go down them, or at least how to tread water and get to the shallow area.

This road I was on was so worth it regardless of the challenges. Don’t get me wrong I’ll admit I had a death grip on the handlebars at least once and there was no chance of speeding thru this adventure. It was nerve racking a few times but now that I’ve done it I will be going back to do it again. The next time I will know what to expect. Sometimes in life when we’re forced to push the limits we realize we can do things we didn’t think we could. Sometimes we have to be forced out of our comfort zone in order to grow and experience new things. Just as quickly as the road got narrow and rough, it then opened up and was normal width and much smoother pavement again.

In life we may experience rough stormy times, but better times also come. God never promised us an easy storm free life, but He does promise He will be with us through them.

Isaiah 41:10 and 43:5 both begin with “Fear not, for I am with you.”

No matter if we are on a bumpy road now, or a smooth one, He is with us just the same, so push those limits and enjoy the ride!

What a great day it was to ride! I got up with the grumpies and my coffee pot decided to give me grief but once I got those 16oz. of java in me it was time to ride! It’s the first time in weeks that the temperatures were such that I wasn’t sweating when I rode so that made it even better. Almost as soon as I headed out the grumpies disappeared, as they always do on my bike!

Today as I rode I couldn’t help but simply enjoy God’s beautiful creation. The skies were a fabulous Carolina Blue, the air was crisp and clean, and nature’s beauty was everywhere. There were birds flying around, the sun was brilliantly shining without burning me up, and there were very few bugs which is always a good thing when you’re riding. I did get whacked on my pant legs by a few that felt huge, but I’m sure they really weren’t as big as they felt, most of you know that moving and speed on the bike make them feel worse than they are.

I can remember as a child wondering what it would be like to be a bird. They seem to just go where they want, when they want, and must have an amazing view while they fly. They don’t answer to anyone, they probably don’t care what others think and truly just do their own thing. I guess I’m as close to that feeling as I’ll get while on this earth when I ride.

Today was probably one of the best solo rides I’ve ever had. (Rides with my hubby are always awesome too but for a different reason.) Today’s ride lasted about 3 hours and honestly I could have just kept going, but life does require other things to be done too. Unlike the birds I do have other responsibilities like a family to feed, but those 3 hours riding were amazing.

The temperature as I said was pretty perfect, the traffic was very light, and the scenery was fantastic. As I rode along one country road, there was a large field of corn on my right. The way the wind was blowing at that very moment made the corn leaves blow in such a way that they looked as though they were waving me by. Ok so maybe I have a crazy imagination, but that’s what it made me think of.

I saw birds flying around doing their own thing, a stunning Highland cow with it’s long hair and prominent horns getting into a pond to cool off, kids playing carefree in their yards, families sitting on their porch, and some American flags majestically blowing in the breeze. How could anyone experience all that and be in a bad mood?! Even the slow poke driving along at maybe 35 mph in a 55 mph speed zone holding up a line of traffic which I was in was not going to ruin my mood. The day was too picture perfect for anger.

I was thinking again about birds when I came upon a group of vultures enjoying their dinner, a deer that had apparently been hit by a vehicle and was now a feast for them. I had passed by several different areas today where I could smell that unmistakable scent of death. To me a dead animal is not a pleasant smell, but I wonder how birds perceive that odor. Is it rotten smelling to them too or does it offer a comforting smell to them, knowing they’ll have a feast to enjoy? Have you ever really thought about that?

I know when certain foods are cooking they give me a “comfort” feeling knowing what it will taste like when it’s ready to eat, maybe birds experience that too. Hmmm

Those thoughts while riding also made me realize I hadn’t eaten anything yet today so that too was another reason I needed to go home. I had some “comfort food” waiting for me there. My mom had made some macaroni salad that she insisted I get some of and so I obliged her by getting it yesterday and hadn’t eaten any of it yet. Perfect for my return home before it was time to fix dinner. 😀 thanks mom!

