all I needed was an oil change

 

 I felt bad for the guy ahead of me when turned down for service in St. Louis.  I had called ahead, and they told me they would fit me in, they were busy.  From the looks of things that was no lie, but hearing the guy ahead of me being turned away, my heart sank, I really needed an oil change, and being 1800 miles from home with 3000 more miles ahead of me, I had planned being here.  But when I stepped up and introduced myself, I was greeted with “we were expecting you,” and they took my bike to the back immediately and started on it.  Within 20 minutes they were done, it only took over an hour to get out from there.  Seems the tech wanted to talk, and soon we were the source of conversation, riding all the way from San Diego.  They checked the bike over real good, and going upstairs to pay, an old building built against a hill, with service filling the downstairs, I talked with the older guy behind he counter.  Turns out he was the owner, Carl, and had been around at the dealership bearing his name for almost 50 years.  Donelson’s was an old tradition among Triumph, and as we talked, he had just returned from Australia riding a bike like my Tiger with his wife, he mentioned he knew some men in San Diego, one named Lance who worked at Rocket Cycles.  “Lance sold me my first new Triumph,” and his face lit up, he had sold Lance his first Norton back in the early seventies, we had a connection.  Then he asked if I had seen his museum, a collection of bikes raced over the years, and took me to a corner of he store of limits to the public.  Which absorbed more time than I wanted, but not as much as I had, and when leaving he gave me a t-shirt from his store.  All I needed was an oil change, what I got was a new friend, and personal attention.  Just like I remember back when Lance bought his Norton.

There is no other reason to go to Marne, Iowa than Baxter Cycle.  Stopping in this town of 400, they are not hard to find, and they checked a small leak at an o-ring, and offered to fix it immediately,which I declined, it would make it home just fine, which it did. Almost, for when stopping for an oil change at PJ’s in Albuquerque, the tech saw it, replaced it under warranty, and apologized it took so long, they were washing the bike.  Again all I needed was an oil change!  But while at Baxter’s I met the crew, quite a busy shop that sells a lot of new Triumphs, and is a mover in the old bikes too, as his museum, his back room had over 100 British bikes for sale as old as from the 1930’s.  Not a museum because the bikes were for sale, a trip through the parts department, and an hour later we were shipping home shirts, and made some life long friends.  And I didn’t even need an oil change!

It seems that the smaller, not the mega dealer stores still offer personal service.  Where you can walk through service, are offered a cold drink, and can bench race.  They are always busy, but find the time to take care of you.  From the Triumph store in Metuchen, New Jersey who fit me in unannounced for an oil change, to Team Triumph in Janesville, to Sharer Cycle and Stables in Verona, no longer in business, Lyal passed away, and the dealer in Jackson, Mississippi who offered us a place to cool off on a high humidity day, they all offered hospitality to a weary traveller, and his mount.  Very little money if any ever changed hands, that wasn’t the issue, it was a fellow rider who needed assistance or a break from the heat and they were happy to meet the need.  Their balance sheet is filled with an intangible called satisfied customers, under the sub heading of friends.  An intangible that goes way beyond dollars and makes little sense to the big stores today.  It still comes down to the individuals, of which we are all one at one time or another.  Hopefully you can be greeted as we are and return the favor to others.  Be it ever so humble, there is no place like being made to feel at home when on the road.

In Psalms and Nehemiah both authors ask God to “remember them with favor.”  Not that God will forget, but a inspection to see if I am where I need to be in my walk with Christ.  “Search me oh God,” they ask, do we ever ask the same?  Do we know Jesus so well we dare ask without fear of reprisal?  Do we see the loving and forgiving side of God, or does our sin cause us to remember the down of side of us rejecting him?  We deceive ourselves, God never does, that is all the Psalmist is asking, show me where I need to be and help me get there.

