Renewal

Not every moment spent away from the "routine" or "normal" of life can be restorative, but doing what is not normal often can be; I recall once spending 6 hrs on a bike ride with a very dear friend in Texas that was so refreshingly restorative to my soul it was like being bathed in a waterfall of showering renewal---deep fellowship was shared, overcoming physical challenges and thirst were shared, joys & sorrows were shared...restoration & renewal rarely happens in a vacuum.

This 2023 year has presented a rather unique form of restoration & renewal for many, one filled with joys and sorrows, triumphs and shortcomings, achievements and disappointments; the sudden loss of a dear friend & family member, an unexpected job opportunity and associated promotion dissolving within 90-days of acceptance, the announcement of a new grandbaby arriving in early 2024, long-awaited medical reports bringing both encouragement and apprehension, the consideration of closing out a nearly 4-decade career----End of Year reflections combined with New Years beginnings are often filled with renewal...

Scripture reminds us often of opportunities for renewal; the New Testament writer of  Romans mentored the readers of his letter to "‭‭Not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."  Wait---read that again..."be transformed".  As in RENEWAL, OVERHAUL, IMPROVE...?  Being conformed to societal and worldly patterns suddenly seems a bit confining and restrictive, definitely not transforming or renewing.  As an avid cyclist, there’s very few things I enjoy more than being on the saddle of the bike, from casual riding with friends down on the Mount Vernon trail or Haines Point Park in the Washington DC area to solo rides out into the Shenandoah foothills of Virginia, long rides out to Castle Rock from our home in Colorado Springs, and everything in between---cycling is, indeed, a deeply enjoyable and inviting passion.  But why is spending 2, 3, 4, or sometimes 5+ hours on a bike more than just a recreational activity to me?  🤔

I could site several medical & physiological accounts & statistics regarding the benefits of cycling or provide documented regarding the sociological and psychological values that cycling, specifically, brings to the participant; but for me, cycling is the only recreationally RENEWING activity which truly gives BACK to me exactly what I GIVE to it, while at the same time directly providing me a service in the form of transportion.  Bottom line, the bike won’t go if I don’t push the pedals, and every time I push those pedals I burn calories, keeping my body healthy, reducing daily stress factors, and helping to clear my mind & enrich my mental faculties--what little I have, anyway! ☺ And the more I ride, the more I am RESTORED & RENEWED, ready to face the next day’s challenges & activities awaiting my attention.  I also can honestly tell you it makes a difference when I’m NOT on the bike regularly—I don’t sleep well, I don’t have clarity in my thinking, I’m more susceptible to catching a cold, I get a little more “edgy” about little things…food even tastes different!

 

My time on the bike is also my own personal retreat from the world and a private devotional time with Jesus; reflecting on passages from Scripture to "Be transformed..." [Romans 12:1-2], to "Be still and know...[Psalm 46:10], and to "Seek Me and find Me..." [Jeremiah 29:13] serve as  motivating moments of renewal and an invitation to refocus my heart & soul's desire for fellowship in Him and with His followers [1 John 1:7].  Just as cycling, then, is correspondingly renewing to me based on my own personal investment, so is my faith-walk journey reflective of my own dedicated & disciplined devotion, bringing both RESTORATION & RENEWAL to my heart and soul.  As the dawn of a New Year arrives I look forward with great anticipation to many more opportunities for reflection, restoration, and renewal, both personally, professionally...may your 2024 be overwhelmingly filled with the same! 

Shoes

I was recently invited to attend a two-week leadership development seminar in support of my occupational career path development; the seminar focused on various aspects of personal and professional leadership skills as well as exercises and techniques in communication, personal engagement and mentoring, and determining the right human capital "soft-skills" for leveraging the best output from people, both personally and professionally...

During one of the many exercises, my task was to select a favorite pair of shoes, whether currently owned or from my past, and to write a short-story of an event based from the perspective of the pair of shoes vice my own personal recollection of the highlighted event--here's the reflection of my Adidas Rod Laver tennis shoes from the summer of 1986...may I be mindful of the value and impact of perspective. :-)

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Your fingers laced up my threads with a great sense of determination that day; never in your short tenure as a tennis professional had you ever faced a World Tour pro, but here you are locking eyes across the net with Patrick McEnroe.  If you never returned to San Luis Obispo, CA in your lifetime, THIS tennis tournament day will forever be etched in your memory...

