two different afternoons on the same highway

We were on a ride to Canada, taking the long way to get there.  Today’s long part of the long way was riding through the Napa Valley, in particular stopping in St. Helena to drop money on calories at a bakery we had frequented before.  But coming into town, my rear started to wiggle, not from excitement, but from a nail in the rear tire.  Now it is said, and rightfully so, do not repair a tubeless motorcycle tire, but this nail was right in the middle of the tread, could be removed and a plug inserted.  Which is exactly what the man who owned the Harley Davidson rental store did.  Not a mechanic, not even a rider, he got into it because of the money potential, and learned to fix things that the renters damaged along the way.  He told tales of how the rental bikes were returned, some in horrible shape, and how their expensive deposit, $4000, was claimed by him no matter the cost of repair, and that no renter had ever balked.  He was amazed of the easy money, and and how the renters never questioned the price of the ride nor the deposit.  All while fixing my flat....we hadn’t talked price, yet.  And when he was done, he told us “No charge,” he was glad to have the company, as most customers just came in and rode right off.  He was an interesting man, cordial but not friendly, but happy to help.  Our thanks was a pastry from the bakery destination, no deposit necessary. 

State Road 128 looked like a great alternative to the 101, which isn’t a bad road either.  But close enough to a four laner to be considered one.  So off we went, again after a bakery stop, no flat tire this time, and headed north.  After Conestoga the road gets very interesting, and something was coming up fast in my mirrors.  All I could see was the rider crouched down behind the fairing, and let him pass, giving him the lane.  He waved thanks and was gone, for awhile, more machine and talent than I chose to compete with, but soon found he was just ahead, as if he was waiting for us.  And so we followed his lines through the curves, and when he did get ahead, he would slow down and wait for us.  Like a guided tour of the road, he adapted to our speed, then challenged us just a bit to see if we follow.  It made for a great ride, thrills but no chills, and when we pulled over to get a Coke, he waved and rode on.  I was hoping he would return, I would buy the first round, but his wave was all I heard as he wound out the gears.  A man we never met, but who took the time to make our ride a little better.  A little more exciting.  Two men who probably would never meet, one who rents and doesn’t ride, one who rides but doesn’t rent.  That’s motorcycling.

Jesus asked his disciples one day, after seeing the miracles and hearing him teach, “do you still not see?  Don’t you understand?”  Do your eyes and ears fail you, have you forgotten what you know?  How much do you depend on the physical to reveal the spiritual?  Do you rely on Jesus at all?  So many get excited after message, how many times have you walked out of church, being blessed, and encounter the long lines leaving the property?  Then at the grocery store or diner?  Why can’t these others shop or dine later, or earlier, they know it’s busy?  Do you,why don’t you?  And so we get angry, forgetting the spiritual aspect of the teaching, And failing in its application.  Just like the disciples did.  And we still do.  Suddenly we lose interest in what God is doing, and take it all upon ourselves.  The 18” battle between brain and heart picking up a nail, and having to detour.  But like the Harley renter who doesn’t ride, who doesn’t repair, God had him there for us that day.  We could have argued, questioned his skills, but we had the peace of God that this was where he wanted us to be.  To have our problem remedied, to enjoy the bakery, and to show kindness to the owner.  Only later did I stop to think how much we ministered to him, he was lonely, needed someone to talk to who would listen, and we weren’t going anywhere.  Both of us were blessed, a physical need and an emotional need, the flat tire just made the way for both.

Jesus also goes on about their heart being hardened.  Maybe not to the point of disintegrating, but hard enough nothing was going to get through.  It can be as simple as getting mad at God for the nail and ruining our ride, or as big as, well you pick.  Nothing is too big or too small for God.....and then we turn to God and obey.  We find his truth exciting, and we trust him, seeing how he was there the whole time.  But still the 18” battle rages,  because the mind has grasped it, but the heart is hard. 