God has placed us at this place in time to be his messengers, his hands and feet, and to be the gospel Jesus wants us to share as we go.  Yet in the floods after Harvey, we see a mega church deny those in need assistance, at one point telling them to have faith.  His sin revealing itself, his false doctrines rising above his words, his actions showing he has no heart for Jesus or us.  All from the view from his $10.5 million mansion.  How many of you don’t go to church because of a bad time there, but who reach out to God?  Jesus took his love to the streets and ministered there, no building could contain his love, and we need to do the same.  Would a junkie feel wanted in your church?  Would you offer him the same as you would a rich man?  Where are those great men of today for the hookers, bikers, those in jail, and those who cannot get out?  With so many spiritually bankrupt people at all financial levels, who is reaching out to them?  God has called us all out to minister to them, do we hear his voice, do we hear his call?  That is what a self examination will do, it will show where we are weak, where we need to be, and what we need to do.  And when empowered by the spirit, God’s will in us will be done!  His will, simple, that we all come to know Jesus.  Maybe all some of us need is an oil change, and some fellowship.  The mega churches deal with the 99, Jesus still goes back for the one who is lost and suffering.  Do you, would you?  Am I welcome in our church, your home?  Would Jesus be welcome?  Or do you neglect those who are the least because they do not measure up to you, when it is you who do not measure up to them, are you the ones spiritually that Jesus referred to as the poor who will always be among us?  The least who needs to be ministered to as Jesus did?  Do you see Jesus in those in need? 

Ministry is simple, meeting a need.  Food, clothing, a cold drink, or even an oil change.  God operates on all levels, for years I have been saying if the church could get behind the biker brotherhood how it would impact the world.  You never know when disaster will hit, homelessness in Houston now reaches through all financial levels, all are wiped out.  No home, no job, no goods.  Nothing to go back to.  Many are calling out to God, are your doors open to help?  Don’t let it take a disaster on this scale to show the love of Christ, no matter how big or how small, Jesus loves us this I know.  To bad one church doesn’t....who will be there when they just need an oil change?  And if let in, please take off your shoes first, don’t want to get that expensive carpet all dirty!

Maybe a good foot washing is in order, starting from the head down, I hear there is lots of water available....

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

having a license doesn't mean you know how to drive

The General, General Motors that is, was faced with a problem.  A young attorney by the name of Ralph Nader was crusading against their cars being unsafe, and they didn’t know what to do.  Now whether the Corvair was unsafe is still up for discussion, but rather than deal with the issue brought forth in his famous book “Unsafe at Any Speed,” they put a detective on his trail, to see what they could dig up on him and discredit him personally.  Rather than face the facts that some of their cars could be made better, and institute internal policies to correct them, they attacked the messenger and it exploded in their face.  Due to their mishandling of Nader, instead of reducing him they actually elevated his status, making him one of the premier consumer advocates of all time, and inviting the government into the automobile business.  Never again would the business be the same, as soon seat belts, criteria for brakes and safety became government mandated, affecting the styling with 5 mph bumpers, air bags, side door beams, and now the government was in the auto business.  Leading all the way to the eventual bankruptcy of GM by Obama, rather the raping of it.  There are some things the government needs to be involved in, business is not one of them.  General Motors and Detroit, then the world found out what “Hi I’m from the government and I’m here to help” really means.  All because they got busted trying to discredit one man.  The rest is history as they say....

Now I have never met anyone who wants dirty air, or unsafe cars, but we need to be reminded that these are end results.  Talking with a man who attended rehab drug meetings, he found when you put a bunch of druggies together you end up with better connections.  Same with car thieves, but not the same when the government steps in.  We get more rules, more regulations, and soon the problem they set out to fix ends up lost among the rules.  After decades of being warned about drunk driving, 50% of car accidents and those killed in them involve alcohol.  The rules have not changed the drinker who drives.  Following someone yesterday who obviously should not be driving, my friend at first was upset with her, until I reminded him that someone passed her on her driving test.  She may be an idiot, but she had help getting there.  I also watched a man need two lanes to parallel park, and still ended up sideways on the curb,  not in the space.  Supposedly both had licenses to drive, even though they exhibited no signs of knowing how to.

Maybe my own experience will convince you.  I was checking out and found my license had expired, the DMV later sent out notices they had a computer problem and some would not get renewal notices.  Try that one on the CHP, “really officer I do have a license, here is a letter from the DMV stating that,” even Jon and Ponch would have trouble with that one.  But when I took the test after a 7500 mile trip, I failed.  Seems some questions are worded so you have to fail, and if you ride that way may get killed.  When I explained to the DMV woman about my trip, she said “why don’t you sit here, at my desk, and take it again.”  Leaving the test sheet with the correct answers on top for me to see.  Maybe she was the exception of being from the government and wanting to help!  But it still came down to my participation...

