Sunday, August 31, 2008
The Greatest Challenge of the ride for me
The statistics for Friday's ride through the Pennsylvania and New Jersey should have told the story ahead of time but there is no way to comprehend how difficult that ride would be for me. Very early in the day already there were steep hills. I overheard someone say that one particular hill was a 14% grade. I found that I could get into my lowest gear and keep moving slowly but the longer the hill continued the shorter my breath would get and I didn't dare to push my heart and aching muscles any further. If I sensed that I was near the top I would get off my bike and walk the rest of the way up that hill. Or if the hill was never ending I would ride for a short time and rest and ride again or walk for short distances and ride again. But even the walking was difficult because of my biking shoes with their steel cleats on the bottom of the ball of the foot.
I also began to develop problems with my chain shifting mechanism and the chain came off three different times. It is very tricky to click out of your pedals when your pedals are unattached to your chain. The third time it happened I was starting up a steep hill and fell to the right side and into a rocky drainage area. My forward motion was zero because of the hill and and I was able to put my hands out to the right side and cushion my fall with my padded biking gloves. Thank You, God for protecting me.
A short time later some other SeatoSea bikers came along and one of them had the technical skills to fine tune the shifting mechanism so the chain would shift properly and not come off. One of the riders who was about my age and biking level offered to ride with me and so we went on together, hill after hill. It was getting late in the day and we had just entered New Jersey and we had one more mountain ridge to cross. But was a steep and continuous climb. It had gradual curves in the road and just when you thought you were getting near the top you rounded a curve and upward the road continued. There was no place where the climb lessened and you could relax your muscles for a bit. After many stops and some walking we made it to the top, which was called "High Point." What a relief! By now we were getting very hungry and thirsty. The ride down was more than a breeze, it was a wind tunnel of air movement which ripped at your face and dried your eyes and caused them to tear up. I don't know if it was that hill or one of the others that day when I reached a maximum speed of 44 miles and hour. That evening someone told me that the climb was 4 miles long--I said "no-way, it was more like 14 miles."
Looking back on that day I cannot imagine that I would be able to complete those 84 miles. It surprised me that I did not have sore muscles at the end of the day. My body was very tired but my spirit was enriched. Part of the day when I was riding through beautiful scenery and it was so quiet that you could hear almost any sound in the woods I had time to listen to the calls of individual birds. We live in a country of incredible beauty and variety of terain.
I thank God for such a flexible body that is able to cope with physical, mental and emotional challenges beyond our imagining.
I also began to develop problems with my chain shifting mechanism and the chain came off three different times. It is very tricky to click out of your pedals when your pedals are unattached to your chain. The third time it happened I was starting up a steep hill and fell to the right side and into a rocky drainage area. My forward motion was zero because of the hill and and I was able to put my hands out to the right side and cushion my fall with my padded biking gloves. Thank You, God for protecting me.
A short time later some other SeatoSea bikers came along and one of them had the technical skills to fine tune the shifting mechanism so the chain would shift properly and not come off. One of the riders who was about my age and biking level offered to ride with me and so we went on together, hill after hill. It was getting late in the day and we had just entered New Jersey and we had one more mountain ridge to cross. But was a steep and continuous climb. It had gradual curves in the road and just when you thought you were getting near the top you rounded a curve and upward the road continued. There was no place where the climb lessened and you could relax your muscles for a bit. After many stops and some walking we made it to the top, which was called "High Point." What a relief! By now we were getting very hungry and thirsty. The ride down was more than a breeze, it was a wind tunnel of air movement which ripped at your face and dried your eyes and caused them to tear up. I don't know if it was that hill or one of the others that day when I reached a maximum speed of 44 miles and hour. That evening someone told me that the climb was 4 miles long--I said "no-way, it was more like 14 miles."
Looking back on that day I cannot imagine that I would be able to complete those 84 miles. It surprised me that I did not have sore muscles at the end of the day. My body was very tired but my spirit was enriched. Part of the day when I was riding through beautiful scenery and it was so quiet that you could hear almost any sound in the woods I had time to listen to the calls of individual birds. We live in a country of incredible beauty and variety of terain.
