one afternoon in an off camber parking lot

From time to time I am given a bike from Triumph that has been a buy back under California’s Lemon Law.  Sometimes to confirm the complaint, sometimes to confirm the repair.  Last summer I was given a like new Tiger Explorer, the big one, with the customer complaint “it loses power momentarily under acceleration,” which the dealer couldn’t fix.  One quick trip around the block confirmed it, but liking the bike, kept it for 1000 miles, just to confirm it.  The problem was there was no problem with the bike, it was either the dealer, not uncommon, or the owner who will never admit to their failure.  But in fact, the bike was doing exactly what it was trained to do, when the traction control was on, and it sensed rear wheel slippage, it cut out power momentarily.  Something easily duplicated, even my wife’s Mustang with traction control will not spin the tires, but with it off, whoopee!  The owner didn’t know or hadn’t been told how the traction control worked, and had it replaced with another one of the same model.  Which will do the same thing!  By not knowing or being told or opening up his owner’s manual, he will be faced with another bike that is running as it should, and reacting as it should under the circumstances.  He will always fault the bike which isn’t the problem.  A lesson to all until it happens to you...

We were riding our new touring bike, a 2015 Tiger 800, and decided to ride up to Oak Glen for the afternoon.  Knowing it was a magnet for traffic and parking, we felt safe on the bike, knowing we can navigate where other cage bound drivers cannot.  And all went well until we encountered the off camber parking lot.  The signs were there, the rows of mini vans parked askew, funny how when one parks out of line, the others feel a responsibility to follow suit.  It was off camber, leaning the wrong way, meaning I had to park uphill against the hill, and it had pea gravel.  Any one could mean disaster, but together get out the iodine and bandages.  We had walked the ground after I felt I had parked safely, and when going to leave had underestimated the skill it would take in leaving.  Trying to balance the wrong way on little stones on two wheels is hard, going up hill is harder, and when the traction kicks in, you look like an idiot.  Every time my rear wheel would slip, the motor cut out, and every time it did, it seemed the viewing audience grew.  And after losing count of how many on/off and on again starts, I finally made it.  Switching off the traction control would have made the ride out easy, one burn out and off I would have gone.  A simple solution to a self induced wound and I know better.  Which was only compounded when reminded by Theresa “why didn’t you just coast down the hill and go out the other exit?” 

So beware of off camber parking lots, and people who think they know what they are doing.  Stupid know no boundaries, and is an equal opportunity employer.  Always looking for another victim.  Happens to Christians too, when we are caught off guard and react differently than we know to.  Or were trained to, or as we do in church.  We go along doing the things we are taught, assuming they are right, until faced with a situation, and react differently.  And of course, the accuser or well meaning brother would never have acted that way in a similar situation.  After all, he’s a Christian and has all the answers.  Sadly he never has been in a situation where he lost traction, at least that he will admit.  He attends the right church, drives the right car, listens to the right radio stations, has lunch with the pastor, has been to Israel, gives to missions, and his kids raised in the church are almost as perfect.  Perfection being his biggest flaw, for his life is not real.  And dealing with these idiots, sorry they are, until they face a situation where they cannot control it, and must trust God, are all talk.  They live an off camber life with reality, and miss out on the things of God in their ordered world.  They don’t suffer, and when others do they must be in sin.  Or out of fellowship, not in the word, or not studying enough to be approved.  God sees things differently, and in Malachi refers to the trials we endure as perfecting us.  As silver is heated, the impurities rise to the top and are skimmed off, repeatedly until the silver smith can see his reflection in the liquid.  The clearer the reflection, the purer the refinement.  It takes years in our lives to be changed, and only in death will we become perfect.  To those of us who cannot see clearly, it is refreshing to know our problems are working out in our favor, and perfecting us.  And why God has installed a spiritual traction control in our lives so that when we are about to skid off the road, we are warned, and saved.  But like cars and bikes, it can be over ridden or turned off, and we can skid and burnout when least expected. 

