A couple other families, and us, have started a babysitting co-op here in Exshaw. I can't really speak for anyone else, but I am having a great time. Twice a month, if all goes as planned, my husband and I get to spend some time together. The first couple of dates were almost a little awkward. We had to get used to not having constant little interruptions, and I had to pretend that I had talked to another adult at some point in the last twenty-four hours. But, we adjusted quickly, and now make every attempt to utilize that precious time wisely.
Well, this last weekend, I thought that I would suggest an activity that would really make my husband happy. Isn't that thoughtful of me? So, the activity that he enjoys the most lately is mountain biking. ok, no problem, I haven't been in a few years, but it will all come back to me, right?
I told him that he could pick the trail and that we would have a great time. I found out later that he asked his friend where he would take his wife if she hadn't been for awhile, and he said, "the road". That sound nice.
I became a little nervous when he showed up with a friend's bike that I could borrow. A beefy, burly, heavy-duty, downhill bike was put in the back of the truck next to Blue's and we were off. What kind of trail must this be to require a bike like that?
Everything was going really well, until we started going uphill, about 2 minutes into the ride. If I had a nickel for how many times I heard Blue say, "This hill is a bit of a grunt, but I think this is the last one," I would be a very wealthy woman. But, once we started going down, I would have given anything to be going up again. I would glance ahead to see Blue, in a blur, cruising around corners, over rocks and roots, launching off of jumps, and all I could think was, "ok, that doesn't look that difficult." hee hee!
Coming around one particular corner, I had to maneuver the bike in between two trees. "Keep your eyes on the trail, not the trees," I told myself. The next thing I remember was laying on my back, stareing up at the sky. That didn't hurt too bad, now, if I could just get up......
I did survive the ride, and managed to have a wonderful time. As I lay in bed that night, groaning every time I moved, I thought about my walk with the Lord. I had realized that if I wanted to classify myself as a "mountain biker", I had to go more often than once every two years. If I went biking more often, it would not have been so difficult.
If I want to classify myself as a Christian, I must abide in the vine, Jesus Christ. If I want to bear fruit, (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance) as a Christian, I must abide in the vine,Jesus Christ. If I don't abide in the vine, I WILL fulfill the lusts of the flesh, there is no doubt about it. I abide in the vine by abiding in His Word.
Abiding, just like biking, takes practice. Abiding, just like biking, takes discipline. Abiding, just like biking, takes deliberate effort. Abiding, just like biking, will not happen by accident.
Jesus said, "Abide in me, and I in you."
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