it's the small things

It's the small things

I have recently started riding my bicycle again. I have always enjoyed riding and it was so good I quit doing it. I know it doesn't make sense does it. It allows me to be still and quiet my mind and soul. I only focus on breathing and not hitting or running into something. I haven't been on my bike much and at the start was unsteady and tentative. As I have become more comfortable on the bike , I noticed that I kept scooting up to the very narrow part of my saddle (seat) it wasn't comfortable and caused some pain and quite a bit of chaffing. I know TMI. After talking to other riders and thinking about it . I decided to move my seat forward a bit.  I only moved it up about 3/8" only a small thing but enough to make a difference. I noticed that pedaling at the same rate, I was going 2-3 mph faster. And I felt better and more comfortable.

My Christian walk has been like that also . I am so diligent about bible reading daily and spending time in prayer. And it is working so good. And for some reason I quit doing it. Which we all know that the longer we don't start back up the easier it gets not to. Just like if I let it, we can finally JD something more important than riding my bike or reading my bible. However after I start again I can't believe I let myself get distracted and quit doing it.

I started small riding less than 10 mile at a time and I am building to be able to ride 100 miles in a day this next summer. I am doing the same thing with my quiet time setting aside small blocks of time to spend time to read my bible and time in prayer.

In both cases  my physical and spiritual health is better and I am becoming more fit. It the small things that make a difference, nothing earth shattering.

Just the small things

The yoke is on me

I have been in a situation for awhile that I have not enjoyed for the last couple of years. I was pretty down about it last week, and was talking to, no I was really wining to God and about it. I was pretty down and discouraged. That’s how I started my day. I went to work and trudged out to see my customers trying to put on the best face I could to have some degree of success.

As I was driving to my first appointment my friend George called me. We don’t talk very often due to he lives in Bend and I in Portland. Not far, but it is a distance. He doesn’t say hello, he just starts to quote some verses from the bible to me. It was Matthew 11:28-30. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-31&version=NIV. The verse says come to me all you that are heavy laden and I will give you rest. The church I grew up in had a painting that took up the entire wall behind the choir loft that had a picture of Jesus and that verse below. I always think of that picture when I hear that verse. But George went on quoting the verses after that. It says” take my yoke upon you and learn from me. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. George then explained that oxen had a yoke put on them in teams and the older stronger ox was put on the outside to carry most of the load to help teach the younger ox. They just walked in circles all day with the older stronger doing a lot of the work and the younger ox just trying to stay up. When you’re in a yoke you can’t fight and go your own way, it just doesn’t work. And you can’t do all the work yourself, you’re not strong enough.

I asked him what made him call me. He said I thought of you and another guy. I called the other guy but he didn’t answer so I called you. I am so thankful that he did. Those verses have been running through my head for a week now. I know on an immediate level that I need to trust God bring my worries and concerns to him. I confess that I’m struggling with that. However like the younger ox, I’m learning and getting stronger.