I find it even more interesting this was written some 1500 years before mirrors were invented.  Maybe if Lot’s wife had a mirror she might not have looked back.  But where you look you will follow, and we are going forward, losing traction and balance, but regaining it by God’s love, by Jesus’ forgiveness.  We fail, he never does, yet when we don’t get our own way, we try other sources to ease the pain, when all we have it already there for us in the form of the holy spirit.  Losing traction, life out of control, quit spinning your wheels.  God has everything under control, it is the throttle hand of your heart that controls how you react.  Too much brake or throttle, you stoppie or wheelie.  But power under control, meekness, allows a smooth take off, smooth acceleration,and better times, both on and off the clock.  You can be ignorant and not know, or know and still spin out like I did, either way you’re gonna crash sooner or later. 

In every trial you get a chance to experience Christ personally.  To be refined by fire, to have the impurities removed from your life.  I should have known better than to park where I did, and even should have known to turn off the traction control on the rocks.  Only in the midst of it did I remember, but I was out by then.  God will take you through the fire, the the parking lot, and show a way out you didn’t know existed.  All the time spending time with you that you wouldn’t have.  All things work together to those who love the Lord, and when Jesus is your Lord, you have fulfilled his purpose for you.  You now have the keys to ride with him.....

So don’t spend the time or your ride in just church or a parking lot.  Get out and live what you have been taught, to prove God right and all men liars.  To maybe lose control and fall back on Jesus, to trust him as you never have before.  Twist your spiritual throttle and see all the Jesus you can.  Read the book, address the problem, let God be God, and enjoy the ride.  Funny, I cannot remember anything else about the day, only losing traction.  Despite all my years of riding and skills, a momentary lapse of judgment almost cost me.  Don’t make the same mistake, learn from mine.  And foremost remember that after fiery trials, the silver is priceless.  Pure.  Or you can buy Tanzanite for a lot less....some only want the sparkle, they miss the time spent with the master craftsman.  Who does your life reflect?  You may be surprised when you look in your mirror.  Snow White was....if only she had  listened to the dwarfs....

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

the motor company and the church

In the beginning was Harley, right after Indian and Triumph.  With all three having an illustrious history, mostly based on racing and the victories that brought it sales, which kept them in business.  But over time Indian and many others left us, Triumph went dormant for awhile and reinvented itself, a luxury brand today, and Harley Davidson has always been here, not always healthy, but enough of a heartbeat to pass the mirror test.  With a little, OK a lot of help from Honda and the Japanese in the sixties and seventies, and that is where we pick up the story.  But first....

The summer of 1969 brought Bill and I lots of cash from painting houses. From mini-bikes to a Honda 50 our riding prowess had grown, and we wanted something bigger.  One afternoon, a friend of Bill’s dad who worked for Harley sat with us at their dinner table and explained how Harley was in bad shape.  Quality was bad, sales down, prices and weight up, and had a new owner, AMF.  He moaned of how things would never be the same, and told us to save our hard earned cash, not to buy the Sportster that was known to “separate the hair on your chest, and if you didn’t have any, add it,” a big deal in puberty, and buy a Honda.  My first taste of Harley, and from an insider.  Now AMF is either a bad word or a blessing to Harley owners, but the truth is, the AMF years led to Vaughn Beals and an investor group buying Harley Davidson, and the rest is history as they say.  Right after, an appeal to President Reagan put a tariff on all imported bikes over 700 cc to help Harley, enter the EVO motor, unequaled marketing that is even taught in college today, and we have before us the Motor Company as we know it today.  Building and selling more motorcycles than they ever thought possible, with dealers making stupid money, while the dedicated line up buying parts and service in Hundred Dollar increments.  Ten years ago when I thought I wanted a Sportster, I had already parted the chest hairs on my FJ1100 at 155 mph, Harley at the time was in demand.  Selling for way over retail, you waited and paid the price if you wanted one.  Or you rode something else.  I rode something else.  Still do.  Many bought into the lifestyle, the marketing worked, and with the largest margin in the industry, any Harley MSRP has a 25% profit margin for the dealer, even a Sporty made him $2500.  A CVO $9000, gotta pay for the hot dogs somehow.  Add in the $3000 worth of chrome per bike, Screamin’ Eagle to make it perform like it should have left the factory, and Harley Davidson was big money.  And still is, just not as big, as the market shrunk, sales are down, and today they even offer 0& financing, and discounts.  And if you want a used Harley at a fair price, any Metric dealer has lots of them, with low miles and only a few years old.  Seems the hype wasn’t worth the money, and they got traded on something affordable.  And more fun to ride.  That will not cost $100 every time you walk into their dealership.  Imagine the rides you can take....and many do, in a multi line dealer last week, the used Harley section had almost 30 bikes for sale!  Times change, finally their product is, and from a man who should know, claims 2015 was the year to buy one, before uh-uh.  No word on the Milwaukee Eight, but the guys who test them for ad dollars like them. 

