Bikin' and more...
Today was a good day for biking. I didn't get started until afternoon, but I took my new panniers the kids gave me for my birthday and filled them up before coming home. I also used my new speedometer/odometer and I'm kind of slow, but I'm having fun and I feel good so who cares. I put on 11 miles this afternoon and rode home with wind and with 22 pounds in the packs. Here I am red faced and happy.
Here is the loaded bike after the ride.
My 13 year old wanted to go to town to play Untimate Frisbee at the campus, and he is glad to ride his bike. We have a problem with him riding home alone after dark, so we decided to send him off and then we would ride in to meet him when the game was over. We got out our lights and set off for town after supper, my husband and our 12 year old and I.
The ride seemed so easy this time. There was no wind so that was part of it, but also there was no extra weight. The air was so interesting as it cooled from the day. We moved along through areas of warm sultry air followed by chilly dry air, and then back and forth again.
The caterpillars have taken over the countryside. There are always several within sight, crossing the road as we ride. I could imagine Alfre Hitchcock finding an inspiration here.
Biking does good things for the spirit. Maybe it is just chemical (endorphins) and maybe it is that when we propel ourselves our souls have the opportunity to keep up with our bodies. Maybe it is the prolonged exposure to the outdoors. Possibly it is all of these added to other factors, too. Whatever. I’ll just take those good feelings and not spend too much time analyzing where they come from.
Three extra special things made my day.
1. My older son played and sang for me this morning. He has written acoustic instrumental music for a long time already and is quite good, but now he is branching out into music with words. It was good. I want to hear it again. I won’t give away what it is about, but I really did like it.
2. On our trip home from the Frisbee game my 13 year old son came up beside me on his bike just because he wanted to talk. For the last two miles he talked non-stop about his day. Nothing profound, but still…this is one part of mothering I truly love…having my kids want to talk to me and share their lives and thoughts with me.
3. My older son gave my 12 year old a bike (used, but nicer than his current bike) today. The 12 year old managed, even with the excitement of the new bike, to clean up a good sized mess in his room without any nagging on my part. He also managed to get through a couple of situations that would usually have been intense and he didn’t get angry or rude.
4. OK, I know how to count, but I thought of one more. My husband was very kind and especially sweet to me today. I think I must be pretty shallow because during that long ride home from town with the heavy panniers, I pondered that it is so much easier to feel overflowing with love when I know someone really loves me. So if you want me to love you, I guess you just have to love me first. Ha. Seriously though, following Jesus is about so much more than loving the people who already love you, so I still have much to learn. Good thing I’m only fifty, huh?
Here is the loaded bike after the ride.
My 13 year old wanted to go to town to play Untimate Frisbee at the campus, and he is glad to ride his bike. We have a problem with him riding home alone after dark, so we decided to send him off and then we would ride in to meet him when the game was over. We got out our lights and set off for town after supper, my husband and our 12 year old and I.The ride seemed so easy this time. There was no wind so that was part of it, but also there was no extra weight. The air was so interesting as it cooled from the day. We moved along through areas of warm sultry air followed by chilly dry air, and then back and forth again.
The caterpillars have taken over the countryside. There are always several within sight, crossing the road as we ride. I could imagine Alfre Hitchcock finding an inspiration here.
Biking does good things for the spirit. Maybe it is just chemical (endorphins) and maybe it is that when we propel ourselves our souls have the opportunity to keep up with our bodies. Maybe it is the prolonged exposure to the outdoors. Possibly it is all of these added to other factors, too. Whatever. I’ll just take those good feelings and not spend too much time analyzing where they come from.
Three extra special things made my day.
1. My older son played and sang for me this morning. He has written acoustic instrumental music for a long time already and is quite good, but now he is branching out into music with words. It was good. I want to hear it again. I won’t give away what it is about, but I really did like it.
2. On our trip home from the Frisbee game my 13 year old son came up beside me on his bike just because he wanted to talk. For the last two miles he talked non-stop about his day. Nothing profound, but still…this is one part of mothering I truly love…having my kids want to talk to me and share their lives and thoughts with me.
3. My older son gave my 12 year old a bike (used, but nicer than his current bike) today. The 12 year old managed, even with the excitement of the new bike, to clean up a good sized mess in his room without any nagging on my part. He also managed to get through a couple of situations that would usually have been intense and he didn’t get angry or rude.
4. OK, I know how to count, but I thought of one more. My husband was very kind and especially sweet to me today. I think I must be pretty shallow because during that long ride home from town with the heavy panniers, I pondered that it is so much easier to feel overflowing with love when I know someone really loves me. So if you want me to love you, I guess you just have to love me first. Ha. Seriously though, following Jesus is about so much more than loving the people who already love you, so I still have much to learn. Good thing I’m only fifty, huh?
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