We are taught the Bible, but not how to apply it.  God supplies the lessons, the tests and trials to see if we are listening, if we are seeing.  If we do trust him.  To the 5000 Jesus fed, some just saw the food, but those who saw the miracle got the real blessing.  And the same blessings are here today.  Do you see, do you hear?  Are you paying attention?  How can a flat tire be a blessing?  Only by God’s spirit, can we see the spiritual things and applications.  And all learning without application is useless.  Without the spirit, you are blind and deaf to what God is saying.  When it is all about me, it isn’t about others, including God.

But God knowing how much we like to ride, also provided a tour guide to follow on another ride.  We could have gotten competitive or tried to ride his ride.  But this unknown rider adapted his skills to our situation, and by following we were guided.  We trusted him, he obviously knew the road, and the ride was blessed.  Maybe an angel on a sport bike, or an angel who can fix flats.  But in each case, God made the ride better, and even better when we reflected on him along on it.  Many times our needs go beyond the physical, we are blind to what the spirit is saying.  Think back on the times Jesus has been with you in the past, the testimonies and lessons learned.  Remember them now and recognize you are in the hands of a loving father, who has put you right where you are to teach you a loving lesson.  To trust.  Two afternoons I remember now, I wish I had been as smart then.  Aren’t you glad Jesus is? 

love with compassion,

Mike

mattehw25biker.blogspot.com

manure shoveling comes in all forms

When we moved to Durango I made the stupid claim “I’ll shovel horse manure if that’s what it takes to move here,”  and ended up dumping crappers on Trailways buses.  Working out of a petroleum jobber in the small town, had me doing many tasks, most of them fun or OK, bus crappers not included.  But living in Colorado at 6500’ winter lasts longer than summer, and our first winter there we had over 500 inches where we lived at the lake, Theresa wanted to live in a cabin.  Fortunately young and stupid didn’t evolve into old and stupid, and the first winter there was harsh to say the least.  We had to park our Rabbit on the road, no plowed road to our cabin, and attach a broom handle so the plow could see it in the snow drifts over 8 feet tall.  Getting to work was a long tedious ride, 27 miles, but we made it every day, just don’t leave before the plows we learned.  And working with cars, trucks, and buses was mainly an outside job.  Below zero as a high temp some days was tough on the hands and body, once cold you never fully warmed up.  And even in the heated office, we still had no hot water for washing up with, cheap boss the reason.  But somehow we made it, as many of those before us, and can look back now with a “did we really do that” attitude.

But working in a service station, not just a gas station, we dumped buses, fueled buses, pumped propane, and various solvents, fixed tires, and installed snow tires.  Which was a big thing, and studded was the way to go.  Using an old hand stud gun, it would take hours doing just one tire in between customers and going out in the cold.  Diesel would congeal in the cold, and be hard to pump, one night we poured some on the ground and watched it gel, and kicked it around.  Using an old steam heater, which are illegal now, many times we had to push trucks and once a bus into the bay and shoot the fuel lines until they loosened up.  Over 212 degrees coming out of the gun, while standing in 20 degree cold.  All in a service station built in the 1930’s, where we provided full service, no matter the heat or cold.  Carrying on the traditions of former pump jockeys, and braving the cold for $2.25/hour.  Be careful what you ask for, you just may get it.  Manure shoveling comes in all forms.

Today what seems like foolishness, and it was then too, was really bragging on what we did.  We were proud of the fact we worked in the extreme cold, somehow it made us more manly than those confined to an indoor job in a heated building making more than minimum wage.  Not sure if we were bragging or complaining, but I was glad to have the paycheck, and we lived in the cabin in the forest by the lake.  But too often we would put on our church face and no matter how cold, broke, or hungry we were, would tell everyone who asked “we were doing fine.”  Lying through our teeth, and they knew it, and we knew they knew it, but continued the dialog anyway.  Never admitting or being honest enough to admit we were miserable, our pride wouldn’t allow it.  But we were just doing what we had been told in church, maintain a positive attitude, which would allow us to evade the truth.  But appear holy on the outside.  I believe the word is hypocrite, we were one thing on the inside, but another on the outside, but cold in both.  It would take the spirit moving in our lives to warm our hearts and point it out.  And after 30 years of no winter in So Cal, I can say it was more than the weather that made us cold, for today you can still be a hypocrite, cold on the inside, warm on the outside, and deny it to all but your audience. 