When God warns of things not to do in the Bible, they are for  our own good.  When he told the Israelites to not intermingle and marry with those who were their enemies, he told them for their own good.  Those around them worshipped pagan Gods, sacrificed their children to them, and were lewd and had diseases they Jews didn’t have because they had obeyed.  But when they intermarried, and disobeyed the Lord, along with their disobedience they got an attitude and adopted concepts that eventually led to their conquest.  They confused the true God for the pagan ones, and even Solomon, with his 1000 wives, some from pagans, opened the door to civil war.  God knew what he was talking about then, and later when Paul admonished us to not intermarry, that darkness and light have no place together, and soon the light will be overcome by the  darkness.  All cancers start small, some are preventable, but if caught early can be treated.  Same with disobedience and since.  But first we need to recognize it and repent.  We need Jesus, who tells us to turn from our wicked ways, not turn or you will die.  But many still play with fire and end up going down in flames when they didn’t have to.

Just as the government intervenes when we cannot take care of ourselves, bringing more laws and laws to break, if we turn to Christ we can change.  He will effect the change, but first we must realize we are in sin.  And when we do, he is the way out.  It takes Jesus and only Jesus, but I hear too many times “hi I’m from the church and here to help,” meaning well but bringing doctrine and legalism to a place where we need the holy spirit.  They have all the answers, just like I did on my retest, but it didn’t mean I could ride, my trip proved that.  If only we ask “where is Jesus in this situation?” we could avoid the retest, and the penalty.  Getting closer to God all the time!

Love the sinner, but hate the sin.  Easy words to remember afterwards, if only we could practice them first.  One criteria for a mature Christian is accepting responsibility for ourselves, not pointing out sin and attacking the sinner, lest we be attacked.  When told to study to find yourself approved do you approach it like you do a test, to pass, then forget, or is it part of knowing Jesus?  Are you still studying to find a scripture to OK your sin, or do you seek to grow in Christ?  Do you go to church and think that makes you a Christian, or do you know Jesus?  Is your name on a membership list to prove  you go to church, or written in the Book of Life proving you know Jesus and are heaven bound upon death?  Are you attacking the accuser like GM did, or facing up to your own sin?  Your sin will find you out, better to find Jesus first.

God’s wisdom is available to all, his practical guidelines and advice ready to be applied.  But only work when you apply it.  We have all been given the same measure of faith, yet some use it while others make excuses.  Faith is the basis of life, and life is for the living.  Better explained while riding rather than to the CHP on the side of the road.  Sin will always have a consequence, God forgives the courts don’t.  You get to choose the judge you will face, only in Jesus Christ will you have an advocate pleading your case.  “Honest officer...” he’s heard them all.  Why not take a chance with God.  Obedience is better than sacrifice.  Forgiveness is better than condemnation.  Life is better than death.  They killed Jesus the messenger, but his message is still true today.  And Nader, he ended up running for President.  “Hi, you’re from where?” makes all the difference in where you are going.  Having a driver’s license doesn’t mean you know how to drive.....just my take on the law.  Maybe Barney Fife’s advice of the first rule is obeying all rules applies here.  Maybe Jed Clampett said it best about the law, “what in tarnation?”  So they  loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly, in an Oldsmobile.  I’ll take grace, I hope you do too. 

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

has hard work ever killed anyone? you may be surprised....

Many a summer night was spent growing up pasting Green Stamps into the little books, hoping to have enough to get the premium you really wanted.  S&H Green Stamps, a product of Sperry and Hutchinson, were coupons, stamps given with each purchase at certain retailers.  One stamp for each dime spent, you would literally have to lick and paste hundreds of stamps to fill a book.  When shopping you looked for the S&H sign outside, it was like an added bonus for doing business there, and many families, like ours, would wait until the junk drawer filled up with them, then spend a night around the kitchen table licking and sticking.  Gazing through the catalog on breaks, dreaming of what you wanted.  From toasters to sporting equipment, there was something for everyone, with one key component, you always seemed to fall short of how many books it took to get that special gift.  But once you did, it was off to the redemption center, to stand in line, pick your premium, and then have each page scrutinized to make sure no stamps were missing.  A lot of work for something free, but that was America 50-60 years ago. 