Remember Y2K, and how the world may end?  Or at least change?  Seems the church did too, and with 2012 and the Mayan calendar some years off, I remember churches gearing up for the last onslaught of heathens being saved.  With a local church we used to attend wanting to add on for when the people show up, we need a place to put them.  “Building to share, sharing to build!” said the banners, and the pledge envelopes went out.  We were in a membership growth period, how could they be wrong? But I soon found out it was more hype than truth, an evangelistic tool of those who lent money to churches to build.  While visiting a friend in Las Vegas, he had the same sign on his refrigerator, the same propaganda we had, and the same belief based church that said we needed a building.  More building.  A newer building to attract or house the new converts.  Suddenly my eyes were opened....I don’t know about my friend’s church, but the church we used to attend now has a new name, new pastors, a new building, and a lot with a lot less cars.  Counted over 30 last Sunday, it holds several hundred.  Seems the only ones who built to grow didn’t share their wealth.  They built it, but no one came.  We were warned, but our egos wouldn’t allow us to hear.

Evangelism is not inviting a person to church.  It is out living and sharing Jesus as you go, as you live.  Jesus said he will draw all men unto him, not the church, he saves, the church doesn’t.  He sets up his ministry in the hearts of men, not in buildings.  A far cry from what we were told, but who wants to be a rebel and not go alone with the church line?  To be an outcast?  Yet many of us do, and choose the spirit over the teachings of some denominations.  Overall church attendance is down, below pre-911, and some ask “where is Jesus?”  Following a lie, they miss him, trying to find the perfect God to change for them, not to change them. 

2000 years ago on Palm Sunday the crowds yelled “hossana!” save us, as Jesus rode into Jerusalem.  But it wasn’t the Pharisees who did the yelling, it was the week to follow, as Jesus was tried, found innocent, and when turned over to the church, they yelled “crucify him!”  From hero to zero in the world’s eyes, but really the heroic feat was in process, and ended on Good Friday, verified on Easter Sunday, and celebrated today.  Jesus was resurrected, went to the cross voluntarily.  The same way we come to him, as volunteers, not forcibly, but on our own.  Driven by the spirit telling us we need Jesus.  And saving us, promising we will be resurrected upon death as he was.  Something no building can ever offer.  it took love in the form of Jesus to save...

And while church attendance is down, wise men still seek him.  Salvations occur daily, the church grows.  As we draw closer to Jesus, he grows inside us, and as we do, we live differently.  We evangelize by our lives, or as St. Francis of Assissi is quoted, “preach the gospel daily, if necessary use words.”  The gospel, good news, who couldn’t use more of that?

So the Motor Company and the church carry on.  Both promoting a lifestyle, yet only Jesus saves.  If only we as Christians could use the love of Jesus instead of trendy words of marketing as PR, imagine the growth.  But it starts with us, does our lifestyle promote Jesus?  If you are a Christian, would you like to be like you?  We make fun of posers, and that $20,000 and 20 miles don’t make you a biker.”  going to church won’t make you a Christian, only Jesus does.  And while some actually ride Harleys instead of just owning, many of us live Jesus instead of just having a sticker on our cars, or clogging up pews on Sunday.  Those of us who ride are part of a brotherhood, with divisions among us. Harley, BMW, cruiser, or sport bike?  Religion is no different, New Ulm, Minnesota, a town of 15,000 has six different Lutheran churches.  That’s religion, that’s what Jesus rescued us from.  Which is why the Pharisees hated him.  He upset their customer base, and their income.  How may old Christians occupy used church people departments?  And are still saved?  Still riding?  Still loving Jesus? 