I thank God for such a flexible body that is able to cope with physical, mental and emotional challenges beyond our imagining.
Final Destination
It is Sunday morning and I was able to sleep with Jonathan & Katie at their apartment on the North end of Manhattan Island. It was great to see Ruth and Katie and Zoe at the end of the ride yesterday. Yesterday's ride was about 64 miles. I was able to sleep at the home of a family in the Sussex Christian Reformed Church on Friday night. This was wonderful for several reasons: It was about 6:30 PM before I completed that day's 85 mile ride and I went right from the bike to supper and then to the peleton meeting and there would have been no daylight time to set up my tent. It also rained during the night and I didn't have to fold up my tent in the morning. And another wonderful thing was that my host family did my laundry which was very wet and sweaty.
I was up by 4:30 AM and had breakfast with my host family and they took me back to the Sussex Christian School where I started my ride before 7 AM. Jonathan set out on his bike about the same time and we met half way into the ride and he rode in with me to Liberty Island State Park. I was more cautious in my riding because the roads were wet at first and I observed two biking acidents that morning. Fortunately I had my first aid kit with me to help get people bandaged up and back on the road again.
We traveled in small groups to a staging area about 10 miles from our destination. There we took a group photo and then rode about 6 riders across with police eschort to our destination where there was a huge crowd of people to meet us and celebrate with us. It was an awesome sight as rode in procession through winding city streets and over bridges and down the final bike path into the park that overlooks the statue of liberty. People were standing in front of their apartments and in front of stores watching in amazement and bewilderment and at times cheering us on. Sometimes people began to blow their horns in recognition of our cause and accomplishment.
At the conclusion there were words of acknowledgement to the grace of God that made all this possible. Then we all prayed the "Our Father" and stepped to the edge of the water and dipped our front tires in the Atlantic ocean. Ruth and Katie and Zoe were present to welcome us and we began to say some goodbyes to others and meet some new people whom we had not seen for a number of years.
Then it was a 45 minute school bus ride to the Christian School where we had to empty the gear truck and get what we needed to shower and set up our tents to dry them out and fold them up again. Then we had another short bus ride to the Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church where there was a big celebration picnic supper with local family and the families of riders who had arrived from many places around the country.
Then there was a 2 hour celebration service in the church. We heard testimonies from riders and heard wonderful examples of God's provision for health issues and how people all across the country heard about and responded to the riders enroute. I got very tired and sleepy during the lengthy service but I was very happy that I could be a part of the ride and the celebration.
Right now we are headed for the "big park" which Zoe wants to show to Grandpa and Grandma. I will do some more blogging later today and hopefully add some pictures too.
I was up by 4:30 AM and had breakfast with my host family and they took me back to the Sussex Christian School where I started my ride before 7 AM. Jonathan set out on his bike about the same time and we met half way into the ride and he rode in with me to Liberty Island State Park. I was more cautious in my riding because the roads were wet at first and I observed two biking acidents that morning. Fortunately I had my first aid kit with me to help get people bandaged up and back on the road again.
We traveled in small groups to a staging area about 10 miles from our destination. There we took a group photo and then rode about 6 riders across with police eschort to our destination where there was a huge crowd of people to meet us and celebrate with us. It was an awesome sight as rode in procession through winding city streets and over bridges and down the final bike path into the park that overlooks the statue of liberty. People were standing in front of their apartments and in front of stores watching in amazement and bewilderment and at times cheering us on. Sometimes people began to blow their horns in recognition of our cause and accomplishment.
At the conclusion there were words of acknowledgement to the grace of God that made all this possible. Then we all prayed the "Our Father" and stepped to the edge of the water and dipped our front tires in the Atlantic ocean. Ruth and Katie and Zoe were present to welcome us and we began to say some goodbyes to others and meet some new people whom we had not seen for a number of years.
