THE GREAT ESCAPE 2014
TRIUMPH PROMOTIONS
While so many were preoccupied last Friday, Black Friday, with getting up
early, acting rude and being treated rudely, giving up sleep to save a dime, and
walking miles in a parking lot, only to go face to face with other shoppers in a
crowd, Theresa and I took advantage of the empty roads, avoided malls, and went
for a ride. We have never shopped on Black Friday, although we once did before
it rivaled the Super Bowl for a National holiday. And if I am like you, I got
so many Black Friday ads in the mail, via email, and on TV, that I just changed
the channel, deleted them, or threw them away. But two email ads caught my eye,
one from the Harley dealer in Cleveland, and the other a Triumph dealer in New
Hampshire. Both were offering free winter storage of your motorcycle if you
spent a certain amount, or if you bought it from them. Now just the thought of
storing any motorcycle for a season seems wrong to those of us in Socal, I
actually did it once. And never would or did again. We lived in Colorado,
where we got 15-20 feet of snow each winter, so one winter, not thinking, or
maybe thinking too much, I put the Z-1 into winter storage in our basement.
Carefully preparing it per an article in Rider, I sat all winter, and into
spring miserable and lonely, and so did the bike. Now I have always ridden year
round, you can dress for cold, and rain, even snow, just not ice. And every day
that was nice, I was snowed in, and the Z-1 in hibernation. Truly black days,
as I couldn’t ride, so many times were spent just sitting on it. Anticipating
spring, and really riding again. Maybe the longest winter of my life, certainly
the longest without riding. And I vowed to never engage in hibernation again,
neither man nor beast, and San Diego winters have helped me keep my vow.
But of those times we can’t ride, we spend time reminiscing of rides past,
and plan for rides to come. Very rarely when riding do we just enjoy that day’s
ride, for each mile away from home beckons us to ride farther and longer, and
each mile towards home encourages us to take a longer route home, and wishing
for more time to ride. Sadly we do many things in life where anticipation is
more enjoyable than participation, and for those of us who ride, we should know
better. We have a time in space, set aside from all the world, to enjoy the
freedom of riding, the wind in our faces, and the excitement of curves. Of
seeing 100, then 120 show up on the speedo, but yet we anticipate the next
ride. I am just glad I don’t have to hibernate with my bike, but yet many do.
Maybe that is what makes riding that much more precious to them, I don’t want to
find out. Black Friday like any other day is meant for riding, not for shopping
or storing of you ride, after all it follows Thanksgiving, aren’t you thankful
you ride?
Now it is Cyber Monday, and days that end in Y until Christmas to spend,
spend, spend. With deals not going away, and even all of last week was Black
Friday week. What’s next, Christmas Day shopping, late for this year, early for
next? So while the lesser of you shop, we ride. You get bills in January from
VISA, I share memories of a ride. We get to find open roads, you find open
businesses, starting at midnight. You save a few dollars, I save my sanity.
And we each repeat the above each year, but I know I have the best deal.
Freedom, to ride, and to make the choice to ride or shop. Which makes me
wonder, if Black Friday is so called, because the businesses make so much money,
at discounted prices, how do they not make so much money at inflated prices the
other 300+ days a year? Even Mrs. Parks math class taught us to add and
subtract. We learned percentages, and fractions, and what numbers were bigger,
or smaller. Maybe economics is for those who cannot add or subtract. Or don’t
ride.
Now the concept of Black Friday is nothing new. It is a Jewish thing,
started some 2000 years ago, but celebrated in March or April. Months you can
ride in. As Christians today we call it good Friday, a day when Jesus died on
the cross, a day when the biggest debt we had was paid in full, a 100%
discount. Try that at Walmart, and they claim to be the saving place. And not
just for a day, or season, but for life. At first it appeared to be a Black
Friday, where all was lost, but by Sunday morning, the first ones to the tomb,
up early, saw the real value in it. And had to tell others, who told others,
and the gospel spread. And today we call it Good Friday, because we see the
real value in it. Yet so many neglect it, or even forget about it, no Good
Friday shopping ads. But only three days after we have Easter, and we celebrate
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet it was on the cross the victory was won,
so why don’t we celebrate Good Friday like we do Easter? Why when God gave his
son that day, the greatest present he could give, or ever would, do we skip over
it? Does it take an ad campaign to make it the day it should be? Maybe call it
Black Friday, see how the marketers react to it. But to those who believe,
everyday in Christ is precious, and we look forward to heaven, share testimonies
of the past, and meet and encourage each other daily. It isn’t about the day,
it is about the man of Jesus Christ. And a great day to ride and remember him,
for I rather be riding thinking about him, than sitting in church thinking about
riding. And God has even provided Cyber days, long before the internet, he
calls it him the Holy Spirit, and we can access him 24/7, without lap tops,
i-pads, i-phones, or tablets. Long before wifi Jesus was, and his spirit I
still here today. Guiding you, encouraging you, and telling you where the best
deals are. All from the convenience of wherever you are, for he never leaves
you nor forsakes you. And unlike winter storage, he never hibernates, no r
sleeps or slumbers. An eternal, everyday ride in the spirit, and no waiting for
special days to cash in. Jesus took a black Friday, and turned it into Good
Friday. What you do with it is your choice. Just as choosing Jesus is.
Today many stores will compete for your dollar, and many things will
compete for your affection. Have no other Gods before you, seek him and have
all other things added on. No hibernation from sin, he makes it permanent. And
keeps you alive and alert so you can enjoy life, and ride more. Just imagine if
the churches were crowded on Good Friday like the stores are on Black Friday,
the deals that we could find would change our lives. Yet we rush to save,
rather than be saved. I just don’t get it...I hope you do. If not, today is
your Blackest day without Jesus, but it can be your best day. Turn to him now
for real value, for real deals. He is the real deal, and no waiting for the ads
to come out. No wishing and hoping when you can have. Naughty or nice, he
loves you. Try that one on Santa sometime. Revisit Jesus today, find out why a
black Friday 2000 years ago turned out for good for those who believe. And how
today you can enjoy that freedom he promises everyday, no matter the weather.
Some will tell you he is the reason for the season, but he is the reason for
every season. And even open on holidays just for you.
So while some look forward to Black Friday for deals, or look back on deals
past, we enjoy today. A day that ends in Y, for as every Christian knows, the
why is Jesus, and he loves us so. You can’t have Easter without Good Friday,
you cannot have eternal life without Jesus. Black Friday revisited, what’s in
your wallet? Dead presidents or a living God? Only Jesus saves. Don’t be put
away for the winter any longer. The deal is here, long before the ads come
out. Wise men still seek him.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com