Carli and I hit the roads yesterday for a six-mile ride. The weather was lousy; light rain, wind blowing in from the west, and ominous clouds. We push out with my enthusiasm and her doubt. Carli thought we were going for a casual cruise, I was looking for company with my aerobic exercise. The telltale moment came during a long down hill stretch. Carli coasted along at twenty miles an hour while I pushed things up to thirty-five. When I waited for her to catch up, she expressed annoyance as she realized the ride was going to be a bit different than she expected!
The ride progressed and we compromised. Carli worked hard and I took things a bit easier. The ride went extremely smoothly until we wound our way through the small village of Walton on Thames. In the middle of some construction, I led left and Carli hesitated. Add to the decision a couple walking along with a small dog that would not to get out of the way and the moment for a decision became extremely short! I passed and looked back to watch Carli cascading into the orange netting protecting the hole with her bicycle snagged tight.
I looped back to an embarrassed bundle with a quiet voice asking for help. Resting my bike, I reached out, untangled the netting and pulled the bicycle off from it resting place on her side, and then offered my hand for help. The question of continuing was one that had to ask because we were still more than a mile from home.
“I am ok, lets continue.” Sore, with one of us slightly battered, we made it back to our oasis of safety and rest.
I often feel like Carli riding as I live life day to day. Things are going much faster than I expected, I have to work much harder then I ever anticipated to keep up, and bad things happen! Carli’s response is the one I want to follow. Everything says “don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.” (Romans 12.12)
