Listen. Learn. Laugh. Love.

Listen. Laugh. Learn. Love. This morning the Pastor at our host church in Alamogordo, NM spoke about the connection in marriage for a series on how to Stay in Love. He mentioned "when two people laugh together there is a connection." I have been trying to explain to friends and family back home how well our group has come together in such a short amount of time but couldn't figure out the best way to describe our connection. Two weeks ago on June 6th in San Diego, CA I departed with 16 other people that I previously didnt know headed to Myrtle Beach, SC. My mode of transportation for the next two months would be a Novarra Touring bike from REI that has lived up to his name Big Smooth. Dustin, another rider, described Big Smooth best after he picked him up and said "What are you riding, a tank?". Needless to say I don't go real fast on my bike, but the way I figure it, I'm getting my moneys worth to spend as much time on my bike crossing the country. When you're riding an average of 85-90 miles a day that is a lot of time on your bike. I have almost ridden 1000 miles so far on the trip and have Listened and Learned about where the other riders have come from, where they want to go, and just how they are living life. The best part about this trip so far is the Laughter that has come from our group. Our backgrounds vary so much yet 60 miles into a ride at a water stop when everyone is hurting and can't wait to get to our destination we are encouraging each other, laughing with or at each other, and most importantly loving on each other. Hearing the pastor talking about how laughter is a connection made me smile thinking about all the great memories we have experienced and will experience as we continue this epic adventure. It has taken me a while to finally write a blog but in later posts I hope to share this wonderful, crazy, amazing, blessed story that I am living out with 16 other people just as nuts as me. I shared this exerpt with the group the other morning from Through Painted Deserts written by Donald Miller "I don't think we can really understand how time passes. We can study it like a river or tame it with a clock. Our devices only mark it's coming and going. I dropped an anchor three months back but time didn't slow. Some things have to end, you know. You feel like life is always leading up to something but it isn't. I mean life is just life. It's all happening right now, & we aren't going to be any more complete a month from now than we are now. I only say this because I am trying to appreciate everything tonight." I know on July 23rd me and Big Smooth will be riding into Myrtle Beach, SC with 16 other friends I will have a connection with for the rest of my life. But right now we are at the youth pastors house in Alamogordo, NM grilling burgers and watching Mr. T on an infomercial on a day off having a good ole time. We are all on our own epic adventure but as long as we take the time to Listen, Learn, Laugh, & Love I think we will live out that what is important is how you got there and not the destination.