I have never had such experiences as these in my car, only on the bike. In the car I feel caged in and too connected. On the bike it’s a totally free feeling like a bird, nobody can talk to me, no phones can interfere, nothing to steal that feeling of tranquility. I’ve seen many bikers who have stereos and headsets and the bluetooth hookups and if that works for them that’s awesome. For me it’s just wanting to have that simple time alone with my thoughts and my God and today it was perfect. Thank you Lord for another glorious day of life!

I recently saw some posts about Independence Day in Canada being on July 1st, while the USA is on July 4th. Two neighboring countries celebrating Independence Day on two different dates that reflect their own history. I am grateful to be a part of a free independent country and thank all of those who’ve fought to make it that way.

As I have been riding this first week of July I’ve thought quite a bit about independence and freedom. What does it mean to be independent and to have freedom?

If you look up the definition of independence, it’s the fact or state of being independent. Then if you look up the definition of independent, it’s defined as free from outside control. The definition of freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.

Freedom and independence seem to go hand in hand, or do they? As I rode and thought about these two words, especially on the 4th of July, I realized that you can be an independent person, yet not be truly free due to thoughts you may harbor towards others or yourself. Your own thoughts can sometimes hold you captive no matter how independent you may be. Our thoughts can be our own worst enemies sometimes if we allow them to.

No matter how independent and free we may feel, we are also still responsible for making sure we don’t infringe on the independence and freedom of others by what we say or do. We’re not free to intentionally hurt others physically or mentally because we disagree. We ARE free to just walk away in those circumstances or just scroll on by (on social media) if that’s what’s best though. We are instructed in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to take every thought captive to obey Christ. We have the power to be independent AND free through Him.

Back to the 4th of July, it not only made me think about independence and freedom, but also about tradition. Did you grow up with or start certain traditions that you relate to the 4th? I can remember feeling like the 4th was really like the real start of summer. It was a day when we did family things and my dad would celebrate with us that day, not work, even if it was during the week. It seemed it always started with going to the parade in the morning. Sometimes we went to watch it, other times we were a part of it. The rest of the day may have included swimming, mom grilling burgers and hot dogs and cooking corn on the cob, or going to other activities sometimes that included fair or carnival type things. (Mostly I remember mom grilling and eating corn on the cob, it’s one of my favorites) Then at night it always ended with mom making a big batch of popcorn and a jug of koolaid we would take with us to watch fireworks somewhere. I remember one year we were headed to see fireworks and my dad decided to take one of his infamous “strawberry shortcuts” to get there. His shortcuts often seemed to take longer than the regular routes but they were more scenic and made him happy, asserting his independence to go his own way. I can’t remember exactly what happened but I know we had car trouble and thought we might not make it in time for the fireworks, which caused some fireworks of their own in the car😉, but we did make it to see them. 😀 It’s funny to me the things I think of sometimes when I ride. I seem to remember things I haven’t thought of for years which means you get to read me rambling about them, or of course you can scroll on by if you choose.

Remember, we can be independent and free, if we hold our thoughts captive, and if you don’t have any traditions you celebrate yet, it’s never too late to start!

Galatians 5:1 KJV

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

For any of you that have read my ramblings from the start, you may remember me mentioning a group on Facebook called Steel Cowgirls. I believe it’s the first group of all women riders that I joined after learning to ride my own bike. It’s simply a group of women across the world who offer and receive advice on riding as well as some who just need a place to vent and ask advice from other women without being judged.

For me it’s been a place for riding information and a group that had many women who prayed and sent my father in law cards when he was first diagnosed with cancer over a year ago. He is still here with us, praise God!

Anyway with that said, one day each year the group has a World Wide Steel Cowgirl Day designated for riding together across the world. This year’s date was Monday, June 25th and there were many women across this country and also in other countries that made a decision to ride on this specific day. I rode to a Dr. appt and to work and was thinking while I rode how cool it was to know that on this specific day, total strangers were committed to riding to represent their state/country.

