Many an evening walk was taken with my Grandma in the cemetary across the
street from her house. A great place to walk and talk, I learned a lot about
the people residing there, and who had resided in Bangor. My Grandma lived
there her whole life, and knew just about all the families, having had them in
school, knowing their parents. Nothing morbid about it, walking on the grassy
hills after a while you felt like you had known them too, and certain tombstones
would always be more interesting than others. But one afternoon, my Grandma was
upset, not walking past where her and my family would be buried, but a recent
burial had the strangest head stone. Much larger than the others, where the
others were cement or marble, this one had a bronze plate on the front of it,
telling everything this man had done in life. No secrets here, it was truly a
memorial to himself, by himself, and it bothered her that anyone would put all
their accomplishments on a grave marker. Later after talking, we found it
pathetic that all his accomplishments would fit on a tomb stone. He bragged, we
weren’t impressed, but here for all time, to all who passed by and read it, he
would be remembered. More in death by his monument, than maybe in life. Even
more pathetic, but it none the less was his defining moment.
I am not sure when I got the motorcycle fever, but the disease is with me
to this day. Maybe the defining moment was when BH and I moved to Florida from
Jersey, in January, and we rode our motorcycles. While my car sat at home.
Maybe it was a year later, when at age 21 I rode my R90S to Albuquerque to start
my new life, in November, again a cold month, selling my van to finance my
move. I would rather give up my car, van, or truck for my motorcycles, and even
then, the pattern that exists still today had been formed. Like the headstone,
you could learn much about me by what I rode, and the fact I chose it over
cars. But years later it became evident to me the depth of riding in my life,
and the passion I had for it. It had gotten me jobs, friends, ministry, and
many an exciting memory, but on one solo ride from San Diego to New Jersey, a
gas stop in Texas defined me. It was raining hard, had been for a few hundred
miles, and would for the next thousand, and needing gas, I looked for any
station. The Texas panhandle is wide open, and after Tucumcari, very little
between there and Amarillo. I spotted a station, just off the exit, in fact the
exit was the station, and I pulled in under the canopy. The wind was so strong,
I had to lean against the Sprint ST so it wouldn’t blow over, it took forever to
fill the 5.5 gallon tank it seemed. But looking up once, I noted a Lincoln
Continental, jammed with a family just across from me. Huddled together,
windows fogged up, they looked miserable. And my first thought was, “I’m glad
I’m not them stuck in that car.” And it dawned on me at that moment that
motorcycles, and motorcycling were a passion with me. I love motorcycles, and
to me a car is like a refrigerator. If the light goes on when I open the door,
and it works, that is all I care about. And in the midst of a storm, I came to
the reality of it all. My passion of my life was riding, and I learned more
about myself during that fuel stop than could be written on any tombstone about
me. And my life could be summed up in one sentence on my tombstone, “He loved
to ride, but he loved Jesus more.” My only real accomplishments, along with my
family.
How would you describe yourself in 25 words or less? What would you want
people to know about you, if you only had one chance to let them know? Might
explain some of your actions, and our reactions to them. God has written a book
about himself, called the Bible. Where we can learn all about him, how to live,
and how to have a relationship with him. How to avoid hell, and how to get to
heaven. Important stuff, but many won’t ever read it, at least all of it. Too
many ye’s and thee’s for us. So God took it down to 25 words or less, so we
could define him, to ourselves and to others. No tombstone, for no headstone or
library could hold all Jesus had done. And our testimonies are about him in our
life. So how would you describe God in 25 words or less? How would you tell of
his love? His grace? His mercy? His plan of salvation for you? “For God so
loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, whoever should believe in
him should never die, but have life everlasting.” 25 words of life, for life,
and about the one who gives life. Only God could do that. Maybe the best way
to explain God, and how much he loved us. Again God’s word saying so much in so
few words. And easy to remember that we can share it with others. And
everything we need to know about him right there, the promise of everlasting
life, a relationship with him, all the law in one sacrifice of Jesus fulfilled,
and an expression of love that the word agape only scratches the surface of, of
a love only God can give, that we cannot fully return, but he doesn’t expect us
to. Love given unconditionally, for free. Grace, mercy, and all that goes
with. Made personal through Jesus.
God has allowed us to be the only Bible many will read. Our failures,
successes, and trials for all to see. In them a testimony of how he changed our
lives, and not being able to find a library large enough to hold them all. With
new ones awaiting us today. Not limited to any one headstone, for our graves
will be empty, just like Jesus’ was found. Resurrected on the day we leave
earth, and go into heaven, from death into life with Jesus. So what is your
story? Where is God in your life? What does your life tell us about Jesus?
What is your resume in life going to be? For me I know heaven awaits. I try to
live my life based on putting Jesus first. Then be remembered as “I don’t
drink, I don’t smoke, do drugs, gamble, or consort with women of easy virtue, I
just ride motorcycles.” But maybe put better by a woman with an SUV load of
kids who parked next to us at Crater Lake. One look at our bike, she said “I
wish I was you.” For God so loved the world, 25 words that will change your
life. And yes mam, I wish the same joy for you too. Jesus, Theresa, and
motorcycles...it just don’t get any better.
love with compassion,
Mike
,atthew25biker.blogspot.com