Patrick McEnroe was a sophomore at Stanford University and would often play the "minor league" tennis pro circuits up and down the California tennis terrain; Greg Herpst, the Santa Maria Country Club head professional for whom you worked, had asked you to go represent the Club at this particular tournament, so off we went.  One of your fellow Club members, Dennis McAlister, drove us up to the San Luis Obispo tournament site and viewed the match, cheering and supporting you with fan-like energy and with baited breath hoping for an inspiring outcome.  Knowing his brother's public reputation, I'm sure you had similar thoughts of "Lit'l Mac" being of similar like-minded "hot-headedness" as you entered the match; amazingly though, he was not.  I could feel your previous determination of being ready to stand up to a potential bully morph into a less aggressive and more thoughtful and strategic posture as the match wore on...

The game of tennis is a simple battle--point, counterpoint, call and response, action and reaction.  You have propelled me across many a tennis court surface over the years in similar battles, but never had I observed you be so deliberate, near surgical, with every shot--not trying to be more than you were cable, but knowing you held the skills to compete at a level you'd never previously considered or imagined...

While you learned that day how to stand firm and confident in your own athletic abilities, you also learned not to assume anything about others or about yourself--hold fast to that lesson, Street, regardless of the shoes you wear.

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#NowNotTomorrow   #SpeakTruthSpeakLife   #LifeShapings

Adventure

 Walking through a large shopping store the other day (ok, it was Target), I hear a young child clamouring to their parent in the sports section, "This one, Mom...I like this bike!!"  Ah, the sound of a young Paduwan cycling student anxious to take possession of their first velocipede steed---brings tears to me eyes (spoken in ol' Gaelic tones)!  The amused mom, however, deflated that moment for me--and most likely for the child as well--with the response, "Ok, we'll let Santa know you want that toy for Christmas."   Uh, wait....TOY ?  

One of the many awesome and beautiful characteristics of the bike is it's not just simply a toy and not just simply an exercise machine; the bike is also a transporting vehicle, one to take you from places of exploration and discovery to solitude and self-reflection.  Renown cycling author Bill Strickland writes, "When you're young, the bike helps you discover the world past the sidewalk, beyond the next block, and off onto the horizon; even after you're all grown up, the bike will still be young, begging you to find out what's around that next corner."  How inviting to consider my bike begs me to seek out adventure---what a great thought!  Nonetheless, as we age and become more accustomed to regularly "adulting" activities of attending to a job, establishing a residence and family, and finding a neighborhood to call "home", the bike also becomes a vehicle for exploring your own backyard, a potential wonderland filled with things you might miss in the quest of finding the horizon...

I've explored a few horizons in my cycling lifetime---have you?  I've ridden many of the by-ways of Northern Virginia through dense oak and ash tree-line backroads, paved and graveled, leading out into lush farm lands marked by wood railed fences or natural evergreen thickets clearly delineating property boundaries; I've ridden the cross-connecting pathways of Deal Island on the Maryland Eastern Shore, a stone's throw from the Virginia State line, venturing through the densely wooded areas of the broad, flatland marshes of an established state wildlife management area within a community holding a 400+year old heritage. 

 I've ridden the beautiful backroads of France, meandering down incredible valley paths no wider than a car's width and ascended notable Alps and Pyrennes by-ways climbing high into the sky, the spirits of past velo legends echoing the calls of "Allez! Allez! Allez!" with each turnover of the cranks.

  I've joined 10,000K+ other cyclists venturing across the state of Iowa for the annual RAGBRAI event, now in its 48th year of existence, where a collective community of cycling enthusiasts participate in daily dawn-till-dusk "rolling county fair" like ride adventures surrounded by thousands of cycling compatriots. 