If you were called it hypocrite how would you answer?  When confronted with that one night in a Bible study my answer was “I would admit I was, and ask for forgiveness, I don’t want to be that way.  I rather be the same in church and out of church.”  Wrong answer as the table of hypocrites launched on me, they wanted to go on to the next question, avoiding the answer.  But in silence confirming on the outside what was in the inside.  We had all fallen into being a church person, acting holy at church, but being different in public.  We are hypocrites.  And my personal battle, which upsets many, is I am the same in church and outside.  Those in church are are afraid of my boldness in living, and those outside can confront me.  But I do all I can to not be a double minded Christian.  What you get from me is real, so deal with it.  Jesus does, he isn’t finished with me yet.  When scripture warns that bad company corrupts good morals, are we guilty of our double minded way of life?  That is taught and encouraged by the church? 

The greatness of your words will only have true meaning with an attitude of love behind them.  Caring.  About more than yourself.  To the outside world we talk of love, but don’t love.  We talk about forgiveness, but don’t forgive.  We talk about acceptance, but don’t accept.  And we talk about giving, but only have our hands out.  We have fallen into tradition, and Jesus warns it is wrong and dangerous.  We have become self righteous, saying the right words, and even having the right doctrines.  But God knows the heart, and wants us to repent and change.  By his spirit, not by some pastor’s book, some denominational doctrine, or trend.  When we are honest with ourselves, we are honest with him, and can be ourselves with others, maybe the hardest thing you will ever do.  We need to realize that when we are hypocrites we are not pleasing to God...and annoying to others.  Case in point...

We were taking a detour to the Hollister Rally last year, and came upon a Christian motorcycle booth offering water.  We stopped, and once they found out we were Christians, the attitude changed.  We were talked to differently now, and one woman, who I wanted to punch in the mouth, ended each sentence with “praise the Lord.”  It was church talk, in the middle of nowhere.  She was phony, I wonder how she would have reacted if she knew that organization had dismissed me because I followed God rather than their questionable doctrines?  Do you talk the same way outside of church as you do at church?  I later asked Theresa “I wonder if she says “well praise the Lord” if told her car needs $1000 worth of repairs, or gets a phone call she has cancer?”  God is listening, and seeing what encourages our words.  Did she miss a good chance to shut up?  Do we?

We will all behave hypocritically at times, but when seeking God, being guided by his spirit, and truly loving, we will see blessings.  The next time the sermon is on giving, go up and ask the pastor for some money, tell him you are hungry.  See what his reply is....and be ready to forgive him.  Too many times we have needed and been turned down, how many ads for giving did you get this Christmas?  I love Billy Graham, but the dude is worth millions, does he need to ask me for money after telling me Merry Christmas?  I get a devotion from another, half of which are ads for his new book or a trip to Israel?  And has denied us when in need.  Lord help us, help me, to not become bitter and two faced.  We all need Jesus, remember he is savior, and Lord.  Why do we call him Lord but don’t behave like him?

If your heart is as cold as a Colorado winter, maybe you need to be humbled like we were.  To have to trust God. Because we had no other resources.  It was our choice to move there, it was my choice to take the job dumping crappers in sub-zero weather.  But God honored us, and took care of us, while changing our hearts.  Jesus is the way, not tradition.  Seek him today, and be one with him in the spirit.  As long as we are fulfilling an outward form we are full of tradition.  Recognize it, admit,and repent of it.  Move on.

Funny we prepared for winter every fall, but we aren’t smart enough to prepare for living a Christian life outside of the church.  Take the gospel of Jesus today in love, with compassion, forgiveness, and acceptance.  When they know how much you car, you words will carry more weight.  And remember God has ears too, and is listening.  We wanted to live in Durango and he honored it.....

