Mountain High

I spent an interesting few days riding New Mexico’s Sacramento Mountains on my new, thirty-two year old, BMW R100RT.  We twisted and turned up and down the narrow highways and roads into the most remote and beautiful areas.  The off-season ski resort offered an abandoned road with switchbacks and awesome vistas perfect for the two-wheel enthusiast's riding pleasure. Gazing down at the clouds shrouding white sands of the valley floor we breathed in the clean clear mountain air and lamented the fact that we lived in a far less picturesque environment.  

We did our best to outrun the afternoon thunderstorms and chase the dream of adventure that lay around each curve and over each mountaintop.

Perhaps the most interesting sights were the motorcycles and the riders that attended the Golden Aspen rally.  All manner of two and three wheel motorization were in attendance.  I felt a bit overdressed, as my tee shirt had sleeves…but then again…I didn’t have even one tattoo to show off, so I supposed it all equaled out.

Behind all the strange leatherwear, tattoos and hair...they were genuine friendly people who had a common interest and were more than willing to talk about their “ride.”
Returning home we stopped for fuel where I observed several riders on their trusty machines and I made the remark "look at that old man, he must be seventy".  My riding buddy...after recovering from a violent bout of laughter asked, "How old do you think we are?"  OK! OK!...I'm living a dream with all the other old men on motorcycles.

How blessed I am to be living in such a country and enjoying all of this.   It really gives meaning to the words…”America, The Beautiful.”

O beautiful for spacious skies,


For amber waves of grain,


For purple mountain majesties


Above the fruited plain!


America! America!


God shed his grace on thee


And crown thy good with brotherhood


From sea to shining sea!

Thank you, Lord Jesus,

For all the grace You send my way

Amen.

Supine

As I lie in the dark, supine on my bed, a flickering firefly of a thought escapes the grasp of my logic. It makes no sense that God would love me, yet…there is a yearning in my heart that tells me this is true.  As if picking at a sore…I keep revisiting the thought, straining my tinny brain and trying to make some meaning of it all...even though it is a mathematical impossibility that does not add up and an illogical truth that I cannot figure out. 

There is something in my bones, something in my being that draws me to Him.  I have to stop trying to use my logic and just go with it…after all…He is God…and God can do whatever he wants.  It does not have to be logical to me.  Like an inheritance…I’ve done nothing to deserve it, nothing to earn it and could never repay it.  I was just born into it, born into the house of David, born a child of God.  So for me this is nothing but an upside…why do I even question it? 

Thank you Lord Jesus for your blessings.

Please forgive all my questionings.

Strengthen my faith so I may see Your face.

Give me the endurance to finish the race.

Amen.

GrandMother's T-Bird

With mixed emotions we loaded up the 1977 Thunderbird that belonged to my Mother-in-law.  I am glad my son had an interest in keeping the car in the family and at the same time  I knew any old car is just a "money hole".  I know he will give this old boat of a car the tender love and care it deserves...because he has the ability and know how.  Actually it is kinda exciting...I caught myself looking through my closet for that old polyester leisure suit with the bell bottom pants and those eight track tape of disco music.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for a wonderful reminder of a wonderful lady.
She blessed me with so many wonderful memories and her wonderful daughter.
She was a "keeper"...in more ways than one...and so is her car.
To find another...you would have to go far.
Amen.

Summer Is Hell

It was long overdue but the north wind blew and the temperature dropped to a hundred and two.

With a robust gust and clouds of dust, the sky turned to a reddish brown rust. 

It’s the time of year that winter is near, and in South Texas I give out a cheer.

Thank you Lord Jesus, you do like to please us, for in this place you give us a taste of what it is like when we make haste.

Amen.