A tumultous bike ride

This blog is of an individual nature; it's based on my interests and personal anecdotes. So in keeping with the spirit of things, another story.

Today I awoke deliciously and disappointingly late in the morning. I had planned the night before to go to the bank, judiciously finishing my budgeting and finance notes in preparation. I also decided to bike the 8.4 miles there and back, thus killing two birds with one stone, or rather, exercise and errand together.
After my late debut to the day, I realized I would have to push things back. First though, I read Psalms 22 a few sobering times. Next, I looked for a cycling outfit also suitable to walk into a bank. I decided on a black sport skirt, and a red tank to reduce my chance of farmer's tan (but raise my wrinkly skin quotient and chances of cancer later; I know). It was an eye catching ensemble to be riding down the sidewalk in.

I met my mom downstairs and she needed me to move her car so my younger brother could vaccuum it out. Second incident of change. The first was my unplanned later start time. Okay, I moved the car. But I needed to go already! I left the keys in the cup holder and let my bro know they were there. Finally, I hit the road!

The heavy traffic proved to be an obstacle time and again. 12:30PM on a Wednesday is not a great day to be biking the route, a straight shot 4 miles south. Driveway after driveway seemed to have a car pulling in or out. I couldn't time the traffic signals; but even so, I always had to be careful for that left- or right-turner before entering the intersection. Then there I came up on a man doing some weed-whipping, and to retain control, I went around him through a parking lot. Or so I thought to do. There wasn't a far entrance; instead it became a curb and curved away from the sidewalk. Just then, someone called me. Oh bother! I took the departure from the sidewalk as a moment to check my phone. It turned out to be my mom who called and left a message asking where her keys were. Agh, I thought to myself, Ask someone else! I started to send her a reply via text but didn't, and got back to the sidewalk.

Finally, I came to another major cross-road and decided to move to the west side of the street. That's when I realized I had almost missed the bank! Lo and behold, I had been so wrapped up in frustration at my not-smooth bike ride that I practically rode past my destination. Feeling thankful, I turned my bike towards it.

I zipped through the bank. As I walked back to my locked bike, I saw two men in a lawn service business had pulled up by it with their trailer. Great, I thought, Just what I don't want - two guys looking at me while I try to go about my business. I said, How's it going, and walked in front of their bumper with my key handy. I took no extra time to peddle away.

The delays on the way back came as no surprise. I slowed, and occasionally stopped, for the comings and goings of cars, and did it in ill-humor. The cars that did wait for me I acknowledged graciously, but marveled at myself and my double standard.

The last mile and a half took me by my former gym where I was gypped out of more than a hundred bucks; their blunder, my fall, old story, still sore. As I came up to the drive, there waited a left-turner to enter, and a right-turner to leave. I quickly sized up on-coming traffic, and thought I would make it without stopping to wait. I concluded the left-turner would see me and wait a beat while I crossed, and be safely out of the right-turner's path by then. This conjecture took all of a few seconds and I moved into the driveway at a good clip. Unfortunately for the young woman on her phone trying to turn right, I happened to be in front of her as she started to creep forward. It was the pace that meant, I'm letting off the brake enough so my car moves. Or maybe it was a brake off, time to turn now! kind of speed. Either way, she started forward while I was still in her path, she looking away from me at on-coming traffic. So I shouted HEY and kept moving, unscathed. I then stopped at the traffic signal a hundred feet away. I didn't look back. But my shout came out harder and harsher than I anticipated. It was my stupid move that made it half-way necessary so I felt bad. Also I had the pent-up frustration of trying to control the whole darn trip and I couldn't control anything and that was in it too.

After crossing the street, I expected traffic to be turning into my path at any time, and began to accept it. Meanwhile, I beat myself over the head and Stupid stupid stupid came out, and then Not stupid not stupid not stupid as I defended myself. I prayed to make it home safely still and not come to harm, and then confessed my overwhelming pride and entitlement that had flared up, and how there was nothing good in me. (Apart from Jesus Christ I am sinful.) But the need to keep it together and balanced prevailed. I asked God to help me accept His forgiveness for my obstinate pride and haughtiness. Finally, I biked the last stretch thinking of the lesson God was teaching me about letting go of control. I turned down a side street to take a back way in, a road that is under construction. I didn't think they would be working on it because I always traveled it at night before. They were there. So I turned around and went the other way home. One of life's ironies, I thought. Then I thought, One of God's humorous things, He's probably laughing. And then I sobered at the thought of God laughing at me in my futile attempts at controlling life.

I walked inside the house and washed up. Looking in the mirror I saw my lipstick had stayed and smiled at that. In between my two front teeth, I saw it stuck, a pink piece. Oh yes.

Until next time!

Deborah

P.S. If the tone of this piece seems naive, lacking in common sense, and general maturity, well, it's an honest account. God bless.

P.P.S. I did text my mom back sometime before I got back.

From Home-schooled to Home-schooling Teacher

   I just came back from a home-school co-op meeting at COVE! I want to post a few pics of what my display looked like (small) and basically record it for memories :) First "official" french teaching experience for me. I'm excited. And praying.

From the top: My table shared with the art teacher, Sharon (of course). I love art so it was a happy partnership; view from my spot of where the parents would soon be sitting, and listen to the leadership talk and the teachers intro themselves; my table and its contents (humble to be sure haha); and finally, one of my competitors ;) the German table. I love the flag draped on it.

C'est tout for now, but I'll be back soon reporting on something or other. Leave a comment about whatever and guess what! No more pending comments. What you type is what everyone sees.

Gracias, 

DB