It is no time to be stylish or trendy.  Harley is constantly improving their product, they have to to compete.  Jesus has the product, he is the product.  No matter what you ride, ride with him.  And leave the hundred dollar bills at home....some trust in horses, some in horsepower....

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

"no eggs for you, come back next year!"

I am tired of the over used colloquialism “if you build it, they will come.”  Although much truth is found in the statement, unfortunately we find it attached to anything people want to promote today.  Using it as an excuse to promote it before it is built, we never hear, “if you promote it, they will come.”  But isn’t that what they really mean?  Starting with focus groups, polls, and informal meetings, all based on a concept, soon the idea takes shape, the funding is found, the ground broken, the building built, and the doors opened.  Nothing like opening day, where the food is free, door prizes awarded, and everyone wants to see what has been promised via promotion.  For some a 2-3 Grand Opening, others a week, but nothing like Opening Day.....

So promote it we do, and hoping they come, many times they do.  Our egos will not let us prepare to be underwhelmed, but when we are overwhelmed, our fragile egos cannot deal with the added numbers either.  Such is one situation noted in the local paper from my home town, Scotch Plains, New Jersey.  Some years back they started an Easter Egg Hunt for the children of the local residents.  But it grew, then outgrew, and with parents from neighboring towns bringing their kids, this year too many local kids got no eggs.  And the complaints began...”my son got no eggs,” “I thought this was for Scotch Plains residents only,” and “this needed to be planned better.”  It was built, built up, and they came.....

Of course the Easter Bunny was there, he too overwhelmed by the crowd, as were city officials, who never miss a chance to show up and take credit, and the media.  But an event that was aimed at the kids and parents soon became a free for all, with Facebook postings complaining of 5 year olds in tears, no eggs for them.  In shades of the soup Nazi, the lines formed, but those early and in line got all the eggs they wanted, with the little ones or ones without the bolder or ruder parents got none.  “No eggs for you, come back next year!”  The kids will get over it quickly, as some parents shared their kids take with the less fortunate egg gatherers, while a few days from now the kids attention span will be on to other things, while their parents will still be acting like children complaining.  No word form the bunny as to his take on the whole thing...

Church, Inc. has weighed in on the same thing.  With Easter next week, so many churches are providing special services, Easter egg contests, kids programs, and promotions to get the CEO’s, Christmas and Easter only visitors into their doors.  And to hear or endure for the umpteenth time, the story of Jesus on the cross.  A story that true Christians share everyday in their lives, not just once a year.  No eggs, no Easter baskets, no bunny pellets to recognize who was here, we try to live a resurrected life in Christ.  It religion that has forgotten that unless God builds the church, they labor in vain.  Some will have huge crowds, bragging on the numbers, and on those who come forward to be saved.  One church a few years back bragged of over 1000 new converts, but when asked “name 10, 5, how about 1?” couldn’t.  It was about the numbers, not the one in 99 left behind.  No Christ for him, “come back next year!”  When today is the day of salvation too for many, and not necessarily in churches.  Or programs, or free meals.  No prizes.  Do we trust the scriptures or how the church has presented them? 

