(There was, I can assure you, no better picture to go with this post than the one above. It makes me giggle, and has absolutely nothing to do with what's to follow. I for one think that's a good thing! So look at it, laugh a bit, and then move on!)
Greetings friends!
When last we blogged, I had mentioned that this weekend I was given the reigns for the entire church this weekend, and whew what a weekend it was going to be! Three services. Three rounds of communion. Two baptisms. One funeral. How did it go, you ask?
"Fun" has been my response, but "fun" is a word that is really lacking. It was so profoundly meaningful to be able to do everything that I did this weekend, to be there for a family in grief, to share in welcoming a pair of new little ones to the church body, and to celebrate communion with the entire gathered church was a unique and awesome experience. I foolishly decided after the services on Sunday to go to the mall to repair my iPhone (which I dropped) (and shattered) (crap), which took substantially longer than I had hoped. But all in all, it was good. Moreover, I'm really excited that I am an associate pastor right now in life. Because a big weekend like that for most in my profession is followed up by doing it all over again. Whereas I have carefully crafted my schedule to be wide open this week, to allow some recovery.
Moving on, I'd like to talk about my experience in the bathroom this morning.
Oh...you're still reading? You're sick.
Anyway. Last night when sitting on the couch I had resolved to ride my bicycle this morning, but had also resolved to do absolutely zero preparation ahead of time. Pack my clothes? Nope. Lay out clothes to bike in? No way. Where's my U-Lock? I have no earthly idea. I did manage to throw the bike up on the stand really quickly to put air in the tires and clean the chain, but that was more to relax and feel like I was accomplishing something.
So at 5:00 in the morning, as my alarm went off to get me to our Men's Bible study on time, a debate broke out within my own person as I was brushing my teeth.
"You're riding."
"No I'm not. I already hit snooze once today. No time."
"Yes there is! You could totally make it in time."
"Yeah, but I don't know where any of my gear is."
"But you could find it...you're going to need to at least locate pants anyway...what's an extra step?"
All of this points to exactly two things: 1) I need to pack clothes and stuff the night before, as it it way harder to talk yourself out of cycling when you are already prepared, and 2) throwing a leg over a bike and taking the first pedal stroke is way more of a victory than you could possibly imagine. Just getting out the door these days seems like a win.
Once the season wears on a little bit more, I'm sure these internal debates will happen less and less. I very badly want to be an every day bike commuter. And really, I find that I'm the only person who gets in my own way. But today there's a bike parked outside my window. I'm hoping the same will be true tomorrow. And for now, that's enough. The dream of being a full time cycle commuter is coming together, day by day, bit by bit.
More to come.