With so much Mexican influence in Escondido, on weekends it is not unusual to see someone having a birthday party with a piñata. You know, where they make some kind of paper Mache animal, fill it with candy then hang it up. After spinning a kid around to make him dizzy, they give him a bat and let him take swings to hit it. And it often takes many swings, and everyone laughs as they miss. But finally someone gets lucky and POW! Candy flies everywhere and the kids wrestle with each other to grab it all over the ground. Fun for all, with a good reward-candy, just in case all the cake and icing wasn't enough. More sugar, get them wound up, then send them home to their parents. Where they rest up until next week, and repeat the process.
Riding for many of us is like that. You get hung up all week with the stress at work, and can't wait until Saturday morning to ride, meeting for breakfast early rather than sleeping in-you need to extract every minute you can of daylight. And many eat and ride, while many just eat, then ride back home-a small putt enough to satisfy their urge. But to those of us who truly enjoy the freedom only motorcycling can provide, it can be a 100 mile ride, then eat. Making the final eating stop the destination-and enjoying the road to get there. Ride to eat and eat to ride. One look at the expanders on the leather vests tells a lot about the participants.
But like the piñata, there are two sides to riding. We always laugh at others while we wait to take our swings, but what about the poor piñata? His best time is before he gets whacked-and our rides can be like that. And some people ride like that-telling others there are two kinds of rider, those that went down and those who haven't yet. Thanks for great PR, guys. But even sadder is those that had enjoyed riding, and after a small accident quit riding. Having been hit two times last year, by two different women not paying attention, I get a lot of well meaning people telling me "maybe God is telling you not to ride anymore." Now I know God, He talks to me, I would know His voice-it doesn't take a 4000# car to get my attention. And my answer is always, "yes, God is telling me something. Women should pay attention to motorcycles and quit hitting them!" And no matter the gender, they don't like my answer. Maybe they do care about my safety, but maybe they really don't like motorcycles. Or freedom.
Now I don't know about you, but I am not into accidents, they mess up a great day, or even a bad one. But I do like hearing from God. And it seems in bad situations, we like hearing more. Help, may be our only prayer, but He is there to provide it as is needed. When hit the first time, a paramedic just happened to be half a block away. The second time, two doctors told me I should be dead, but I'm still riding. God does watch out
for His children. And even in times where you fell like the piñata, He is providing protection. And He is at work. The woman who hit me in the second accident has terminal cancer-pray for her. And if that is how we meet, then God honor our prayers for her healing. And in the good times when you happen to hit the piñata, instead of it hitting you, enjoy all the blessings that burst forth into your life. Happinesses, that only can come from God.
Like a good ride, your prayers have a beginning, middle, and end. We ask, we wait, we receive. And our ride-we take off, head for great roads, enjoy a long ride, then head for home. Enjoying the entire ride-with the middle of it the best-the heart of our day.
Let your prayers be like that-the waiting for the answer to be the best time spent. Watch as God unfolds His plan, and eagerly anticipate the answers. Don't fuss, or be anxious. But enjoy the time with Him, for the time appointed is not for us to know. So enjoy it. And whether the answer is two hours, two days, or two weeks-enjoy the time with God. And while waiting, enjoy more riding time. And who has too much time to ride? Isn't that a prayer we all have-more time and more roads?
And aren't you glad that God doesn't see you as a piñata? But so often protects you from those who think you are? Trust God, wait on Jesus, and walk in the spirit. Enjoy all the time you have, for tomorrow is promised to no man. Enjoy life, because what good is fun if you don't enjoy it?
And you don't have to wait until Saturday-His blessings are 24/7. And even a bad day riding is better than a good day anywhere else. Except heaven.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com