New Mexico is a great place to recalibrate

Tonight we are in Carrizozo, NM after a relatively short day of biking, it was only seventy-eight miles today but that was shorter than each of our last three days. Our adventures and sights have been many in the last couple of days. One of our riders is recovering from a severe allergic reaction to something; no one seems to know what he is allergic to, not even the doctors at the hospital in Socorro where he spent about seven hours over the weekend. Another rider took a spill today and cracked her helmet, luckily, or providentially, she walked away with only scrapes on her arm and knee and a headache. She now has a new helmet as a cracked bike helmet is worth less than a Styrofoam cup. We have more than a couple riders with sore knees and tired backs, one of whom has not been able to ride her bike for over a week. We have seen some common sights like snakes on the road (dead), tarantulas on the road (alive), and rainbows at sunset. We also spent some time climbing around dish number five in the VLA, and today we rode over the Rio Grande River and passed by the Trinity Atomic Testing site, the place the first atomic bomb was detonated. In addition to the bodily injuries and interesting sites our days are packed with busy-ness, from waking up between five and six, packing all our gearing, stuffing down some breakfast so we have energy to ride, riding our bikes for six to ten hours, then showing if we can, washing laundry, eating dinner, and going to bed. That does not leave a lot of time for much else and it is easy for us to forget why we are cycling all these miles and pushing ahead in the face of difficulties. That is why it was so encouraging to have one of our teammates read these verses from Galatians 6

“Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.”

We need God’s help, God’s Spirit to stay focused on our task and not to be distracted by all the events of a normal day. We all need that, so let us commit again to the mission of sharing God’s love by serving a cup of cold water to those in need. The needy are all around us, God help us to see them.