Ow, that hurts! Week 2

Last night while I was finishing up my bike ride with my husband I realized that I am not truly a bike rider. Oh, now I want to be. I read a bike magazine (I started reading it so I would know what Dave was talking about when he talked about this shock, or brake, or whatever bike term when we went out riding when I first got my bike). I love following the Tour d' France. (Confession: this year I didn't because I had started becoming too much of a fan...and I just didn't have time). I love watching the mountain bike races in the Olympics. I really like riding my bike...at my pace.

I think that is what got me last night...my pace vs. Dave's pace.

It was the end of a quick ride (we got going late due to painting my classroom...oh, and it looks great! -thanks, Dave!) and the sun had already set. It was going down for a long time and we didn't have our lights. ugh! I don't see well as it gets darker (a light would have come in handy). It wasn't completely dark yet, so no problems, Dave would take the lead and I would follow.

At this point of the game I am really saddle sore. What that really means is that my butt hurts! Dave says I should not sit so much. Not sit on the seat? Why do you think it's there...so I kept sitting...and my butt kept hurting. I couldn't wait to get off my bike. I know though that however sore my butt is it is faster to bike than get off and walk it to the car so I keep riding.

My hands have places that have gone numb so I keep readjusting my hands on the handle bars (hint I found in one of the bike magazines). My right baby toe was gone to sleep (it does that) so I readjust on the pedal too.

Overall, I am more than ready to be done with this bike ride!

Dave is now leading since he sees way better in the dark and as it is getting dark. I know that if I follow close to Dave's rear wheel I will receive a few benefits. Benefit #1: I will not loose him. Benefit #2: I can hear him if he tells me something....like about the cat that was in the path. Benefit #3: I can draft him and it will make my ride easier and it could even be a faster ride for the both of us.

This worked for a little bit. Every time I would get in a good drafting position he would go faster. A little faster was OK with me. I wanted to get off that saddle. But he was beginning to go too fast. I gave up. I just couldn't keep the pace and this is where I realized the truth.

I am not a bike rider. I just really want to be.

Dave is a bike rider. He reads a little, but what he does most is get on the bike! He has bike shoes that clip in the pedals. He commits to the ride. He has the gear...and uses it. He can change a flat tire in no time. He fixes little things that go wrong. The big stuff he takes to a local bike store. He can not ride for a while and then get on the bike and ride all over the place. He rides our stationary bike to get ready to bike outside. He is a bike rider.

Now if you asked him, he would say he isn't really. But I know why. It's because he doesn't ride as much as he would really like to ride. He gave it up when our kids were little. He would ride to work and ride around the hills by our house with our dalmatian (named Pongo). But he didn't even ride as much as he used to. He rides with me know. I hold him back. It's not a real ride when I show up. But he did say yesterday that I was his favorite riding buddy! :)

The thing I am reminded of this morning is that when we walk in our life we can have people in our lives that we will mentor/disciple and that we need a mentor/discipler too.

I need Dave because it makes me a stronger rider. He makes me go when I don't want to go and teaches me more and more what it means to be a real rider. He needs to go with a stronger rider for the same reasons.

I need the older women in my life to make me stronger. They remind me to love my husband and love my kids. They remind me about the seasons of life and how to walk in grace during the easy and hard times. I need to be the older woman to the younger ones that God has placed in my life for the same reasons.

23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.Hebrews 10:23-25 (New International Version)