After the Bike Ride - Installment One

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY –

So, what happens after an experience like this? After you get the job, have the baby, launch the global initiative, publish the book, or finish the house renovations? (Or finish 18 months of training and a 224 mile bike ride?) As your life gradually returns to "normal," you assimilate the new experience into your sense of yourself. You let it in. You acclimate to the new altitude, look around, see what's different, what's the same. But mostly, you're exhausted and depleted. You need a period of recovery.

Achievers forget this so easily. You are groomed to be industrious and effective, but not to allow for recovery or transition between projects.

I found this quote, but it didn't say who said it but it is really is quite true.   

        At the beginning of the week, as I tried to get back to work in the drapery shop and catch up on household chores, I received a letter from Focus on the Family.  It was an invitation to attend their 25th Silver Anniversary in Colorado Springs, Colorado in July.  It would be a week-long celebration, culminating with a bike ride in the Rockies.   All I could think of was, "You've got to be kidding!  Me, riding in the Rockies when the California coastal range just about did me in.  No Thank you!"  In fact, I threw the letter away.  Several days later when speaking with Terri on the phone, she asked me to go with her.  The reason she gave for going to Colorado was that she wanted to participate, not as a rider but as a volunteer.  The volunteers and the staff of Focus had given so much to us that she wanted to be able to pay them back in some small way.  I wish I could have thought of it myself, but after considering for a few day, and speaking with Bob about it, he agreed that I could go.

         We called and gave told Focus we would be coming and told them we would assist in any way we could but that we would not be participating in the bike ride.  Terri and I made plans.  She would be driving her car and we would share gas, rooms and other expenses.  I was amazed at that time that the bike ride journey was not over as I had previously thought upon returning home after the last day of the ride on Sunday of Father's Day weekend.  I wondered what adventure was awaiting us and what plans God had in store for us.  Other than the actual driving there, we had left open the door for whatever was to come.