The cowboys have a saying, “never kick a fresh turd on a warm day.”  I can tell you never do it in the cold either.  It hurts.  That’s not being a hypocrite, that’s experience.  Let not your heart grow cold....and if your snow tires need studs, get them.  Increase your traction on icy roads.  If only we would approach Jesus that way.....funny how the weather doesn’t play favorites, it snows on both the just and the unjust.  Your job is being the witness the world can see so they can tell the difference.  No matter how high the snow drifts, or how small the paycheck.  When the weather turns cold, don’t you.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25bikr.blogspot.com

Victory in defeat

“I read the news yesterday, oh boy, about an unlucky brand that failed to make the grade,”  the news being the Polaris, maker of snowmobiles, side by sides, Indian and Victory motorcycles has decided to pull the plug on Victory.  After 18 years, and with no warning, they decided yesterday to cease production, leaving dealers and owners stunned, and with only the 10 year guarantee of parts availability.  On the good side you can now pick one up at greatly reduced prices, but for those who bought last week, they took a beating.  When Victory was launched in 1998, it was the other American motorcycle, created to compete with Harley Davidson, and approached it from a performance standpoint.  One ride on any Victory and they out handled, out braked, and were both quicker and faster than any Harley, but without the 95 year old heritage of the Motor Company.  Styling got better over the years, the industrial looking V-twin stayed the same, and they never had quite the romance of a Harley.  Yet they did what others had failed to do, they woke up a sleeping giant, who had to focus on improving their product rather than advertising their image.  But it is image that sells Harleys, not performance, and sales performance is the ultimate criteria for winning, and Victory lost.  Even a good friend of mine who knows Victory’s and Harleys went for the Harley, based on image, and the fact that if he didn’t like the cruiser style, he could get his money back on the Harley.  He admits Harley’s are a piece of *&^%, and only bought it for the lifestyle. 

Sonny Barger and I meet every year at the Hollister Rally and we talk motorcycles.  He hates Harleys, and admitted in his book that “the Hells Angels are stuck with Harleys, and Harley is stuck with them.”  But being the rebel he is, and will only ride American made bikes, he switched to Victory, he likes to go fast and he rides, not owns a motorcycle.  He puts on lots of miles, and likes the performance of the Victory and its reliability.  Told me himself.  But he took one year off with an Indian, found he actually preferred the Victory and traded straight across his 40,000 mile Indian for a new Victory.  Harley not an option.  And is happy again, and when we talk, he knows I ride Triumphs, respects the brand, but it’s not American.  His choice.  And he chooses Victory, we’ll see what happens next....

But when Polaris bought the Indian name and reintroduced a new bike, that is selling well, and even built on the same assembly line, the days of Victory were numbered.  Indian has put a serious dent in Harley sales, forcing the Motor Company into an engineering mode they aren’t used to, and Victory now has no place.  Indian sales eclipsed them, and now Indian is the brand they will hang their hat on.  In the press release, it was stated for financial and profit reasons, and I am reminded about a statement of Alfred P. Sloan, the architect of General Motors, “General Motors is not in the business of making cars, it is in the business of making money.”  While at the same time Henry Ford said “it is a poor company that only makes money.”  So when we remember Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Mercury, Plymouth,and other orphaned American brands, add Victory to the list.  RIP Victory, we hardly knew ya.....Victory in defeat.

The crowd that cried “crucify him” about Jesus had to be pleased when he was hung on the cross.  Maybe we will be done with him, and the real savior we asked for and were promised will appear.  But as open as their eyes were to the cross, they were just as blind to the man hanging on it.  He was and is the promised messiah, blame it on poor marketing, poor PR, or just pure spiritual blindness, but they missed Jesus as savior.  And how they rejoiced, some outwardly, some in secret, for like the Pharisees, they too had questions, doubts, and maybe even wondered, “what if he was who he said he was?”  From the devil and his fallen angels to the last enemy of Christ on earth, they celebrated the victory, they had defeated Jesus.  And as he hung dying on the cross, and after, they must have thought “we won,” but let’s make sure no one steals his body, so Roman centurians guarded the tomb.  But when the tomb was found empty three days later, fear and panic gripped them, what if he had really been resurrected as he said he would?  And suddenly they weren’t so sure of their victory, Jesus had shown them victory in defeat.  You can only resurrect something that was dead once, so he had to die. And today when we die to sin, and come alive in Christ, we are assured of the same victory, we may look defeated, there is a finality to death, but really we will be resurrected, and victorious.  Only in the victory won on the cross will defeat death, and live forever in heaven.  So you need to ask yourself, “will I find victory in defeat?”  Who is this Jesus really who died on thee cross?  Simple faith led you to him, the spirit will guide you into salvation, and it is your choice.

