Enjoy the Ride

For Mother's Day, I asked for a bike.

On Mother's Day, I received a picture of the bike I asked for, meaning, we were going shopping for a bike.

A beach cruiser.

I don't live at the beach, but I wanted a simple bike, with no bells and whistles, to ride for pleasure and exercise.

One of my simple pleasures growing up was riding my bike.

With the wind blowing through my hair, the sun shining on my face, the pumping of the pedals faster and harder, I was determined to reach my goal - to coast along that familiar stretch of road where I could relax a little and just enjoy the ride.

 The day finally arrived to go bike shopping.

My husband and I shopped around on the eve of July 4th and found a pretty lavender cruiser. Yes, the kind Mrs. Gultch rode in the Wizard of Oz.

I added the wicker basket and cup holder, but was told by my husband that the addition of a "Toto" would have to wait.


I. love. my. new. ride!

The pushing through of life can be like the pedaling of a bicycle. We push harder and pedal faster in the hopes of coasting - just for a little while - to reach that moment where we can catch our breath, relax, and rest.

In reality, we hardly ever catch a break, much less, coast.

Here are some examples:

- Just when you think it's time to coast, something implodes. With the urgency of a firefighter, you rush in to put out the flames. Before you know it, you walk away from the last smoldering ember realizing the day has also melted away. You conclude you're too exhausted to even relax now.

- You've finished up a report early. As you hit SEND and begin to exhale a sigh of relief, a new email pops up in your Inbox. It's from your boss. Attached is the next report deadline - tomorrow morning! You say to yourself, "So much for leaving early today."

- At home, you've just finished mopping, and you're ready to relax with a tall refreshing glass of southern sweet tea and a good book, only to turn around and knock the glass off the kitchen counter. It's like a slow motion moment on television as the tea and shards of glass are splattered onto your once spotless kitchen floor, and your book remains on the coffee table waiting to be read another day. You say out loud, "Are you kidding me? When will I ever catch a break?"

Although distractions like these may keep us from coasting, we must never allow them to keep us from enjoying the ride.

 Living real life as a joy ride is a choice.

We must choose to give up our unrealistic expectations of how we think life should be.

Life is not wearing a size 0 sparkling white wedding gown, cozying up to our prince charming of perfection, riding off into the picture perfect sunset in a giant, pumpkin shaped golden carriage, drawn by six bleached white horses wearing baby blue plume feathers between their ears.

Life is a joy ride with unexpected twists and turns. Kind of like riding a roller coaster in the dark. Scary and exciting all at the same time.

God never allows the ride to start without Him by our sides and in our hearts.

God has put our joyride together, and He knows what's coming down the pike. He knows the fingernail marks He'll need to endure as we press into Him, the ear-piercing screams and the times we'll hold our breaths in fear. Our ride is teaching us to trust, lift up our hands, and with pure uninhibited joy, surrender to the Joy Giver.

God sifts through the hard only allowing the unexpected into our lives as He deems fit for our own good and His ultimate glory.

Read the life stories in the Bible about Noah, Moses, Abraham, David, Joseph, Rahab, Esther, Ruth, Job, John the Baptist, Mary and Joseph, John the Beloved disciple, Paul, etc.

Every life God creates has the potential of choosing to love and know Him well. Each of these listed, and many more since, have trusted Christ with the very details of their life. That deep rooted love, knowledge and trust has led multitudes of people to risk it all to proclaim and spread the redeeming love of the Father. It's a story worth telling.

So, instead of pedaling harder and faster only to be disappointed in your own expectations, join the story God is writing with your life. Relinquish the glory pen and surrender it all to Him.

Let go and enjoy the ride.

My Pleasure,
Melanie