While traveling to and from Tucson weekly for my chemo treatment, we see several folk bicycling. There are single riders as well as groups of cyclists. Most of them have the traditional fast bikes and the appropriate outfits that make them look like serious cyclists, whether they are or not.
This past Thursday, I had a flashback to to 1973 when our son, Ken, and I cycled from Camarillo, CA up to Salinas to visit my Aunt Grace. We took our sleeping bags and slept in fields with the cows. One night, outside of a prison, we slept in some high grass. About midnight, we were awakened by the sound of guys who obviously had too much to drink~they were less than 100 feet from us! It's amazing where our imaginations took us! Had they escaped from prison? Were they looking for hostages? Should we try and sneak away, or lay low and hope they don't find us? We decided on the latter, and they never found us. What a great time we spent together on that trip, just father and son.
Now that I'm closer to meeting my Lord face-to-face than I have ever been, life takes on a different perspective. Live every day to the fullest. It could be my last! Treasure those special times in life with loved ones. I may not have another chance. It is never too late for me to thank or encourage someone. All of those shortcomings in others that I complain about, Jesus addressed when He told me to get the log out of my own eye before complaining about the splinter in someone else's eye. How should I live if I know that I only have another year, month, week, or day on this earth?
This Easter season is a great time for Christians to reflect on the victory that Jesus won for us when He rose from the dead. Victory over death and sin! I trust that you know Him and can share in that victory too.
dear brother Ed, I am grateful to finally KNOW that I am loved by the only One Who really matters; that He knew me (!) b4 my birth, that one fine clear day I would accept His Free Gift(s), and that one of His Gifts is Family like you and your beautiful wife Mary.
ReplyDeleteright now is the 1st I knew of this blog of yours, and your sharing with us in another gift. you are indeed Blessed. thanks Ed & Mary - Dawn
Dear Cap'n,
ReplyDeleteI am reminded of the following verses, by Paul:
(Romans 7:14-8:4 NKJV) For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. {15} For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. {16} If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. {17} But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
We all recognize that it is biological, for the preservation of the species, then it is part of our natural self. St. Augustine of Hippo also spoke of the same exact predicament. It is not a license to commit sin, but to struggle with it. But like Paul and St. Augustine said: we also end up doing what we hate to do. I hope it encourages you, just as it encourages me.
Norman