Bumps In the Road

Sundays seems to be a day of solitude, of less stress and busyness; this is truly reflected as I ride my bike through a quietsubdivision in Northwestern Chicago Heights leaving the Metra stop at 7:30amon my way to my MIC church. Or perhaps this is because it is 7:30 in themorning and no one has stirred from their beds outside to fetch their morningpaper, which are littered not along sidewalks, but within their driveways as thesidewalks are noticeably absent.

Interesting take on community.

Driving the same route in a car, the road is smooth exceptfor the occasional pothole or the joyful season of construction when one gailystops to smell the fresh new tar and admire the brightly colored signs... screaming in frustration.

Being in Creation equals freedom, freedom to be loosenedfrom the constraints of society, melding one with the Divine, basking inbeautiful..rainy weather? So whose great idea was this anyway to gleefully geton a bike (a man’s one bought by mistake), enjoy traveling on the train (at6:45 in the morning) to ride through blissfully quiet (spooky) neighborhoods(cul de sacs with no sidewalks and one gated house with a police order standingwatch) and being good to the environment? Notwithstanding also all the healthyexercise I’m getting along with the pain in my legs, the cramp in my hands andmy glasses constantly falling off?

As I perused my bike route this morning, there is adifferent under my wheels of how the road winds and forms; it radiates withinmy muscles which doth protest too much. And yet as people of faith we find ourselves voicing our grumpiness and dissatisfaction when our own journey isbumpy, riddled with obstacles or covered with the morning dew of rain whileothers seem to have the sun shining down in perfect weather as they peddlealong.

Then again, there are benefits being in Creation,experiencing the softness of rain which sprinkles down as I am reminded of mybaptism. There are benefits in pushing my spirit up and over those bumps andtiny hills carved into the road because at the end of my journey there is restand respite, there is happiness with open arms awaiting me, there is laughterand light encouraging me to once more never quit and never give up.

God's Peace.