If total strangers who have many different beliefs and backgrounds can commit to something like this, support each other, and offer words of advice to build each other up, then why can’t it happen with others across the world in our every day lives just because it’s the right thing to do?

This week has been a strange one for me. Another event happened on Monday that has seemed to be in my thoughts every single day since. I’ve ridden since Monday and even then I couldn’t shake the thoughts of what happened. There was a shooting locally that has left one little boy without a dad because he will probably be in prison for a very long time maybe even for life, and a little girl without her daddy due to being murdered by the other man. Two little children who know each other and whose world will never be the same, and for what?

I can’t help but feel sorry for these two children who will grow up knowing what happened once they’re old enough to know and understand the truth. We live in a world that no longer seems to value life and I simply cannot understand it. The more we remove God from our society, the worse it gets. This is not about guns, it’s about morals and valuing each other as human beings. Someone bent on destruction will find a way regardless of laws or regulations. We need hearts filled with God and with love in my opinion, not filled with ourselves and with hatred.

Usually I can ride and just let it go but this has truly captured my thoughts. Maybe it’s because I now have two little granddaughters and know how much their daddy loves them and they love him and I can’t imagine if they had to grow up without him, or maybe it’s because my husband knew the man who was murdered, I don’t know. It’s just sad to see the world our children and grandchildren will be growing up in compared to the way it was when I was growing up.

We need to get back to the importance of friends and families being there for each other. There seems to be just too much self centeredness, greed, and feelings of contempt.

We were all created in God’s image and none of us is any better than another in His eyes. It’s time we stop being offended by everything, stop feeling like our opinions are the only ones that count and stop condemning others. It’s time to lift each other up. It’s time we show compassion and love for each other.

Wow what an amazing week it has been! I’ve ridden a few times this week when it wasn’t too stifling hot and humid and it’s been awesome for all my senses.

This has been a week of good news and new life so maybe that’s why my senses have been more in tune while I rode. I experienced so many different smells this week. Have you ever smelled the difference in the air just before it rains? It’s a very distinct smell and always gives me a “warm” feeling. It reminds me of when I was young and we would put on our bathing suits and go out to play in the rain and the puddles in the summer. (That’s not to say I’m OLD now, just older 😁). There was just something special about the rain falling on my face and splashing in those warm puddles, barefoot of course.

Then there’s the smell of the wet pavement when I rode in an area where it rained just prior to my arrival. The air has a different smell than the pre-rain air. After the rain it’s more of a humid warm smell, than the crisp clear smell preceding it. Both are refreshing to me and are signs of life; without rain the gardens can’t grow, the birds have to search harder for water to drink, animals can’t cool off as easily, and the list goes on. Sometimes right after the rain there’s the beautiful sight of a rainbow and I was blessed enough to see one of those this week as well to remind me of God’s promise to us.

No matter how many storms come my way, and there have been many, He always brings me through. As the song says, “I’ll praise you in this storm and I will lift my hands, that you are who you are no matter where I am, and every tear I’ve cried you hold in your hand, you never left my side.”

Additional smells this week were the comforting smells of acres of corn that had started to tassle out, fields of cows including some that were cooling off in ponds, a pasture of horses, the smell of freshly laid pavement, newly cut wheat, and the best smell of all was the smell of a newborn baby. My 2nd granddaughter was born this week and there’s nothing that smells better to me than a new little bundle of joy. The sight of a new life just minutes old is so amazing. I was taking care of her big sister while we awaited her arrival and then was honored to be able to introduce her to her little sister. She’s only 15 months old so she wasn’t too sure what to think initially but her face was priceless the first time she heard her little sister cry. I’m not sure that was a pleasing sound to her, but I’m sure she’ll get used to it.