In our area Plaid Stamps were a competitor for awhile, but never had the impact of Green Stamps.  I can remember the dispensers on top of the registers at the super market, with a rotary phone dial, after paying, the clerk would dial how many stamps you would receive, and you often got a long, long trail of them on your big grocery day.  It all seemed a game to us kids, the catalog given to us to occupy our time, but we seldom shared in the rewards.  I can remember getting them for gas when I first started driving, filling the ash tray in the Pinto, no one smoked in our cars, and when it was filled, thought I had enough for a big premium, boy was I surprised.  I found it was cheaper to just go buy it.  I lost touch with Green Stamps in the seventies, they finally folded in 1981, with less than 100 stores giving them out.  It seemed we rather have discounts, cheaper prices, and even generics, remember the white labels with the black printing?  Our generation thought price, my parent’s thought value, and never would the two ever meet.  It took 1200 stamps to fill a book, or spend $120 to earn stamps to fill it, a lot in days of 25 cent gas and 69 cent big bags of chips.  Those prices along with Green Stamps are gone, we rather have the discount up front, no ne wants to work for a premium, and if they do, find the work was not worth the reward. 

Religion has given salvation a bad name.  What Jesus offers for free, some want you to earn.  Work hard for your salvation, hoping that you may have worked hard enough to enter heaven, but never knowing.  Study more, pray more, attend church more, sit through longer services more.  You know the drill, but none of that leads to salvation.  There is no redemption value to it, unlike Green Stamps where a purchase was made and a reward given, salvation is a gift from God via his son Jesus Christ.  No matter how hard you work, how religious or pious you are, you fall short.  So God gave us an offer we cannot refuse, but yet many do.  Their pride cannot let them accept free forgiveness, they feel vindicated only when they can brag how hard they worked for it.  They never consider how hard Jesus worked for our salvation.  And the go to their graves never knowing, and finding out too late they were wrong.  Now Christians meeting together and fellowshipping is a good thing.  Spending time in the word, praying and meditating on Jesus is a good thing.  But without him it is fruitless, for without the spirit, we are doomed to death.  No matter how many books you have filled with your rewards, there is no premium at the end.  It is not a matter of not enough stamps or books, it is to know Jesus, and he is the only way.  Simple, and leaves more time to ride. 

I find it funny, not ha ha but weird that the best free offer you will ever get is turned down, and you rather work for it.  Yet too many do, becoming a slave to religion and legalism, living the life of a Christian by the rules, yet never receiving the premium of life.  “But didn’t we do such and such?” the church bragged, then complained to Jesus.  “Look what we did, look who we are!”  His answer, “be gone I never knew you.”  You see, their hard work was all about them, to be recognized for their accomplishments, they never gave Jesus the credit or the honor for his accomplishments.  It is who he is and what he has done, not who we are and what we have done.  Pay day comes one day to a Christian in the form of redemption, and rather than filling books with stamps, God writes our names in the book of life.  Redemption means more to God than working for it, his love wants to set you free, not hold you hostage.  Jesus came to set the captives free, not S&H!

Yet many still try or are misled.  You cannot earn your way to God.  But you can accept his free gift in Jesus.  Finally why a free gift from God of salvation?  One because he loves you, but to set you free form bondage.  Many were kept in bondage collecting stamps, only to find the effort was not worth it.  Same with religion, they cannot pay the price, find they are being held hostage and give up on God altogether.  Fortunately he never gives up on us!  Gain your redemption today in Jesus, and be set free.  No lines for it either, you can accept Jesus right now where you are.  No service, crusade, TV ad or show to respond to.  No man involved except Jesus, you go right to the front of the line.  Maybe the old adage about hard work never killing someone is a lie, for trying to earn salvation by works ends in death.  The work is done, the plan is simple, and affordable.  Fads come and go, so does religion, only Jesus remains.  What part of free don’t you understand?

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

in lieu of flowers

I attended yet another biker down funeral last week.  One where the deceased was the best husband, father, worker, and friend.  And he probably was, as this guy’s gentle spirit conveyed the love of Christ in his life.  Along with an outpouring by friends of taking care of the details, it was nice to see him honored in death as he was in life.  Yet it seems that I have never been to a funeral where the deceased was anything but a great guy. I reflect on a service where the guy wasn’t, and as his other wives were ready to carve up what he left behind, his first wife stood next to me telling me what a scuzball he was.  But all the public comments made me think he was father/husband of the year.  But I knew him, and in life and death, I was comfortable with our relationship.  Despite the commentaries...to the contrary.

