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Pedal Power!

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Calling all "Pedal" Pals: I wanted to re-tell the story of how my passion for collecting bicycles started.

When I was 16 years old, I fell in love with the poem, "A Tandem Ride with God." Since then, I've been collecting bicycles and I see them everywhere like little signs.

Here’s the poem that started it all:

A Tandem Ride With God

I used to think of God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there, sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn't really know Him.

But later on, when I met Jesus, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Jesus was in the back helping me pedal. I didn't know just when it was He suggested we change, but life has not been the same since I took the back-seat to Jesus, my Lord. He makes life exciting. When I had control, I thought I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points.

But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at break-through speeds; it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it often looked like madness, He said, "Pedal!" I was worried and anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into adventure. And when I'd say, "I'm scared", He'd lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey, our journey, my Lord's and mine. And we were off again. He said, "Give the gifts away; they're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it, but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high rocks, fly to shorten scary passages. And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus.

And when I'm sure I just can't do any more, He just smiles and says... "Pedal."

(Author unknown)

So I've never been a big fan of Coincidence...I'm more of a believer in Divine Happenstance. I feel like God really orchestrates all things in my life for a reason. With that said, I recently walked into a store to pick up School Supplies for The Littles and right in the front of the store is a display of Home Decor items....guess what?!?!?! I found the cutest Bike for my wall unit shelf...and even better....it was on sale!

I love to scatter the bicycle reminders around my house to keep life in perspective. Am I weird or do you have little "life" reminders hanging around too???

Found this garden bicycle at the Q!

I seem to stumble across bikes at the strangest times. This one is at a local farmer’s market here in the area where you use pedal power to make your own smoothie.