Then it was a 45 minute school bus ride to the Christian School where we had to empty the gear truck and get what we needed to shower and set up our tents to dry them out and fold them up again. Then we had another short bus ride to the Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church where there was a big celebration picnic supper with local family and the families of riders who had arrived from many places around the country.
Then there was a 2 hour celebration service in the church. We heard testimonies from riders and heard wonderful examples of God's provision for health issues and how people all across the country heard about and responded to the riders enroute. I got very tired and sleepy during the lengthy service but I was very happy that I could be a part of the ride and the celebration.
Right now we are headed for the "big park" which Zoe wants to show to Grandpa and Grandma. I will do some more blogging later today and hopefully add some pictures too.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
How is my body holding up?
As I joined this ride I observed bodies of all kinds of sizes and shapes. I have observed bikes of all sizes, shapes and costs. I have observed riding speeds and strengths too. Last week Saturday we road down a steep hill which is part of a glacial ridge called the escartment. The signs at the top warned that the grade was 12%. I used my brakes the entire downhill distance and was at times fearful that I was going to tip over forward because the grade was so steep.
As I was going down I met some of my fellow riders who got to the bottom and turned around and decided to bike back up the hill. I cheered them on and when I reached the bottom there was that momentary thought "maybe I too could conquer this "hill". Thankful common sense took over and I said to myself " I could pull a muscle or even fall and it could be the end of the ride for me."
The things that I was most concerned about at the beginning of the ride were: heat, humity, and hills. Thankfully the heat and humidity have not been a real issue. I think it started out in the 40's this morning. But most of the hill climbing lies ahead in the next three days. Please pray for the wisdom, courage and strength to persevere on the difficult climbs. I know that my muscles have been getting stronger as the days progressed but I found soreness in new muscles today.
Two different people that I have ridden with in the last several days have looked at my bike, studied the sprockets and looked at the arrow bars and said "You have the perfect kind of bike for this kind of ride." You have a good climbing gear range, you have arrow bars for an efficient riding style and you have shocks on the front wheel for all the rough roads. That was encouraging to me to hear their analysis. I remember their words when I see the sleek racing bikes and bodies fly by and seem to climb the hills with ease.
I was very pleased to get some mail when I got to St. Catherines, some cards of encouragement and of course that wonderful box of "monster cookies which Ruth baked and mailed to me." And for all you boys and girls who are worried about me eating too many cookies, I am sharing them with other riders and they are very happen to have them.
I hope to keep you further informed in the next few days. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.
As I was going down I met some of my fellow riders who got to the bottom and turned around and decided to bike back up the hill. I cheered them on and when I reached the bottom there was that momentary thought "maybe I too could conquer this "hill". Thankful common sense took over and I said to myself " I could pull a muscle or even fall and it could be the end of the ride for me."
The things that I was most concerned about at the beginning of the ride were: heat, humity, and hills. Thankfully the heat and humidity have not been a real issue. I think it started out in the 40's this morning. But most of the hill climbing lies ahead in the next three days. Please pray for the wisdom, courage and strength to persevere on the difficult climbs. I know that my muscles have been getting stronger as the days progressed but I found soreness in new muscles today.
Two different people that I have ridden with in the last several days have looked at my bike, studied the sprockets and looked at the arrow bars and said "You have the perfect kind of bike for this kind of ride." You have a good climbing gear range, you have arrow bars for an efficient riding style and you have shocks on the front wheel for all the rough roads. That was encouraging to me to hear their analysis. I remember their words when I see the sleek racing bikes and bodies fly by and seem to climb the hills with ease.
I was very pleased to get some mail when I got to St. Catherines, some cards of encouragement and of course that wonderful box of "monster cookies which Ruth baked and mailed to me." And for all you boys and girls who are worried about me eating too many cookies, I am sharing them with other riders and they are very happen to have them.
I hope to keep you further informed in the next few days. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.
