Going riding....maybe maybe not

This past week some friends of ours from the church approached Barb and me about going for a motorcycle ride to a nearby city on the lake.  We would go to a motorcycle store and look at motorcycles and motorcycle stuff and eat lunch. How much fun is that? Well, we are usually up for a ride so we said sure and made the plans to meet and then ride.  I was really excited about the ride...well really I get excited about any chance to ride.  As I look back I was kind of like a kid before Christmas, waiting for the day of the ride to come.  I cleaned my room (well my bike) ate all of my vegetables (French fries) and was actually going to bed kind of early in preparation for the ride.  It was going to be great...no rain in the forecast...perfect temperature...good destination...Oh boy!  And then...Barb’s phone rang kind of late the night before...I was already tucked in bed...and heard her say, “What was he thinking?” Now this could be about anything so I did not think too much about it.  She walked into the room and said...”They sold their bike.”  What!  How could he?  He could not wait one more day????

Man was I disappointed...Barb too.  Well, we could still go with them to the place and hang out...in a car...oh boy.  I thought about just saying,”hey we will meet you there...on our bike...since I still have one...you don’t.”  Not very nice I don’t think.  

I am going to stop here for a moment before I go on.  Barb and I were really looking forward to the ride...anticipating much fun...filled with much expectancy.  Expectancy...I think a really key ingredient for life in general...and most definitely in our lives connected to Christ.  I have talked about how much we enjoy the wind as we ride and then have connected that to the Spirit moving at our celebrations.  And in the middle of the move of the wind at church is our expectancy of Him moving...doing something different...experiencing God in new ways.  I cannot imagine showing up on Sunday, or whenever we gather, and not having expectancy...anticipation.  And not say, “This is what I expect to happen,” but rather “I am not sure what is going to happen.”  Oh we have a plan...but His plan over rides our plans...hopefully. When we go for a ride rarely is it a straight A to B ride and then straight back.  We are always looking for new places to explore...new destinations...new roads...we expect event he same old ride to be different.  Expect.  Anticipate. God never disappoints...He never sells His bike before a ride:) (kidding)

So we went in the car...and we had a great time...really great.  We were able to talk and to connect and we would not have been able to really do that riding...only when we stopped.  So there it is again...our plans were changed...our expectancy in one thing, the ride, was changed...it was not what we had planned...and it was fun.  I could have chosen to pout and whine that my expectation was not met...I WANT TO RIDE MY MOTORCYCLE...not ride in a car.  And I would have missed a great time of fellowship and talking about motorcycles and looking at them!  See if you live in expectancy and anticipation even the times that seems be disappointing can be turned around if you let them.  Sure I would have loved to ridden together to our destination...but I have found flexibility in the kingdom is essential...to have fun.  One adventure turns into another adventure if you will let it.  Let the wind blow...live in expectation and anticipation...enjoy God...He enjoys you.

Bill