I heard sounds of laughter and of good news from Drs. about family members and happiness from my hubby as he started a new chapter in his life this week as well. Riding this week has been filled with mostly happy thoughts and I realized even more this week that my rides are different based on what’s happening in my life and the lives of those I love.

Some of my rides seem to be a way to escape, while other rides are to relax, to think through decisions that need to be made, to celebrate, or to just enjoy the ride, all the while trying to be open to what God may be trying to teach me or help me to see or share with others.

I am truly blessed to have this outlet where I can experience so many things I believe I would otherwise miss. It awakens all of my senses, yet it’s never the same way twice. Every ride is different even if the route I take isn’t. Today I finally rode on a country road I’ve been wanting to ride many times before and just never seemed to make it. The fact it has a different name at each end of it is partly why I kept missing it. It is a long and curvy road and is definitely going to be a repeat ride now that I finally discovered it!

I can ride the same road multiple times and see, smell, hear, or think something totally different each time I ride on it. It’s the same way when I read scriptures. I can read the same verse at different times in my life, and it may speak to me slightly different each time, based on what I’m going through at that particular moment. The words are the same, but it can touch me differently based on my circumstances.

One thing I’ve learned and I know for sure, the times in my past when I may have thought God wasn’t there, it was not He who had moved. I’m forever grateful that I’ve gotten past that stage with His help and that I’m at a point in my life where I can truly just give it to Him and know it will be handled. It may not be today or tomorrow, or even this month or year, but it will be done in His time, His way, if I only trust and obey. I’ve definitely seen that many times in the past several years, and it seems to me that I’ve recognized it more since I started riding. I can’t explain it, but I know it to be true.

This is always a weekend of mixed emotions ever since losing my dad. They say time heals all wounds, but it doesn’t. The heartache may lessen a little but it’s always there. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of my dad. I know I will see him again one day, that he is no longer in pain, and is enjoying the company of our heavenly Father though so that provides enormous comfort.

Yesterday would have been my parent’s 61st wedding anniversary as well. Their love for each other and us was unconditional. I realized today while I was riding that even if someone upsets me while I’m riding, like a pickup that almost sideswiped me because they weren’t paying attention, and a car that was way over the yellow line coming straight at me around a corner, I can’t stay angry. After the initial shock of their recklessness, I thank God for his protection yet again and simply ride on thinking about positive things. It’s still a beautiful day, I’m blessed with a hubby that loves me, I have a beautiful granddaughter and another that will be arriving this week, I have a job I love, food in my home, a roof over my head, and the list goes on. So what is the purpose of staying angry?!

My mom and dad were that way together and with us. Don’t get me wrong, if we did something wrong there was sometimes some anger, disappointment, and most definitely discipline. It was not something that they dwelled on though. It seems they never stayed mad for any length of time, no grudges were held, and no constant reminders later of mistakes we had made. I can’t recall them ever arguing with each other in anger in front of us kids. I’m sure they had disagreements like all couples do, but it was something they handled between themselves.

What a different world we live in now. I’m so blessed and thankful to have been raised the way I was. We knew we were loved, we were taught respect and responsiblity for our own actions. We played outside from sun up to sun down and we knew better than to break curfew or talk back to anyone, not just our parents. I didn’t say we never did it, but that we knew better, and there were consequences for our actions. 😉 I could get on a soapbox right here but I’m just going to leave it, we all know the world today is not the same as it was even 20 years ago, let alone 30 or 40.

As I get older I’ve learned it’s not so important to have the final say in all situations, sometimes the best response is simply silence. Life’s too short to be angry all the time. If I can let it go when I’m riding, then I can do it at other times as well. It’s all about where I put my focus. Being angry with another person gives them a power over you that they should not have. Being angry with yourself is a losing battle, forget it and move on. Think about that, if I’m fighting with my own thoughts, who wins? We all get angry and have a right sometimes to feel that way, but it’s what we do with the anger that determines the outcome. The realization I came to today while riding regarding anger is something I am going to try to put more effort into even when I’m not riding.

