bike ride, done.

40 miles. i never thought i would bike...and never thought i would enjoy biking so much. today i did the bluff city ride- 40 miles long. it was FREEZING, but sunny and warm by the end of it. i went out to do this not knowing anyone, and ran into a friend who introduced me to some people that i rode with most of the way. let me mention that iw as one of the few AGAIN with a mountain bike. we stopped a few times along the way at food/water stops which was fun. everyone likes to come up to you and make friendly conversation. everyone is really encouraging and so nice, which is SO helpful when you are by yourself and discouraged because you are self conscious about riding a mountain bike and non windproof clothing. the whole time i was riding though, i was thinking about a quote that is so familiar, "What matters is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Dwight D. Eisenhower. this is definitely a stretch, but i thought about my bike---what matters is not necessarily whether i had a mountain bike or road bike, although a road bike would have been to my advantage and made the ride easier, but what matters is the size of the fight in me or the willpower in my heart to finish the race. i THEN paralleled it to different things (this is what happens when you are riding by yourself listening to music and deep thoughts start creeping in). i paralleled it to my walk with Christ but extended it further to loving people and forgiveness and all different aspects of my spiritual life. it doesn't necessarily matter the tools i have to love people or the abilities or skills- each person is uniquely gifted and made- what matters is my heart and the "size of the fight in me" to love when it's hard or to forgive someone who has wronged me. i just continued to think about this as i was riding and in the up and down struggles and hills of life, we may have a road bike or a mountain bike, and what matters is the fight inside of us- are we willing to press on- are we willing to love and forgive during the hills/struggles- etc. this is such a stretch of using the Eisenhower quote, but i was in awe during those moments of how God uses different things or struggles or people to point our thoughts to Him and i'm thankful today for that!