When Jesus fed the 5000, it was after they had gathered to hear him.  He felt compassion for them, and fed them.  I can see him walking through the crowd, talking with people, holding little kids, reminding strangers there are seconds available.  He had fed them spiritually, then physically, giving them something tangible to prove he was with them.  But the next day in looking for more freebies, he was forced to go off in a boat, they showed up for food, not spiritual but physical.  They were after the free eggs, not to see the bunny.  Funny how in both cases the disciples were overwhelmed, but Jesus never was.  And how they were drawn to him at first, he didn’t put up posters, no ads on his Facebook, no Tweets about the food.  Word of mouth spread, “you must see this man,” and while so much is said about the crowd only wanting another free meal, we never hear of the ones who came to see Jesus and be saved.  What will be your take on Easter this year?  Do you look fro the one in 99, are you that one who is seeking?  Are the services spirit led or by committee?  Remember Jesus had a council of twelve disciples, who ditched him at the end.  A planning meeting disaster.  After Easter Sunday, what do you do to follow up?  What does your church do?  Do they do anything at all, but just brag on the numbers? 

And so like Thanksgiving, Christmas, the 4th of July, and your birthday, Easter will be put away till next year.  When a new batch of eggs and promotions will entice many to church.  But where will Jesus be in it all?  Put away until next year?  Each person, each family came to her Jesus for a personal reason.  Drawn by the spirit, they found him, for his word, never returns void.  Those looking for a free meal, found one too.  Just not enough eggs for some, or a follow up the next day.  Maybe reflected best in an old Dennis the Menace cartoon, talking with a friend leaving a party he remarked, “not a bad party, broke two balloons and a window.”  No word on the homeowners of the window, who obviously will see things differently.  So how will you see Jesus this Easter?  A once a year event going to church?  A gathering of eggs to be found?  Ham on sale for the week. Or will you see Easter, as the resurrection celebration of Jesus Christ our savior.  Will you celebrate Good Friday, no eggs or baskets there, I guess the blood and guts is too much.  But no Good Friday, no Easter.  No Jesus, no resurrection.  And we can all relate to the misery of Good Friday, but not at the joy of Easter.  Maybe a look back at a Christmas thousands of years ago will help.  Joe and Mary found no room at the inn, were forced to have their baby Jesus in a barn.  Quiet and personal, for birth, although a celebration is personal.  No mob where there was no room at the inn, a family with a new birth.  And you can name who was born that day.  So is it about the numbers, or about the one whose birth we celebrate, whose resurrection makes him unique in all history and religion?  There will be many faces in the crowds of churches this Sunday, look for Jesus.  If he drew you, you will find him, he isn’t hiding.  No special calls, not ever found in the Bible, but hearts being touched by the spirit, something no celebration, program, service, or holiday can do.  Jesus is that special no day could hold, nor could any cross or tomb.  And if you believe you too will be resurrected like him, the party I am glad I will be at.  Some will brag on numbers, I rather brag on Jesus, who when I was the one in 99 went back for me.  If Easter is all about the eggs for you, remember that the chicken came first, then the eggs.  Says so right in your Bible.  You must be born again to inherit the kingdom of God.  And on that day we who are will all be fed, forever.  He knows our names! 

Sadly many memories will only be like the newspaper report that added, “the Easter bunny of course was still a popular attraction.” 

To all a Good Friday, and to all a good night.  Happy Easter!  As for my eggs, over easy with hash browns. 

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

the world's best who dunnit mystery-with a surprise ending

I love watching the old detective TV shows on Me TV.  From Perry Mason, lawyer yet a detective of sorts, to Mannix, Jim Rockford, Ironside, Perry’s alter ego, and 77 Sunset Strip, I love trying to figure out who dunnit.  Based on the clues provided, many of us who watch are surprised at the ending that the writer had in mind, cleverly hiding key clues.  Some revealed in the last 10 minutes, some fabricated, some you wonder “where did that come from?” but all keeping you interested until the end.  And guessing.  Only one show from the seventies, Ellery Queen, did he go over all the clues at the end before revealing the who that dunnit, giving us one more chance to see what he saw.  And still guessing wrong.  But common to all is the unwritten rule of client confidentiality, a sacred trust between client and employer, which always seems to get Mannix or Perry into trouble. 