For just like those who buy into a lifestyle and will forego a better product, we too choose how to live.  And I want all the performance I can get from my ride and my life, so I chose Jesus.  For the gospel is simple so I can get it, and free so I can afford it.  Unlike a bonehead friend who told me the only reason I don’t ride Harley’s is because I can’t afford one.  And he may be right, for all the miles I do, I cannot afford to sacrifice my ride for only a lifestyle. Is Jesus truly your Lord or is he just part of your Christian lifestyle?  When Harley dumped Buell in 2009, the marketing VP announced it was “easier to sell $3000 of chrome on a low performing bike than to sell high performance.”  They obviously know their market, I hope Polaris does too.  For I like the Indians, ridden them, and expect to see Victory’s among then just rebadged.  So maybe Victory in defeat will turn out to be a good thing, time will tell.

But never forget the victory Jesus won.  He defeated sin, against all odds.  And rose again.  And promises us the same if we trust him and believe.  Indian is doing well because it has the heritage, and finally a product to back it up.  But nothing compares with the heritage of Jesus Christ, and his product of love.  But like the ad says “if I tried to explain you wouldn’t understand.”  Thank God we have been given his spirit....for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, and promised us life.  Life to ride, and to live in the here after.  Indian has been resurrected, so has Jesus.  Celebrate his victory in defeat today.  I think that calls for a ride.....no matter what you ride, Jesus loves you this I know, for the Bible tells me so.  The ultimate victory.  And the only man who could make the grade.  Oh boy.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

how to make an ice pick from a perfectly good screwdrvier

I was greeted one morning by Ivan Stewart from underneath a truck he was building.  “Hey Mike, hand me a wrench,” he called to me.  “What size?”  “I don’t care, I’m gonna use it for a hammer,” came the reply.  And although we laugh, how many of us use tools for other than their designed purpose?   How many long screwdrivers have been used to stir paint, as pry bars, or back scratchers?  Why do we joke of a hammer being a fine tuning device, yet I know metalmen with diverse hammers who use them just for that purpose.  How many of us have rounded off the heads of perfectly squared bolts using vice grips when we didn’t have the right wrench?  Ask any Japanese bike owner form the sixties or seventies about the pain inflicted from using the impact hammer, and when not hitting it and whacking your hand finally take your bike to the shop?  How many Phillips head screws did you round the cross point to a fine circle using the wrong sized tip?  Recently I found out why, the Japanese use a JIS size tip, and like Goldilocks invasion looking for perfection, American sizes are either too small or too large, ruining the screw.  How many among you knew that or even on a JIS screwdriver?  Maybe there is the right tool for the right job, even for guys like me.  It is called a mechanic.

Did you ever jack up a car only to have the floor pan buckle, not knowing there are jacking points on the body?  And blame the stupid jack?  If you own man cars or motorcycles, how reassuring is it to know that when it won’t crank or start, that when checking the electrolyte, you know now for sure it is the battery?  And how many knew the end of the British motorcycle industry was at hand when they converted from Whitworth bolts to standard?  Relegating your whole set of Snap Ons to the dust bin as you went to Honda?  And found the factory supplied tool kit with the assemble as needed screwdrivers better?  It seems that whenever a problem occurs, and the right tool is not available, good old American ingenuity will find a better way, or at least a way.

Riding through Boulder Canyon one afternoon, we came upon an old BSA leaning against the canyon wall.  We stopped and the owner’s smile grew, we were on a BMW who was known for its tool kits, along with tire irons and patch kit and pump, even a rag to wipe your hands after.  But one look at the vice grips welded to the shift shaft told me BMW didn’t make enough tools to fix his ride.  Nor did I care to watch him butcher some of the Fatherland’s best tools.  Which always made me wonder, if they made the best bike in the world, why did it come with the best tool kit?  And why today when bikes are infinitely better, do some not come with any tool kit?  But from using bailing wire as a master link, I was amazed at how well it held, to using the same wire for a throttle cable, I wonder, why do the companies spend all the time and money developing these tools along with special ones, when alternatives are available?  Maybe the old saying “you can loosen/tighten a screw with a quarter, but you cannot make a phone call with a screwdriver.”  If you are under 30 you may be too young to understand....but somehow it all makes sense. Until you break down along the side of the road.