Anger produces bad thoughts, unnecessary stress, and can cause mental and physical health issues. I don’t want it to have that hold on me at any time. I want to be able to let it go all the time, not just when I ride. Hopefully today will start a new journey towards that goal. Wish me luck, and join me if you choose. If you have things that work for you, please feel free to share in the comments for myself and others. We’re all on this journey called life together!

James 1:19-20

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

Goals can be interesting. This past week there were times when I needed to run some “quick” errands. Some were quicker than others based simply on what I drove. Running errands in my car as you might have guessed went quicker than those on my bike. The goal when running an errand in the car was simply to go from point A to B and back with errand completed. Although the goal on the bike is to also go from point A to B and back, the ride is much longer. Here’s a visual for you. 😉

The goal was the same but the purpose was different. The purpose of taking the bike was to also have some much needed “down time ” as well. Errands can be fun after all. When I left on my last errand it was to get a part for my car and my hubby told me to take my time so being the obedient wife I am I of course assumed that meant to ride on! 🤣

I’m sure for any of you that have read many of my ramblings, you know the bike is my “stress free zone.” It’s my “me” time, my time to clear my mind and most importantly my alone time with God. I’ve learned many things about Him, about myself, and about life in general since I’ve been riding my own bike, something I never dreamed I would do. I’ve learned how very important it is to take time for yourself, not in a selfish way, but in a healthy way.

It’s also important to have at least one person in your life who will help keep you grounded/balanced. I’ve heard many times that women look for a husband who is like their dad. I got thinking about this while riding and while my dad and my hubby share(d) some very different hobbies and mannerisms, there is definitely one thing they both share(d). When I was a teenager I can remember some talks I had with my dad where he let me know in no uncertain terms that I was to respect myself and not just settle. Mom always told me the same thing but for some reason dad’s words hit home with a different effect. Maybe it’s the father/daughter thing, maybe it was his tone, or maybe because I was daddy’s little girl. I went through many years while my kids were younger where I saw myself as a mom and that was where my focus was and the respecting myself part, as a woman, kind of went by the wayside. I’m not going to share much about that, except to say that when I met my hubby that changed. I was still a mom first, but he made me realize I also needed to be me and that meant relearning to respect myself the way my dad had instilled in me. I still have times now where I have a “brain fart”, or as my youngest son lovingly calls it, brain diarrhea lol. When I have those moments my hubby will still remind me, and although my immediate response may be one of aggravation, I’m truly thankful he cares enough to remind me anyway.

I teach a class at work to our newly hired staff. I’ve recently started to make sure I stress the importance of taking care of ourselves. We talk about burnout and about many stressful situations that can arise. We are blessed to work with an amazing group of individuals who have autism. The work is not physically demanding most days but it can be mentally demanding, although the rewards far outway the demands. In any job and in day to day life where people care for others, it’s extremely important to take care of yourself. If we don’t take care of ourselves, how can we effectively care for others, including our families?

In our trainings, we also talk about dreams and helping others to try to achieve them by meeting them where they’re at and assisting with the growth towards those dreams in any way we can. Recently while riding I got thinking about my own dreams, actually I guess it’s more my bucket list than dreams as it’s a couple of things I’d like to accomplish before I die. I realize these may never happen, but they are still something I’d love to be able to do someday if any way possible, even if only in part.

One of those things is to ride my bike across the country with my hubby and camp all along the way. I’d love to see Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon as well as the big redwood trees on the West Coast. Don’t panic mom, it won’t be any time soon! Another thing I’d love to be able to do one day is own a small farmhouse and have enough land to offer a place for those with disabilities and/or illnesses to be able to swim in a pool, ride go carts, dirt bikes, 4 wheelers etc., and have a mini petting farm where they can be a part of something they might not ever otherwise experience, if only for a day. Like I said, these things may never happen, but it doesn’t hurt to dream or have a bucket list, it’s actually healthy I believe.