In one episode where Mannix is trying to help his client, she gives evasive answers, and he tells her if she doesn’t trust him, he cannot help her anymore.  “But I’ve told you everything I know,” she explains, his answer made me think.  “But to every illogical question you provided a logical answer.”  In other words, it all sounds fake or made up.  Which to me is one of the most important things when sharing the gospel, or answering questions.  We think we have to provide a logical answer to each question, when many come from an illogical situation.  Maybe the way I look at it is “don’t try to explain an irrational situation using rational terms, or ideas.”  It won’t and don’t work.  Yet we all try to be Mannix, to find out what Perry knew, what was in Rockford’s files, and what clues were cleverly hidden from us by the writers to keep us in suspense.  So get over it and enjoy the show...when it is in reruns later next month you’ll have a head start on the competition.  Even Spock would say that is logical....

But we think we need to study, to have an answer for everything because we are Christians.  Somewhere we were taught that, heard that, and believed that.  But too often the correct answer is “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”  While other times the scripture comes alive instantly, as the spirit gives us the words we need instantly, just like it promises, when called before judges you will be given the words to say by the holy spirit.  These words, rhema, verse needed just when they are needed, come from only the holy spirit, and without them we lean on our own understanding.  Or lie a little....for effect.  But the truth is the rhema, and it takes us on a scriptural journey through out the Bible, taking us places we may or may not know about, and never thought of.  That judge may be a judge, a cellie, a family member, or co-worker.  Someone at church who knows all the answers but hasn’t heard all the questions.  I think you know what I mean without naming names.

One of the men in my inmate family, in Corcoran, was being harassed by some so-called Christians who were really cultists.  He felt beaten down, and wrote me for help.  And I didn’t know the answer, a common fault around here.  So I asked God, and he provided the rhema I needed.  The studying to find myself approved part came in the fact I had to verify his answer, which took me deeper into the word.  But it was the spirit who gave me the words in the words, and gave them meaning.  And when I heard back from this inmate, it had opened his eyes, and when he addressed the cultists with it, they backed off and left him alone.  They don’t bother him anymore.  One illogical question with a seemingly logical answer had escaped us all, but in it by his spirit, Jesus was able to minister to me, him, and hopefully the cultists.  And to the guards who read each letter, and this one too.  Without the spirit giving me the rhema I needed, all memorization, study, reading, and note taking was in vain.  Emphasizing once again the importance of the holy spirit in our lives.  Whose job it is to point us to Jesus, who points us to his father, giving him all the glory.  Now like with Ellery, you have been given all the clues again, who dunnit in your life?  Jesus or religion? 

Reading more and enjoying less?  You need the spirit to open your eyes to the truth.  For it makes no sense that God would come down, sacrifice his own son for a bunch of people who hated him, and forgive us because he loved us enough he wants us to spend eternity with him , and not in hell.  Without the spirit, you may provide scriptural evidence, but lose your audience.  You may provide a correct answer, but not the right answer.  The things of the spirit are foolishness to the natural man, saved or unsaved.  Maybe we need to refer to Mannix’s quote and trust the spirit more.  Do you try to provide a logical answer to every illogical situation?  Or do you trust God?  Do you read the Bible as a who dunnit, wondering who wins in the end?

So don’t be like the guy who fast forwards to the end, or reads the last chapter and even though he knows how it ends, and who dunnit, has missed how the final answer was arrived at.  As Christians we know how it will end, we just don’t know how every day will unfold.  Which should keep us hungry for the spirit, for my life at best is illogical, but to God makes perfect sense.  Perry Mason will agree that any good lawyer knows the answer before he asks the witness, we all know Jimmy lives at 29 Cove Road in Malibu, been there, Mannix drove Barris Kustoms, Ironside rode a wheelchair, and Kookie, Kookie never lent anyone his comb.   We know these things to be true but only make sense if you watch the show they are associated with.  Would Perry live in an old trailer at the beach?  Would Stu Bailey let anyone but Kookie park his car?  Were Charlie’s Angels really angels?  When the end is revealed, somehow it will all make sense, as for now, it all may seem illogical, I’m just going to trust God.  Which makes perfect sense, just don’t ask me to explain it....I just gave you the clues. 

Jesus done it!  By his spirit.  And he’ll be right back...

love with compassion

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com