The TV show Mac Gyver has brought out the creativity in man, and shown when under pressure and without tools or resources, how his brain can function as a tool and make one for the purpose at hand. I know very few professional techs, or even home botch it yourself mechanics who don’t have a few home made tools.  I have a set of fondue stickers that are good for removing items I drop in between engine fins.  An adjustable magnet to retrieve them when they are again visible.  I have had many perfectly good ice picks made over the years from sharpening the points on screwdrivers.  What home shop is complete without a set of drill bits that can drill square holes?  Did you know you can stop a leaking radiator by dumping pepper into it?  How many butter knives have served as flat blade screwdrivers for home repairs?  Turkey baster for adding oil?  Or heating up a cylinder head to remove a stuck bolt after wearing the head of it off in your wife’s oven?   It seems there is no end to problem solving, when it stands between you and a ride.  Thinking outside the box, being creative, just like the BSA owner, all you need is faith.

Now faith is an interesting concept.  We all have been given the same amount of faith, yet some seem to have more than others.  Some can see the need and meet it, while others are mired in prayer waiting to hear from God for the answer.  But it occurs to me where faith is in short supply, so is life, limited faith equals limited lives.  Some Christians see the glass as half full, some half empty, while an engineer sees it as a poor design.  But how many will go fill the glass when empty and drink from it when full?  Rather they contemplate rather than act, and their faith is revealed.  Delaying rather than waiting, those who have faith move on.  And such was the case in Nazareth in Jesus’s day.  To many there he was just Joe’s kid the carpenter.  He might have built them furniture. lent them tools, or even gone on an emergency run.  How could this carpenter know so much about the scriptures?  And from times when he didn’t perform like the genie in the lamp for them, and he was run out of town, to a later return with such wisdom, many questioned “how can any good come from Nazareth?”  They only saw their own failures, they never saw Jesus.  And so no record of miracles are found coming from Nazareth.  They tried using Jesus for the wrong purpose, and without faith ended up with broken tools. Yet some tools are clean and never used, like faith....

When we try to explain the spiritual in physical terms we will fail every time.  The spiritual tools of faith and hope and love come only form Jesus, and must be used accordingly.  Not for personal gain, or to harm, but to fix and heal.  To aid in solving a problem, yet many spiritual tool kits have the tools but are still new and shiny, never used because of lack of faith.  Under legalism they let the family starve rather than fed them with tithe money.  They break commandments by being used by religion, giving to the church, as opposed to God.  And not knowing the difference.  Ye  it is using our little faith that builds trust, and we see things through God’s eyes and the results are much different.  Each one of us has been given a special tool upon salvation, the holy spirit.  And it is only when we are led by the spirit does the tool become useful. And his call to us is that we can be enriched beyond our wildest dreams, seeing his full grace in action by trusting him, by exercising the gift of faith.  Which is in your tool box if you take time to look.

So maybe a hammer can adjust, a screwdriver mix, or a quarter serve as a screwdriver.  A butter knife can both spread butter or turn a screw.  But only Jesus saves, and only by his grace.  No tool can substitute for his purpose, God’s purpose which is to see us reunited with him and forgiven.  The cross was the tool he chose that day, and today he asks you to pick up yours and follow him.  The work is done, faith is installed, now go use it.  By the way, the type of carpentry Jesus was known for was yolk building, a fine art.  Where it had to be a custom fit, so the lead ox could lead and the other follow.  Take the yoke of Christ today, let him lead, and see the special tool of faith revealed in you.  Let the trust he has in you be revealed, and if asked for a hammer, know which one.  There are power tools, and some tools have great power.  And now you know why some gravy tastes like Castrol.....and why they make both metric and standard Crescent wrenches...

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com