To me if you don’t have any dreams, a bucket list, or long term goals, then you’re just living to get thru each day and that saddens me. I realize it can be a struggle just to get through each day sometimes, but I don’t believe God ever intended for us to simply exist. We do that to ourselves I think by putting unrealistic expectations on ourselves, by not forgiving ourselves and others for mistakes, by listening to the world, and by not giving Him things to handle for us like He promises He will, and then listening to see what He’s trying to tell us.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Matthew 11:28-30

Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my time upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

I challenge each and every one of you reading this to seriously think of 1 new dream or new item for your bucket list and don’t let anyone tell you it cannot be done! Dream big and go to Him to help you through, we never know what we can accomplish if we don’t at least try.

Brain definition: an organ of soft nervous tissue contained in the skull of vertebrates, functioning as the coordinating center of sensation and intellectual and nervous activity.

While I rode for a couple of hours today, the whole ride was focused on our brains. Have you ever thought about your brain for a couple of hours? It can be mind boggling. No matter how hard I tried to think about other things, it all came back to the brain. My brain wouldn’t let me focus on anything else, other than a safe ride of course.

Our brain is truly the one organ that determines everything and makes us all different. It’s not our color, our sex, or our family lineage. It’s the brain that makes us who we are. We could have a heart transplant, a lung or kidney transplant, get blood from someone else or their marrow, but we can’t get a brain from someone else. If we receive someone else’s organ or blood etc., our brain is then controlling that within us, but we are still the same person we were technically. Have you ever heard the saying 2 heads are better than 1? I’ve never heard 2 hearts are better than 1, or 4 lungs or kidneys are better than 2. It’s all about the brain.

When children are little they’re often described as having brains that are like a sponge, they take in everything they see and hear and learn from it. Everything; good and bad. I guess that’s why as we grow up, we make the decisions we do. It’s based on what our brains were fed; the foods, the thoughts, the experiences. How we think is determined by what we were subjected to throughout our lives. The brain is an amazing organ.

If it is formed normally, we really all have the same abilities to make the same decisions. Even if we have different experiences, we still have access to information that can change our thoughts and actions.

Even those whose brains may not be normal due to birth defects or accidents or any other number of things, still have the ability to learn or relearn things in many circumstances. That to me is also amazing. There are people who cannot do basic every day activities like bathing or preparing their own foods, yet they can play a musical instrument like a pro, it’s how their brain is wired. On the other hand there are people who are considered geniuses based on their IQ, yet they cannot communicate effectively with others in a simple conversation or may appear to have no “common sense.” The brain is basically the same organ in the majority of us, yet no 2 of us are alike.

How we each perceive the things we see, hear, and experience is different. Sometimes we make decisions not based on what our brains are telling us the decision should be, but on what our hearts tell us, or what our guts tell us. Why is that? What would the world look like if we always made decisions based on our brain and not on our gut or heart. I believe it would look very different.

I know many decisions I have made from the heart or gut would have been very different if I’d made them from what my brain would have chosen, logically. Sometimes you just have to go with what you feel is best at the time though and go from there.

Fortunately, if we make bad choices, we do sometimes still have the ability to redirect things or at least use our brains to help us ask for forgiveness and try to make things better or different. We can’t change past choices, but we can use our brains to learn from them and to also try to teach others not to follow our bad choices. That’s not something our other organs can help us with, only our brains.

What an amazing organ it is. Without a brain we are nothing. Machines can make our hearts, lungs, and kidneys function but if we are brain dead, there is no machine that can change that. Only a miracle from God could do that.

With that said, why is it that we can all hear and read the same information and yet all believe differently? I believe it’s because we are all given many facts and we are also given the freedom to choose. We choose which facts we believe and which facts we do not, and we do so with our hearts.

