God Moments

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

 

Have I told you about the church’s Parable Project? Just in case I haven’t Oakwood is the midst of a crazy mission where someone gave the church $5000 to be handed out to 50 people. Everyone who stepped up got $100 and it was up to them to grow that money. We have people making lotions, raising money for a young lady in the hospital, making dolls for kids who are sick, teaming up with Habitat for Humanity, doing can drives in schools, starting new college scholarships, and so much more. This has been an extremely exciting time in our family of faith. Gabrielle and I went up for this mystery assignment. I had no idea what we were going to do until I saw a homeless guy on a bike by my work and I knew: bikes. Our small part of this huge Parable Project was going to have something to do with bikes.

 

Greg and I, mostly Greg, have begun the process of reconditioning and fixing up three bikes. I had no idea who to give these bikes too but I know there are a lot of people who are trying to get back to work, have no transportation, or just need a break but where do I start? We take the bikes to Rasmussen’s in Altoona when we need more extreme care done. We went there a couple weeks ago to pick up a tire and a bike that had been worked on. Part of this bike idea is that I would really love to host a Parable Bike Ride/Walk. I have never tried to set up a huge ride before so I asked the clerk how to do it. We kind of explained what we were trying to do. The guy working the counter happens to work for the Iowa Workforce Development and knew of at least one person who could really use a bike and thought that several others would probably be candidates as well. I am very excited!

 

God is so good. He came down and met me exactly where I was. I knew that bikes were our focus but I didn’t know how to get from point A to point B and who to give them too. Now, we are going to try to work with Iowa Workforce Development and figure out what the process of giving them the bikes would be so they could give them to the people who need them. I am still floundering about the bike ride but we’ll get there. I was reminded, in the most simple way, that I do not need to come up with all the answers and not every solution can be found in Google®. God will guide me and show me the way!

 

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Roman 8:28)

Keep Pushing

“In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships of every kind.” (2 Corinthians 6:4)

 

I spent last week sick in bed with bronchitis. I want to say it was an awful experience but considering I slept through much of it I don’t know that I can say that. I am a fairly active person, so being stuck in bed for that long was tough and I know I am not completely well yet, which is why, what I did this morning, was so crazy!

 

I went to my first spin/cycle class ever. (what is the difference?). I love biking and I am terribly out of shape from lack of regular exercise this winter. I went to bed excited for the workout at 5am but I didn’t plan on THAT! After 10 minutes, and not being able to use the amount of tension the guy told us to, I thought that if I could make it five more minutes then I would be proud of myself. At 20 minutes I looked at the clock and had a goal of making it to 25. At 30 minutes I told myself I would be so embarrassed if I didn’t make it to at least 35 minutes. Finally, at 55 minutes I knew a cool-down had to be coming so I pushed on ahead. Pride, and pride alone, got me through that workout. I didn’t want to be “the quitter” and I also didn’t want to regret it all day.  How often is life like that?

 

How often do we find ourselves looking at the clock and wondering when the struggle or the problem is going to stop and go away? How many times have you just wanted to quit but something inside you drove you on? Everyone faces trials and everyone has a choice to make. Sometimes it would be very easy to quit. There are days when walking away makes more sense then staying with it. However, it’s those times when the ride is the hardest that we will see God more clearly at the end. Push ahead and keep going and God will see you on the other side of this day, I promise.

 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip of every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

Relief

“Praise the Lord, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle. He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer. He is my shield, and I take refuge in him.” (Psalm 144:1-2a)

 

In an effort to prove my husband wrong I have tried my best to get on the exercise bike as often as possible. See, he doesn’t think I will so I will prove him wrong. I like challenges. I fell in love with bicycling during a gruesome February ride and I suddenly couldn’t get enough. I rode whenever I had a chance and I went on my first RAGBRAI ride (one day) that summer. That was 2.5 years ago. The last two summers have not seen me on the bike nearly as much as I wanted to. So, as I have tried to get on the stationary bike the last couple of weeks I have found that my addiction is slowly growing again. I have tried to get on the bike everyday, even if it is for just 15 minutes. It’s not the same as riding on a trail or into the wind but it’s still great.

 

As I have been riding, without having to pay attention to where I am going, I can read, listen to music or podcasts, or just think. I realize I listen to my heartbeat a lot. I can feel the muscles in my body working and the moisture dripping down my back to prove the effort I am putting forth. Surprisingly, I feel close to God in those moments when I am focused on what is going on inside of my body.  It’s like a vale is lifted away from me and I can see clearly. It’s a relief that I can only compare with a refreshing drink of water after being very thirsty or being able to lay down in bed after a long hard day. It’s not so grand I am overwhelmed but I definitely feel blessed and relieved by the experience.

 

I actually don’t know what the lessons are that we can pull from my thoughts this morning. I know when I am exercising I experience a sense of relief and peace but I realize that not everyone is going to experience the same things I do. However, I do know that God has an abundance of grace and peace and we should make efforts to seek them out. I get a release from my workouts, where do you get your release? Everything you do can be an act of worship and God will meet you everywhere you are. He will meet you in a sewing circle or the golf course. He will meet you on your commute to work or in physical therapy. He wants to be with you in everything and I pray that sometime today, or this week, you find the relief you are looking for.

 

“Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7:8)

 

 

Unexpected Joy

“What sorrow awaits my rebellious children” says the Lord. “You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my Spirit, thus piling up your sins.” (Isaiah 30:1)

 

The kids went camping this weekend. They left on Saturday and I will grab them from their grandparents later today. I had spent so much time planning and getting them ready for this trip that I never considered what I might do with them gone. There was even a little inkling to keep my youngest home this weekend or go camping with them to make it easier for him, but that didn’t happen either. I just figured my husband I would just sit around and not do much or work on the little projects we have going on…you know, be productive while the kiddies were gone. Not God’s plan at all.

 

Saturday, as soon as the kids were gone, I headed to a Bible study. We never did once open our books we are studying. Instead we spent four hours talking, encouraging, laughing, sharing, tearing up, and encouraging some more. It was amazing. When I got home I walked in with a kind of numb feeling of not knowing what I wanted to do. Thank goodness the hubby had all kinds of ideas and we were off. We went to Eddyville to watch drag racing and I was reminded of how much I missed seeing and hearing those beautiful drag cars. Sunday we went to service, walked to have lunch with friends, came home to rest and then headed out for a nice long 21 to 22 mile bicycle ride around Saylorville Lake. We ended our weekend with ice cream dessert while watching the Olympics.

 

This morning I spent many moments thanking God profusely for this beautiful weekend I had with my husband and the timing was perfect as we have a busy week ahead of us playing and getting ready for school, open houses, doctors appointments, meetings, and work. I had no idea what I needed but God did and my husband did. I am usually the encourager in our marriage and this weekend my husband took that role on. He is the one who kept pushing us to do things and I just kind of went along for the ride….and boy was it a beautiful ride.

 

“As the Scriptures say, ‘A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the tow are united into one.’  This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.  So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” (Ephesians 5: 31-33)