Musings along the road
Traveling through Michigan and now again in New York we have encounter "roadkill" of many kinds, some to graphic to describe. But I came across one "beautifully flatted muskcrat." It appeared to be quite dried and just ride for mounting and framing. My I could use it as part of the art display at the dedication services of my church, Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church. But how would I get it home? I dismissed the idea.
I discovered that one of the stressors of the ride is trying to keep up with other riders who are either much younger or much stronger riders, some of whom have traveled all the way from Seattle. I need to remind myself that the pace that best fits my abilities and riding style is what is best for me and let the other fly on bye. And not celebrate too much in my heart when I find someone that I can pass on the ride.
Today I realized that I would groan internally and sometimes externally whenever I would crest a hill and observe another hill coming up. I discovered that the groaning didn't help to resolve the issue--I still had to climb the hill. I remembered a word of wisdom from one of my colleagues "It is what it is, just deal with it."
One of the neat things about this ride is that every night they give us the map for just the next day. So much of our lives is spent trying to look ahead a whole week or month or year or more. Learning to live one day at a time and not think beyond tomorrow's journey can help to relieve stress each day.
I discovered that one of the stressors of the ride is trying to keep up with other riders who are either much younger or much stronger riders, some of whom have traveled all the way from Seattle. I need to remind myself that the pace that best fits my abilities and riding style is what is best for me and let the other fly on bye. And not celebrate too much in my heart when I find someone that I can pass on the ride.
Today I realized that I would groan internally and sometimes externally whenever I would crest a hill and observe another hill coming up. I discovered that the groaning didn't help to resolve the issue--I still had to climb the hill. I remembered a word of wisdom from one of my colleagues "It is what it is, just deal with it."
One of the neat things about this ride is that every night they give us the map for just the next day. So much of our lives is spent trying to look ahead a whole week or month or year or more. Learning to live one day at a time and not think beyond tomorrow's journey can help to relieve stress each day.
An amazing encounter on Sunday
On Sunday morning after a late breakfast I went with my hosts, Gary and Jannie, to their church for the service. In the bulletin I read a request for prayers for Harry who was going through more chemtherapy. The name was familiar and I began asking people in the row in front of me if Harry had gone to Dordt College. After the service I was introduced to Harry's wife Rose who had also gone to Dordt and we both remembered each other. She told me the story of Harry's battle with cancer and his present experience of significant decline. As a hospice chaplain we talked about the future and the type of support available from hospice.
Later that day I traveled with my hosts to the site of a celebration service for the SeatoSea riders and the work God was doing through this event. We arrived about two hours early so area people could meet the riders. Not long after we arrived Harry and Rose came and found me. Harry had not been feeling well enough to attend church that morning but wanted to talk to me that afternoon. We had a wonderful time talking about "old times" at Dordt College and about the present realities of his terminal condition. Harry's body had changed alot since I last saw him in the late 1960's but his smile and courageous attitude had not changed. After more than an hour of sharing we hugged and said our goodbyes. We both realized that this was a God-created moment at a crucial time in life. I told them that this was the most meaningful experience of the ride for me. I was touched deeply.
Incidently, while we talked under the roof of the pavilion it was pouring rain for two hours. At 5 minutes before 4 PM the rain stopped and at 4 PM the celebration service began as scheduled and it was a beautiful service of celebrating the work that God was doing through caring people to reach and help people living in poverty and injustice situation around the world.
Later that day I traveled with my hosts to the site of a celebration service for the SeatoSea riders and the work God was doing through this event. We arrived about two hours early so area people could meet the riders. Not long after we arrived Harry and Rose came and found me. Harry had not been feeling well enough to attend church that morning but wanted to talk to me that afternoon. We had a wonderful time talking about "old times" at Dordt College and about the present realities of his terminal condition. Harry's body had changed alot since I last saw him in the late 1960's but his smile and courageous attitude had not changed. After more than an hour of sharing we hugged and said our goodbyes. We both realized that this was a God-created moment at a crucial time in life. I told them that this was the most meaningful experience of the ride for me. I was touched deeply.