Romans 10:9-10

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Riding this weekend I really got thinking about Memorial Day and what it means. I’m not sure why it’s speaking to me so strongly this year. Maybe because it’s been a challenging year, maybe it’s age, maybe it’s missing my nephew who was more like a son than my nephew. He served in the Air Force and unfortunately while he was serving in Kuwait he was misdiagnosed which lead to a cancer that had spread beyond the point of remission or curing once discovered and it took his life within approximately 7 months at the young age of only 22. He loved serving in the Air Force and I believe it’s the first time he really felt like he was doing what He was called to do and he was proud of his accomplishments. As you can see from the picture of him, he also rode. I recently thought how nice it would have been to be able to ride with him now, only to then realize I’d have been in his dust because he liked to “fly ” more than ride at a leisurely pace. He lived life wide open and experienced more in his 22 years than many live in way more years.

Luke, this weekend is about you and about the other brave men and women who literally gave their lives to serve their country. I am thankful for each and every one of them, as well as their families who were left behind. This weekend is about remembering them, not about cooking out, going to the beaches or mountains, or getting a 3 day weekend. If not for those who served and died for us, we wouldn’t have the freedom to now do these things. I wouldn’t have the freedom to ramble on about my thoughts without fear of others trying to stop me.

On that thought, I have come to also realize that not everyone who reads mine or other’s blogs, will agree with what we share. There have been several times when I have received some “negative ” feedback from some readers that had me questioning whether I should continue to share or maybe just journal for myself. Every time this has happened, I would then get an encouraging word or note from someone else who was somehow touched positively by what they read so here I am still rambling on. I’m not here to convert anyone and I’m by no means an expert on solving anyone’s problems, but I’m here to share what He leads me to share and if it helps even 1 person in any way then He gets all the glory.

The men and women who served, fought tough battles no doubt. I can’t even begin to imagine what they went through prior to giving their lives for us. Some died in combat type battle, others died of indirect battles due to things they were exposed to that caused physical health issues like my nephew or mental health issues or a combination of all these things. Regardless of the cause, they are heroes in my book for serving and I will not forget them.

We each also fight our own battles daily. Some may be regarding physical health, mental health, or spiritual health, and some maybe are even a combination of them all. We never truly know what another person is going through, or has been through, unless we have walked in their shoes. That’s why we should never judge others.

Today my riding battle was dealing with the weather. There were pop up storms all around me. Every time I thought maybe I should pull over and put on my rain gear, the sun would peak out from behind a cloud and I knew it was all going to be ok and I would just continue on.

In case you haven’t picked up on it, each time I thought about stopping my blog, something would happen to make me realize I needed to continue on. Each time I thought about pulling over to put on gear, the sun would give me a message to continue on. Some would say these are just coincidences, but personally I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe it’s all part of His plan. I have been caught in the rain several times on my bike, some of which I’ve previously written about, and those times everything in me was saying I needed to put on rain gear or not ride at all, but I didn’t listen and I got wet. Today thankfully all of the rain was around me, not on me. I did go through a few areas where I ended up with a “polka dotted” windshield and glasses and areas where the pavement was wet, but nothing requiring gear.

Often I think our biggest battle may be within ourselves. We maybe haven’t forgiven someone we should, we haven’t forgiven ourselves, we haven’t put the past where it belongs-in the past, we question ourselves and don’t have faith in ourselves or we just don’t feel worthy enough. The battles we fight in our own minds can truly be deadly. It can kill our motivation, our goals, and our future.

Where would we be now if the men and women who fought for our country allowed these kinds of thoughts to over rule the orders they were given to carry out?

We too have orders we are to carry out and one is to love one another. Can we truly love others if we are harboring the internal feelings I previously mentioned?

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain; faith, hope,and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Let’s remember those who gave their lives for us, because they loved their country and remember that Jesus gave His life for us, because He loved us and wanted us to have eternal life. Love is what it’s all about. Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend and love one other.