Yet another celebration of life, seems Christians don’t like the words funeral or death, was a two hour miniseries of how great the deceased was.  I knew him, and while some talked of what a miracle it will be that God goes on without him, I knew it was more of a miracle that God had gone on with him.  Again I was confident in my relationship with him, I didn’t wait until he died to show it.  While so many complain about why some die so young, where were they when the guy was alive?  Why do Christians get so sad when another Christian goes to heaven?  Isn’t that what we long for?  What makes them think that God took them to soon?  While in heaven those are wondering why did you wait so long?  Yet in lieu of flowers, we have a chance everyday to show God’s love to the living, yet wait until it is too late.  While the spirit is alive and well, and willing to provide while we still have an earthly address.

When I made medical history five years ago, while the ministry I had been part of for 34 years was talking about it, the Black Sheep got it done.  A black sheep among the Black Sheep, we ride Triumphs, two members took a weekend and drove 1700 miles round trip to get my Triumph in Durango, while others talked of meaning to.  They also took up a huge collection for us, we were blown away by their generosity, but again bikers came through.  But it was after being invited to dinner and their business meeting, that I saw God at work.  As we sat on the dimly lit patio, they discussed their benevolent fund, which was only for club members, of which I was not.  But the spirit has risen above their laws in our case, they couldn’t see the trail of tears on my face, as how they had obeyed the spirit, and they were blessed.  I hope more than we were, another miracle.  In lieu of flowers....

We forget that in lieu of flowers, God sent Jesus, while we were still dead in our sins to give us life.  He didn’t send something, he sent someone, and when he died left his spirit to guide us.  While others wait for a funeral to express their feelings, Jesus showed us love while we still had breath on earth.  Preparing us for heaven.  So we can live forever with him.  I think of all the ways I was ministered to, and how I have been able to minister in the past, and how many funerals I get to avoid when I saw Jesus at work in a life threatening situation.  He didn’t wait to show his love and respect until a person died, he was the on earth as it is in heaven love we seek.  He was there in the midst of the situation, ministering, and still is today.  We miss opportunities to show his love helping those in the tough situations, he tells us true religion is helping the widows and orphans.  In lieu of flowers, maybe helping a widow around the house, send meals as we needed, and being there for them.  Not just for two weeks as seems the norm, but being the type of friend God’s wants us to be, so we don’t moan and groan feeling sorry for ourselves at the funeral.  For the deceased may be the main event, but the funeral is for those who are left behind.  If you were secure in your relationship with them in life, you will be in death.  You will still miss them, but know that the relationship has just changed addresses for now, heaven awaits.  In lieu of flowers, one last example.

A little 13 year old girl was my influence to write, new to ministry, I visited her many times while she was in the hospital in LA.  We got to be friends, and the 250 mile round trip was made many times, sometimes in vain as she could not be seen.  Laiken was special, and her funeral was truly a celebration of life.  While the cancer spread through out her little body, it could not damage her spirit, I often wondered did I go for her or for me?  My last visit was she was sick, throwing up into a huge yellow, plastic bowl, when she looked up and saw me.  In her torment, she smiled and waved.....that Laiken smile, maybe a picture of Jesus waving to us from the cross, not good bye, but see you later.  In lieu of flowers...God sent his only son.  Through Laiken I got to see him close and up close.  Nine years later I can still see that tiny arm waving, and that big Laiken smile.  For God so loved Laiken...

Ministry is simple, see a need and meet it.  No special training, no degrees, no ministry affiliation.  Just the heart of Jesus, who uses our hands and feet to bless others while blessing us at the same time.  Share the love you have for that someone while they are alive, don’t wait until the cross like the thief did.  He made it in, but just in time.  Today may be your time, don’t miss it.  Don’t let the final words on your behalf be “in lieu of flowers...” Jesus is that celebration of life we can have here on earth, so what are you waiting for?  Everyone’s last ride will be in the same type of vehicle, a hearse followed by a flower car.  In lieu of is no way to be remembered....

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com