Praise the Lord for Bikes!
posted by on 06/28/08
Ever since late spring, when you can expect things to stay hot and muggy and there is no fear of it ever getting cold again (or at least for a while), I have always wanted to get a bike and explore the surrounding area. I’ve always enjoyed biking, whether it was racing through neighborhoods playing "Bible Runners" or cruising through the West Virginia hills on old rails-to-trails biking paths. So, after a month or so, I was finally able to obtain a nice mountain bike. Ever since, I’ve been enjoying the many side roads, neighborhoods, and forest preserves full of biking opportunities.
Beside enjoyment, transportation is another blessing of having a bike. Yesterday, instead of having to wait for a ride to a nearby park where activities were planned, I was able to ride there by myself and get the benefit of the exercise. However, bikes can also be dangerous.
It was growing dark as Robert and I headed for the exit of the forest preserve we had explored that evening. Because night was coming on, we were traveling rather quickly. This was a mistake because unknown to us, the entrance and exit had been chained off at dusk. Just before I reached the invisible chain, I followed a seemingly useless prompting to slow down. Suddenly, my bike came to an abrupt halt as it came in contact with the chain across the road. I probably would have flown off the bike, but thankfully, I had slowed down enough to lessen the effects of the impact. Later, Robert told me that he was overwhelmed with the urge to ask God for safety just seconds before I hit the chain. I think that prompting to slow down was from the Lord!
But anyway, the pros outweigh the cons. From experiences like the one above, I am getting to know the area around here pretty well and can serve as a sort of "tour guide." I enjoy taking people who have been busy sitting at a desk doing office work all day for short, refreshing biking ventures. Praise the Lord for bikes!
James, that was a very enjoyable bike ride! Thanks for getting me out of the office and showing me all the fun trails around here.
I praise the Lord for giving safety in what could have been a hurtful situation. We’ll have to be a little more careful next time.
Yes indeed! What a blessing!
Wow, that’s neat. Just today we helped Wes load his mountain bike (a nice one purchased in Taiwan) onto the moving truck bound for the southern part of the island. Some people even bike around the perimeter of Taiwan for the thrill. The bike is prepared for the day of travel but safety is of the Lord!
Incredible! Those shots really make you feel like you’re riding a bike! They somehow give you that wonderful thrill of racing down a forest trail with the wind in your face and the scenery flashing by. Way to capture the excitement of biking, James!