Incidently, while we talked under the roof of the pavilion it was pouring rain for two hours. At 5 minutes before 4 PM the rain stopped and at 4 PM the celebration service began as scheduled and it was a beautiful service of celebrating the work that God was doing through caring people to reach and help people living in poverty and injustice situation around the world.
Canadian hospitality
Last week when I wrote my last blogs I raced back to the camping area to sign in and still had to shower and do my laundry and to my surprise someone who lived nearby offered to do my laundry. When I returned from the evening peleton meeting my laundry was washed and folded and sitting new to my tent. The next evening I was digging in the laudry bag to find some clothes and I found a bag of salted nuts and dug a little deeper and found a card. Joyce had written me a card and thanked me for giving up two weeks of vacation to promote such a worthy cause. She also thanked me for the priviledge of doing my laundry. What a blessing it was to have clean laundry and not have to try to wash the day's clothing in the shower and try to get it dry hanging on the frame of my tent. It is the daily chores of laundry and setting up the tent and taking it down sopping wet with dew every morning--these kinds of these add stress to the challenges of riding each day.
Over the weekend in St. Catherines I stayed with Gary and Jannie and they did my laundry and allowed me to sleep in on Sunday morning. That too was a blessing from the daily routine of getting up by 5 AM or before. Every morning it takes me about two and a half hours to take everything down and put it away and eat breakfast and pack a lunch and carry all the gear to the truck and pump up the tires on my bike.
Over the weekend in St. Catherines I stayed with Gary and Jannie and they did my laundry and allowed me to sleep in on Sunday morning. That too was a blessing from the daily routine of getting up by 5 AM or before. Every morning it takes me about two and a half hours to take everything down and put it away and eat breakfast and pack a lunch and carry all the gear to the truck and pump up the tires on my bike.
Apologies for the gap in blogs
Today is Tuesday, August 26, and I have not had access to a computer since my blogging last week. I stopped in the Geneva City Library and still have about an hour of riding to the state park where we will be camping tonight.
Today has been the most challenging riding day so far (for me) because of the increase in the number of hills and the direct head wind even if it is not real strong. After 50+ miles of riding we had a lunch stop with food and serving provided by the East Palmyra Christian Reformed church which is about 17 miles north of the road we were biking on. The roads in New York State have been smooth with wide shoulders. This is great!
Today has been the most challenging riding day so far (for me) because of the increase in the number of hills and the direct head wind even if it is not real strong. After 50+ miles of riding we had a lunch stop with food and serving provided by the East Palmyra Christian Reformed church which is about 17 miles north of the road we were biking on. The roads in New York State have been smooth with wide shoulders. This is great!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Arrival in Canda
On Wednesday we had to leave early because we were scheduled to ride a small ferry at 10 am to cross the St. Clair river in Canada. I awoke at 4 AM and started packing up. I was on the "sweep" team for that morning and had to help clean up after breakfast and clean up the whole campsite. After all the cyclists had packed up their tents and left our crew had to load about 200 duffel bags on the truck. Some bags were very heavy--and I confess mine was too. I took too much stuff!
Again today the wind was quite strong from the Northeast but thankfully part of our ride was going south to Marine City Michigan and then south along the St. Clair river. Tonight we are sleeping outside the Memorial Arena in Chatham.
Today the right was only 58 miles and my riding time was a little less than 4 hours. My average speed was 14.9 miles per hour.
There was a huge gathering of Canadian supporters at the Canadian border. They had Tim Horton's Coffee for us and lots of goodies and watermelon and cantelope. There was also a large reception committee in Chatham.
I had to got to the Chatham library to create this blog and I just realized that I forgot to sign in when I arrived and so I much hurry back and sign in or they may be sending out a search party to look for me.
God bless you and thank you for your prayers and interest in this adventure for God's kingdom.
Again today the wind was quite strong from the Northeast but thankfully part of our ride was going south to Marine City Michigan and then south along the St. Clair river. Tonight we are sleeping outside the Memorial Arena in Chatham.
Today the right was only 58 miles and my riding time was a little less than 4 hours. My average speed was 14.9 miles per hour.