I've ridden 150+ mile epic rides which started out simply as a 40 or 60 mi ride exploring a new route only to get lost along the way--sometimes intentionally--resulting in memorable reflections and noteworthy moments with dear friends.  I've ridden to the static noise generated by my rollers or static trainer while streaming a favorite film or viewing cycling races of yesteryear on YouTube, the white noise of the spinning wheels casting aside all awareness of time & space. 

And at times in the late evening when home activities have made their final turn for the day's closure, I'll take a quiet moment just to sit on my bike or stride the top-tube, resting my forearms on the hand bars and reminisce of ride adventures past and envision ciclista escapades of the future...

  I deeply treasure and am grateful for every cycling adventure, be them far-flung or short-drawn, throughout my life, even those which seemed boring---often, these become some of the best of all!  The bike has ushered me into introductions of warm experiences from foreign worlds which would otherwise be distant--if occurring at all--from behind the wheel or the seat of a car.  Nevertheless, the favorite rides of my route library originate right at my back door---the AF Academy loop or Woodmoor Hills circlet or Palmer Lake circle along the Rocky Mountain Front Range foothills in Colorado Springs, CO, each holding a vast mixture of juvenile rolling hills and leg-busting climbs, their twisting and interwoven paths teaching me just as much about myself as they do about efficient riding....as so many of these library entries do.  Cyclists will always desire new adventure, whether fresh routes & trails or strange and unknown destinations; but we also need a home, a course we know deeply well as much as we know ourselves, as if a friend waiting patiently who calls for us to come out to play...

I hope your next adventure--cycling or otherwise--proves to be rewarding, renewing, and remarkable...don't forget to share it with those you treasure and love. :-)   

#EnjoyTheRide #NowNotTomorrow #LifeShapings  

New

I got meet my new grandson this week, Robby; man, is he absolutely A-DOR-A-BLE!! Because of current pandemic constraint guidelines imposed by the hospital where Robby was delivered, my wife & I were not able to be present the day he was born, but once he was released to go home, Oma (my wife) and I were egar to hold this new addition to the family in our arms & close to our hearts...Opa is one happy Opa. 😊💕

During those moments of holding my grandson, gazing upon his face, watching him breathe, sometimes offering a slow stretch or a yawn, and soaking in his tender presence, nothing else mattered...nothing. Being "new" has that impact; "new" has no rules sets to follow, no guidelines under which to operate, pushing everything else aside and taking center stage of focus and attention---rightly so for a new born...not so much for other things.  Like the term "social distance", a new addition to our global lexicon, or wearing masks regularly, a new accoutrement to our daily wardrobes, or other similar new-nesses introduced to our lives this past year.  Even the term "new" has taken on a different meaning, where once filled with anticipation and charm is now seasoned with a greater sense of unknown and mystique, even fear...

From an athlete's perspective, things that are "new" bring opportunities for hope---hope for increased skills, hope for improved performance, hope for better results.  Yet often, "new" is met with resistance due to the introduction of change invariably accompanying anything "new".  As a coach, I often must push beyond my own bias towards "new" in order to experience and comprehend what is being introduced and its benefits---holding onto training methods and processes of the past considered to be "normal", though still valuable and proven resources, creates interference and friction, not only to me as an instructor & guide but to my clients who may potentially benefit from that which is "new".

Scripture reminds me how Jehovah Jira (a name of God in the Old Testament) instructed His people to "not dwell on the past" but to look forward to the "new springing up in wilderness" (Isaiah 43:18-19).  For many of us, this past year of 2020 has been a "wilderness", one which the "new" brought fear and doubt; as we move into the Holiday Season and into the NEW Year, may we all be mindful of former things but not dwell on them, may we be aware of the NEW and its presence, and may we earnestly seek to create ways for bringing "streams into the wastelands" within our circles of influence and impact, both personally and professionally.  

Holiday Blessings & Treasured Memories to you this Holiday Season & New Year!

