My old friend, Brett Menaul has been dead for over 30 years. He died in a
single bike accident, too fast in a curve he probably had taken dozens of
times. And I miss him sometimes, he was a funny guy and made me laugh,
sometimes not meaning too. When he bought his new SR500, he called me to come
over and see it, and when I did I couldn’t find it. Then he motioned to the
sink, where the motor was, he had taken the new bike apart, and the motor was in
the sink. Just curious of how it worked....But it was Brett that turned me onto
The Duct Tapes, a monthly column written by Ed Hertfelder back in 70-80’s about
his misadventures of his enduro riding. Ed could take a bad situation and turn
it into a comic event. Proving once and for all that humor is the purest form
of truth, and explaining why M&M’s won’t melt in your hand, but will in your
pocket. How heat will not keep a fried egg sandwich warm, but turn it into a
science project when left in your van during a race. And why that said van was
so cheap, being only 2 inches too low to get any dirt bike into, forcing it to
lay sideways, and making the premixed fuel run out, generally all over the
sleeping bag you intended to use that night. Amazing how much fuel a sleeping
bag could absorb until you laid on it, and it all gushed out. It was Ed who told
us the tire weighed so much because it had 35 pounds of air in it. And it is Ed
who reminds me of Brett. So last night, sitting on the front porch to keep
cool, I was reading an old Cycle magazine from 1979, and came across The Duct
Tapes, and an article called “Have you ever....”
While Theresa tried to be interested as I read certain have you evers to
her, she would occasionally laugh, because I thought it was funny, even if she
didn’t get it, but when I read “have you ever asked someone who stutters for
directions?” we both laughed. Not at the person who stutters, but at the
situation. And having been in one similar a few times, it was funny. Also
exhaustive, tested my patience, and surprise-the directions were correct.
Despite my feeble attempts to end each sentence for the stutterer. But did you
know that many stars of stage and screen stuttered? But used the concentration
needed in their acting skills to overcome it? And some even became spokesman
for those who do stutter? Try these names on for size, James Earl Jones, Bruce
Willis, Jimmy Stewart, who turned it into his trademark-ask anyone who
impersonates him, Carly Simon, Marilyn Monroe, and Jack Paar. Athletes like
Tiger Woods, Adrian Peterson, and Shaq. Did you know Bo knows stuttering? A
voice affliction, not a disease, they all learned to overcome it. But maybe the
one you remember from Sunday School class, was Moses. Who stuttered, according
to Biblical experts. Moses, who led the Jews to the Promised Land, who for 40
years endured their complaining and bickering. Who went up the mountain and
came back with the 10 Commandments-that Moses. The same Moses that wrote the
first five books of the Bible-yeah, that guy. But in his infirmity, God
provided Aaron as his spokesman. To clarify the things Moses had been given,
maybe to speed up the 4-4-4-40 year exodus. You can only imagine the comedians
of the day imitating Moses on late night TV, Y-y-y-you sh-sh-shaal not-not-not
have any other G-g-gods be-4-4-4-4.me. A reminder of despite the messenger, we
should always listen to the message when it comes fro God. And also how we
should not be surprised when God chose others in the New Testament to be his
ambassadors. Fisherman, anarchists, swindlers, and tax collectors. And Jesus
even hung out with them, and hookers, bikers, and others low on the social
register. Who I personally find to be a better class of people. And as I look
around today, I see many who may stutter in their theology, but love Jesus. Who
when confronted may get confused, and stutter a bit, causing those who ridicule
them to discount their message. I am so thankful that you and I would never be
like that. Or are we? Or how do we feel when we stutter in our walk, and
someone is there to remind us of how we blew it? But yet somehow the gospel of
Jesus Christ continues to go forth, despite our futile efforts on our own, but
when under the guidance of the Holy Spirit we see lives changed, and even our
stuttering is used for God’s glory.
So while stuttering may be not funny in itself, it can present some funny
situations. And I wish Brett was here to laugh with me. He would enjoy the
have you ever situations as I did last night. So let me ask you, have you ever
considered the claims of Jesus Christ? Have you ever given your life to Him?
Have you ever wondered what happens when you die? Have you ever wondered why
some go through tragedy and laugh, while others go through good times and are
miserable? Have you ever wondered why every time the Christians come under
persecution, the gospel spreads more and faster? If you wonder, stop wandering
from God, and find out how wonderful He is. Find out the message that Moses
stuttered over is still true today. That the special spokesman that God has
provided is the Holy Spirit, who speaks your language. Who will tell it to
hookers, junkies, prisoners, and also businessmen, soccer moms, church folk, and
other undesirable types. A message that can be heard in any language, and found
fulfilling in humorous anecdotes. The message of Jesus....have you ever?
And so as we sat and remembered Brett, we laughed at times we laughed
together. Reading Duct Tapes out loud until we cried. One time causing a scene
in Burger King in Durango. No way Christians should have that much fun. But if
Brett was here, he would tell you, in the words of the most famous stutterer of
all times, “th-th-that’s all folks.” And he should know, for he made it to
heaven. Have you ever been in church thinking abut your motorcycle, instead of
riding and thinking about God?
love with compassion,
Mike
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com