New Community Adventures

Went out for my first bike ride to deliver bulletins to my churches. Ride was better than I thought it would be. I was afraid of the redneck pickup trucks but all I got was respect from everyone on the road. I even rode back along the major 4 lane highway with little or no shoulders and that went extremely well.
First thing I noticed is there are some wonderful views of the mountains from back in the hills. Also, there are some major hills back there. I had a flat on one of my bikes so I took one not meant for this type of terrain. My quads are telling me that they got a workout.

I stopped at each church altar and prayed for each of the congregations. I pray that things work well for us.
Now as for the furniture.... It is supposed to be delivered today. Today is Saturday. I'm waiting.

Moving is a contact sport

At least I feel that what. My body has cuts, scrapes and bruises all over it. Moving the boxes down the stairs let me know where every corner was. Having a door fall on the back of my leg (Movers fault) hurt like you would not believe.
Being so tired from the day, my knee gave out as I started going down the stairs and I fell backwards. Nothing hurt, just awkward.
I sit in a clean house waiting for one last person so I can start the trip to my new home. This house has been my home, now it is time to be someone elses. I blessed the house and the new occupants.

Saying Goodbye

Today is one of those days I really hate. I am saying goodbye to a friend. She and I have been through much these past three years and I am moving not knowing if I will ever see her again. I wish her well. May God bless her and her ministry.

Packing and the little things

Packing and getting the little things done. Moving is not fun, but.. I am looking forward to starting this new chapter in my life. What is different. I trust. I trust that I am not in charge. I trust that I am listening to what God would have me do.
Moving to a new town is going to be fun.
I pray that I make a difference in the world.
I pray that things work out for what I face.

Life snuck up on me this morning.

How things change in a minute.
I was sitting there quietly when an email arrived from someone I went to high school with.via this really annoying reunion site.

I almost deleted the email but since I could not sleep I let the link take me to the post.
It announced that my best friend from my childhood had died of a heart attack. It also said his mother was in ill health.
My heart sank.
Someone I had grown up with and lost touch with had died.
I still know his birthday and his phone number. I know his 3 brothers and 1 sister’s names. I feel awful that I could not get in touch with him all these years but I did try a few times.

I went out for my bike ride and started reminiscing the things we did together.
Going to a movie for my 10th birthday. Bedknobs and Broomsticks. The sleep overs at his house and at my house. The tornado that damaged his house when I was in the 4th grade. I remember going into the forest and seeing all the downed trees.
His family was Catholic and I attended CCD with him on more than one occasion. I was heartbroken when I received a tract from my church saying that all Catholics were going to hell. I just could not believe someone so good and pure as him was going to go to hell.

I moved away and came back 5 years later and we never resumed the relationship. I was now the product of an over-crowded school system with apathetic teachers and had fallen behind him in academic life. He was one of the brains in the school and I was just average.

I found his obituary in his local paper and find he leaves a wife and 3 children behind and was attending a Baptist church. I need to reach out to his family and let them know I will miss him. He showed me friendship and his family showed me hospitality. Somethings we all need to show to others.

225th Annual Conference

Vote, preach, talk, wonder, great new people, sing, stand, get hot from the lack of adequate AC, have a great time!!!

Blogging from the Conference

What were they thinking?

I was out the other day and I saw this:

Someone had bottomed out this SUV on the bike trail. The tow truck was there to get it off but how in the world did it get there in the first place?

Move and I'll bite you

Out for a ride this morning and the animals were out. Traffic on the roads was bad so any crossing meant I had to watch out for the cars speeding.
Getting to Vienna, I saw a black cat with a collar out for a stroll on the bike trail. He was not even phased by the bikes going past him.

A few hundred yards later I see a mangy looking fox. He scampered off.
Out before Reston where the bridge washed out last year and they are repairing it now, I ran into one of the workers showing me his latest catch in the stream. One really mad snapping turtle. I stopped and got a picture of this one.
On my way back I saw a rabbit, squirrel all trying to become road kill.
Just wish my knee didn't hurt so much.