Fatigued

I was tired...so very tired. Due to a legal loophole and lenient interpretation (and leverage) of the leasing agreement between the homeowners of the rental home we occupied in Virginia and the property management office "caring" for the property, our family was "asked" to vacate the home within 5 days time (including the July 4th weekend, it's actually 4 days). Translation: rent two moving trucks in 24 hrs, pack up EVERYTHING in the house yourselves (with assistance from several amazing friends 😌👍👏💕), load the trucks, and clean the house...all in 4 days time. Then, drive said vehicles to Colorado ahead of my new duty assignment...yeah, I was tired.

Life runs that way sometimes, doesn't it?  Orderly schedules and efficient routines suddenly get replaced with chaordic (chaos + order) activities, over and over and over---makes me tired just thinking about it! 😟  Fortunately, we were able to meet the mandated deadlines placed upon us and complete our family's relocation to our new home with little additional drama, though I had to return to Virginia due to work transition constraints, delaying my reunion with the family by 3 wks---compared to the earlier "adventures", I'll take it...🥴  

Scripture is a central component in life often serving as a compass for re-channeling wayward and distracted thoughts; throughout those stressfully pressure-filled hours over the pre-July 4th weekend and during the days & weeks that followed our family's expedited transition across country, the verses from the book of Psalms bathed my soul & spirit in waves of reassurance, just as they did their author, King David, on how the challenges & pains faced in life are temporary.  "Weeping may stay for the night," penned the young Hebrew king, "but rejoicing comes in the morning!" [Pslam 30:5]  In parallel, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah proclaims "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." [Isaiah 40:31]---spirit renewing counsel for my soul from stellar men of faith...

The arrival to our new home in Colorado has indeed brought elements of joy to our family, and though some challenges remain through this transition, our days are welcomed with joyful anticipation, for each other and for our individual selves.  And through this very physically-draining transition, I have come to realize that just as an athlete with deep conviction and desire can far exceed their boundaries of physical performance, so can people inspired by the deepest faith, hope, and love of family and friends overcome the spirit-draining weariness and fatigue the secular world presents in life regularly---the key lies within the bonds of community & fellowship with those who lift our very souls above the mediocrity standards of secular realm...

Fatigue---like weeping---is temporary; striving for and achieving joy---true joy---is worth the journey. 😊

Weary

During the current global environment of societal isolation, there's been a lot--A LOT--of movie and TV binge watching of favorite films and series from a variety of genres and subjects and characters, many of them fictional yet identifying and resonating to many.  And while many of those characters may be "other-worldly" in physical, mental, and/or character abilities, there are elements of their own "human" nature conveyed by the character which seemingly form "connections" to the viewer.  For me, I've always been a big fan of Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, not so much for his heroic physical endeavors but for his deeply abiding commitment to doing the RIGHT thing.  Recently, while watching various film segments on YouTube of Cap being Cap, I came across a scene from the ever-popular action adventure film, Avengers: Endgame where Cap has been battling Thanos the Titan alongside his trusted and ever supportive collegues Iron Man and Thor; nearly beaten and exhausted from the extensive effort to defeat the evil menace intent upon bringing an end to the universe, the expression in Cap's eyes conveys the description of being weary---drained of hope, completely spent and worn-out, and of shattered.  Being weary can disconnect one from the very essence of their core, leaving them isolated, fearful, and lost...

It goes without saying there is a present atmosphere of weariness these days as our communities, let alone the global community, continue to face the impacts and effects of the current pandemic, to the point of levying a seemingly ever-present spirit of sadness.  So what then do we do?  How do we face the tough times of the present day...how do we manage seeming dark days?  Sadly, there are many, many vices available to numb and distract one from what is important and necessary; hopefully--and prayerfully--the rise of building connections that matter within our living areas, our neighborhoods, and our communities mitigate those ill-willed vices from having a foothold, offering even the smallest glimmer of hope and assurance...

As an athlete and coach, I sometimes become deeply puzzled or confused when training sessions and planned activities executed over several weeks, even months, do not produce the desired intended results after painstakingly preparing and investing more than ample amounts of time & effort--true in other disciplined life commitments as well.  During these times of perplexity, I can be easily distracted by the "weariness" of my efforts which seem to produce little or no results regardless of what I do to "fix" it...