There was a huge gathering of Canadian supporters at the Canadian border. They had Tim Horton's Coffee for us and lots of goodies and watermelon and cantelope. There was also a large reception committee in Chatham.
I had to got to the Chatham library to create this blog and I just realized that I forgot to sign in when I arrived and so I much hurry back and sign in or they may be sending out a search party to look for me.
God bless you and thank you for your prayers and interest in this adventure for God's kingdom.
The Wind our greatest challenge
Tuesday was a very challenging day because the wind was just as strong as on Monday but it was coming out of the northeast and we had 100 miles and just about every mile was going eastward. It took me about 7 hours and 15 minutes of biking and my average was 13.6 miles per hour. Thankfully it was not hot. In fact on Tuesday night the temperature got down into the upper 40's. The due was very heaven on Wednesday morning and not so enjoyable to fold up a wet tent. On Tuesday night I was on the crew that had to serve the meal and clean up afterwards. It was fun to work together with those assigned to work.
Every night we have a Peleton meeting at 7:30, followed by small group meetings. We had a special speaker on Tuesday night. It was the wife of a pastor who was a strong supported of the SeatoSea ride. Her husband died very unexpectedly of a heart attack last February. She had a very powerful message and led us in a beautiful hymn.
After the small group meetings everybody scattered to their tents as it was getting very cold. We were camped behind the Richmond High School. Sore muscles were present that night even for the season riders who have come all the way from Seattle.
Every night we have a Peleton meeting at 7:30, followed by small group meetings. We had a special speaker on Tuesday night. It was the wife of a pastor who was a strong supported of the SeatoSea ride. Her husband died very unexpectedly of a heart attack last February. She had a very powerful message and led us in a beautiful hymn.
After the small group meetings everybody scattered to their tents as it was getting very cold. We were camped behind the Richmond High School. Sore muscles were present that night even for the season riders who have come all the way from Seattle.
Day 1 - sailing with the wind
On Monday there was a strong tail wind as we set out from Calvin College for the Sleepy Hollow State Park. I averaged 17.l miles an hour and traveled the 69 miles in about four hours of biking time.
We had a great snack stop at the Lowell Christian Reformed Church and they had some of my favorites: breakfast casserole and brownies.
That night the woods were alive with a chorus of insects. It had been quite some time since I have slept in a tent and the excitement of the journey kept me awake for some time.
We had a great snack stop at the Lowell Christian Reformed Church and they had some of my favorites: breakfast casserole and brownies.
That night the woods were alive with a chorus of insects. It had been quite some time since I have slept in a tent and the excitement of the journey kept me awake for some time.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Preparation, anticipation and now reality is setting in
After three months of devoting every spare hour to training it is time to start the ride. I hope that the 1,200 miles of training will carry me forward. The past week has been hectic with preparations and packing. No time to really stop and ponder the purpose for this ride: to create increased awareness of the poverty and injustice in our world and to do something about it by raising funds that are channelled to existing programs that help people.
Yesterday we watched the riders who started in Seattle and Denver as they arrived at the Calvin College campus. Then it was a 4 hour training course in safe bicycling and today was a very moving celebration service at the stadium where the Grand Rapids Whitecaps play their games. Many people came, some from long distances. Shane Claiborne, author and activist from Philadelphia gave a moving message on "Revolutionary Gentleness." As I listened to his challenge and we began to sing: God, Great God / How Great is Our God / How Great Thou Art, tears came to my eyes. After the service the family sitting behind Ruth and I said they would be praying for us this week. They drove up from Kalamazoo, MI to celebrate the ride and support a father and son, from their church, who were biking together.
Now it is time to focus on the challenges of eating and drinking enough to prevent dehydration. It is also time to relax and have fun as we ride and share our experiences along the way. It sounds like the weather will be warm with increasing humidity.
It is also time meet over two hundred new people which includes the riders and the support staff. There are 60 new riders starting tomorrow and most of us have some jitters. Tonight we sang "Happy Birthday" to the oldest rider who turned 81 today.