 It is in those shadowed, even dark at times, moments I'm reminded from Scripture to "press on to the prize to which I have been called." [Phil 3:13-14].  Being a committed athlete necessitates a committed work ethos; being a committed co-worker and employee requires dedicated loyalty & service; being a committed husband...father...friend...professional---name your role---entails being resolute towards achieving the desired destination...to press on...to STRIVE.  "The act of striving, " Madeleine Albright once remarked, "is in itself the only way to keep faith with life."--so true in the roles we select to pursue and to which we dedicate our time; truer still in the relationships in which we find ourselves and seek.  And it is in that striving of life I find relief from my own weariness, for I do so in the camaraderie and fellowship of family and friends, of mentors and ministers, of coaches and collaborators, all bathed and clothed in the spirit of living lives of service and passion---there can be no better way to keep faith in life!

Drained of hope, completely spent and worn-out, and shattered---we've all been there, we've all experience those shadows, we've all known the taste of weariness in various forms; yet, just as Captain America's countenance & spirit was  immediately strengthened when Sam Wilson (aka Falcon) called out "On your left" as he entered the battle through the time-portal (along with thousands of fellow warriors), so do you and I when a close friend or confidant enters the troubled arenas of our lives, essentially our own personal "on your left" moments.

So....who's your "Falcon"?  Who's called out "on your left" to you when you were weary and lost of hope?  Who is the one who encourages you to keep your faith with life?  Find them....and love them, now and always. 

14 Days

Two weeks....it's been two weeks since I've really been on my bike.  Seriously...14 days--336 hours....20,160 minutes...1,209,600 seconds since the last time I swung my leg over the top tube, clipped my feet into the pedals, and rolled out onto a favorite ride route or indoors on my rollers.  Had this been mid-cycling season and I needed to take a break, that would be one thing or to have had an injury requiring an interim recovery period, that would be another; to have been on an extended family vacation committing time with my loved ones or to have intentionally been away on a ministry-service trip would be an admirably responsible reason to have been off and away from my bike---I have none of these offerings...

The end of the calendar year not only ushers in the Holiday Season but affords opportunity for personal reflection---what has been accomplished, what has been learned, what moments were experienced, what openings were missed.  It also opens the vaults of memory to Season's past, of cherished reflections and treasured recollections, of flashbacks to events and ventures filled with joy, even some with tears.  I may have been off my bike for two weeks now, but during that time--particularly in light of the Holidays--I am gratefully mindful of the delightful elation riding a bike brings me and the library of treasured memories it holds.  Renown cycling author Bill Strickland once wrote, "There is no finer sport, few that are so close to the many moods of the human heart."  Indeed, riding a bike can be blur-your-eyes-speed partnered to casual recreational spin pendulum experiences; a contrast of the Mardi Gras rolling caravans of the Tour De France and an early morning Saturday training ride across whisper quiet roads through the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills of northern Virginia.  I recall with great fondness the many commuting rides with my dearest friend from Bolling AFB through Washington DC to the Pentagon where we were stationed nearly 20 years ago and how those rides shaped not only our physical and mental natures but also deepened our friendship and brotherhood...great recollection gifts this Holiday Season!

Fourteen days...the same amount of time sociologists and psychologists across the globe have declared and documented it takes to form life-long habits and disciplines; the same amount of time it takes for our weakend immune systems to successfully battle and overcome the common cold virus; the same amount of time it takes to---well, think about what takes YOU two weeks to accomplish?  In just a few days the calendar date will turn to the year 2020 (enter applicable Barbara Walters joke here) and with it the traditional formulation of "resolutions" as proverbial personal guidelines for the next 12 months. May I encourage you, Reader, to make ONE resolution---commit yourself to 14 days of life-shaping engagements in your world.  For 14 days, be intentionally kind & serving...for two weeks, give your co-workers and supervisors your B-E-S-T (Believe in them, Encourage them, Support them, Trust them)...for a fortnight, laugh deeply with friends and family---who knows what will happen in those 14 days! One thing's for sure; the first two weeks of 2020 holds life-long opportunity---here's to yours and to the journey ahead!

#LifeShapings  #NowNotTomorrow