I am humbled as I think about what God can do through the courage and endurance of a couple hundred riders and the thousands of people who are praying for them and giving to facilitate this ride. As the cyclists encounter people along the way and tell the purpose of this ride individuals have been moved to start handing them cash and over $2,000 has been received from total strangers.
Yesterday we watched the riders who started in Seattle and Denver as they arrived at the Calvin College campus. Then it was a 4 hour training course in safe bicycling and today was a very moving celebration service at the stadium where the Grand Rapids Whitecaps play their games. Many people came, some from long distances. Shane Claiborne, author and activist from Philadelphia gave a moving message on "Revolutionary Gentleness." As I listened to his challenge and we began to sing: God, Great God / How Great is Our God / How Great Thou Art, tears came to my eyes. After the service the family sitting behind Ruth and I said they would be praying for us this week. They drove up from Kalamazoo, MI to celebrate the ride and support a father and son, from their church, who were biking together.
Now it is time to focus on the challenges of eating and drinking enough to prevent dehydration. It is also time to relax and have fun as we ride and share our experiences along the way. It sounds like the weather will be warm with increasing humidity.
It is also time meet over two hundred new people which includes the riders and the support staff. There are 60 new riders starting tomorrow and most of us have some jitters. Tonight we sang "Happy Birthday" to the oldest rider who turned 81 today.
I am humbled as I think about what God can do through the courage and endurance of a couple hundred riders and the thousands of people who are praying for them and giving to facilitate this ride. As the cyclists encounter people along the way and tell the purpose of this ride individuals have been moved to start handing them cash and over $2,000 has been received from total strangers.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Riding onto center stage
For my commissioning service at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, Pastor Bert asked the kids to come to the stage if they liked to ride a bicycle. He began to tell them all about the benefits of riding a bicycle. When he said that above all else "biking is fun," that was my cue to come riding from a side entry area to center stage.
He then told them that I was going to go on a two week biking adventure and asked me to explain why I was doing this. After a brief explanation I pointed to my socks and said to the kids "what do you see". They said "cookie monster." I asked them if they could keep a secret and told them that after riding for a week I could get packages from home and from friends and that my wife, Ruth, was going to send me a package of monster cookies (with choclate chips and m&ms) and that my anticipation of getting them would help me reach my goal of riding the whole distance from Grand Rapids to New Jersey.
Then the children gathered around and put their hands on me and on my bike and pastor Bert prayed a commissioning prayer. As we disbursed to our seats and I prepared to ride off stage one little boy shook his finger at me and scolded, "cookies are bad for you." Some day he will discover that when you are biking 75 to 100 miles a day you need all the calories you can get to maintain your energy level to keep biking day after day.
But as I enjoy each cookie I will remember that many children in this world long for another spoon full of rice or piece of bread--and a cookie would be unknown to them! And I will pray for them and pray that this long ride will help some of them to be cared for and nourished by the hands of loving people.
He then told them that I was going to go on a two week biking adventure and asked me to explain why I was doing this. After a brief explanation I pointed to my socks and said to the kids "what do you see". They said "cookie monster." I asked them if they could keep a secret and told them that after riding for a week I could get packages from home and from friends and that my wife, Ruth, was going to send me a package of monster cookies (with choclate chips and m&ms) and that my anticipation of getting them would help me reach my goal of riding the whole distance from Grand Rapids to New Jersey.
Then the children gathered around and put their hands on me and on my bike and pastor Bert prayed a commissioning prayer. As we disbursed to our seats and I prepared to ride off stage one little boy shook his finger at me and scolded, "cookies are bad for you." Some day he will discover that when you are biking 75 to 100 miles a day you need all the calories you can get to maintain your energy level to keep biking day after day.
But as I enjoy each cookie I will remember that many children in this world long for another spoon full of rice or piece of bread--and a cookie would be unknown to them! And I will pray for them and pray that this long ride will help some of them to be cared for and nourished by the hands of loving people.
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