Balance for Bikers

The close of another riding season..another milestone..

            I can look back at that..and some really great rides...

   

rear view mirror stuff..

                  thinking on the time that has gone by...

                                                                        or...

   look at a new accessory for the bike next year!

                        I am going to spend time with the latter...for at least a moment, as my wife said..

              'hey what Harley 'thing' do you want for your gift this year '??

        The rear cylinder on my Harley has a 'two into one' exaust configuration, and I am considering going with a

'true' dual exhaust setup...

                                                ...for balance...equal load to both pipes.

                                                                               

   I think it would sound cool...but

              

       me balancing the load may not align with the efficiency..the reasoning behind the original design... 

    

                           the Designer...

                                           may have had a purpose for that load to be shifted on One side..

                                                                                     

                                                                                                                           .. to run further...cooler..easier.

  ok...shifting gears

          

              from  John the Baptist      

                 

  John 3     

      ³⁰He must become greater; I must become less.

   

                  to

                                Jesus

               Matthew 11

  ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."-

   

       

hmmm....maybe before I consider modifying the Path...

            I should revisit the Designers Manual...and check some specs..

       

     John 3

¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.     

John 14

⁶Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

    

         Looks like the Design says that One should take the load.. 

    

                                                                    ..but is that very efficient?     

    back to the Manual ..                        

   

Matthew 4-Jesus Heals the Sick

 ²³Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. ²⁴News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.    

       ok…100% efficient. Lets move on…

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

 ¹He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil^[a] spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

                                                                            

 100 per cent-o

²⁰They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketful s of broken pieces that were left over.

            numero 100 - oh

                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                       

³⁵And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him ³⁶and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

                ok...I get it.. the original design was extremely efficient...

        but what about the production models...you know... the ones like mine?

        lets check further in the manual...

   

¹⁵As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. ¹⁶Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil^[a] spirits, and all of them were healed

            to.. be.. continued..

   

                   

⁶When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues^[c] and prophesied. ⁷There were about twelve men in all.

            twelve out of twelve....that would beeee...100%

The Power from the original Design runs right through the production models..

         at 100%.

      

           hmmm... makes me wonder how many production models..

    

                                            are just parked..

                                                       ...in worship 'parking lots' everywhere..

                                                                

                                                                     and yes, maybe mine.

 - my (and maybe your) life as a follower of Jesus the Christ  brings three things to mind :

          -   an electric range... (no flame..controlled heat)

               -   a gas stove (controlled flame,gets up there a little)

                   - and a crazy big bonfire..flames jumping... leaping... reaching.. (yeah baby!!)  -

                                                                        -choice-

     I just went through and did some picking and choosing through scripture..but isn't that just it..

    

                     picking and choosing..

                                         like we are all mechanics..

                instead of learning from the original Design,

    

                                      which is Perfect.

                  I wonder what would happen..

   from a Power, efficiency standard Today..

       

                        if we all wanted the Holy Spirit of the Original Design for our Life...more than anything else!

                           Thinkin' ' bonfire'  baby!

                                                                     and  

that the 2 into One set up.. really rocks.                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                       

  

   John 17

 ³I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Getting It

²⁹Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

                Do you struggle with this?

Wanting ‘to do something’ that makes more ‘sense’ to you…

                        The way to worship…

the way to pray…

                                      the 613 rabbinic tributaries…

        

                                                             the apostolic letters…the epistles…

                                      Hey man, don’t feel alone if you do.

                      ⁸Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

Would it?

 ³⁶ In all the travels of the Israelite s, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; ³⁷ but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. ³⁸ So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.

                Well,Ok..

        So if I saw George Burns (‘oh God’)… or maybe Morgan Freeman (‘Bruce Almighty’)… role playing for ‘the Philip’ in me...

would it be enough?

                Be honest….

                        Would it be enough for tomorrow?

No..and

       

                Jesus the Christ knew better.

¹³But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Aghhh

        There is that stumbling block again!

                ___________

-         So Howard says to me as we look at the Electra Glide on the lift

’ when you changed the back pressure with the Vance and Hines, you really need to change to change your intake…’

        In other words.. if you want the machine to run well, and sound very cool…

you got to change its diet….you got to feed it more.

                And differently.

        I went for the Arlen Ness ‘Big Sucker’ air filter system..

            

                                                     had him re-map the fuel delivery on the ‘Power Commander’…

               

                and I am here to tell you..

                        rolling on the throttle never felt or sounded so good!

                                   Howard knows bikes…

                          he cares..

                                                 and if you listen to him..let him do his job..

                                 you will be pleasantly surprised with the quality of your ride.

                Did it cost?

                                                Oh yeah. Initially, it was something I didn’t want to pay.

                       

Is it worth it?

                        Phew, baby!

                               

                                        Any of this illustration sound vaguely familiar to you??

        Changing the intake will keep you from just making a lot of noise with no performance.

___________________________

out on the road today
I saw a dead head sticker on a Cadillac
a voice inside my head said don't look back
you can never look back 

(‘the boys of summer’ from the album ‘building the perfect beast’ by don henley)

               

Getting it….

       

-         640 am…48 degrees…leathered up…a very healthy Harley idling…warming up.

Time enough to walk my little black prayer partner for last call…

          and to commune before my commute.

                       

        First few leaves are falling…colors just getting started…

               

                        Seasons?
                                                             We got ‘em.

                        Yeah man.

Pretty soon I’ll be counting how many full moons till spring.

    And as we walk…I see a new tenant in my neighbors ‘in law’ apartment…and think

       

                      How the mind of the tenant..

                                                         should be my mind.

My brothers and sisters in the CMA and Melchizedeks bike clubs..

                 ministering at the Blackthorn Bike fest ….

serving Hells Angels….69rs…

                                People…

                                                Creations…

                                                                Souls.

Praying.

Worship went for an hour and a half Sunday…at the place I go to gather with others…

       

                Tongues…

                                Singing..

                                                        Crying…

        Praying.

        Lord…how foolish can we be…in saying ‘I got it’.

                                                        when it is all about ‘getting it’.

                Not past tense..

                                                    But present.

 Just look at all creation around you,

                                              and tell me which one is ‘right’.

Is there something about me knowing ‘I am getting it’

                                            Instead of ‘I got it’

                         That makes all the difference in the world?

     And in the words of a friend ’Lord what have you done?’

                ______________________________

Kissed my wife good bye…patted my little pal on the head…

       

                        And as I put my foot down at the first traffic light…I look up at an old building

where the gutter had become disconnected from the downspout..

                                And smile.

I am getting it.

                Looked at the colors on the hillside…as I draw in a deep one…and hit 3^rd gear as I leave town..

I just love the way this iron is running!

                                By 5^th I am thinking of a duckbill platypus…and shaking my head.

        ‘God, what were you thinkin’’

                               

                                        Yeah, I think that is crazy?

It gets….

 ¹⁶"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,^[f] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

                        Got it??

       

                Hardly.

                                But…

                                                 I think I am getting it.

¹³And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

                                              

                                                                       

                                                                       

                                                                    Today

                                                                                       

What?

‘Do what they say, say what you mean
Oh well, one thing leads to another
You told me something wrong
I know I listen too long
But then one thing leads to another’

                   (‘One Thing Leads to Another’- the Fixx- from the 1983 album ‘Reach the Beach)

 ( I am loving Luke 16 vs 1-15 all week long baby)

??What??

       Anyway

         Is

                       ‘ The path’

 ⁸"The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly.

                         For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.

⁹I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

 To believe in Faith…

that a personal relationship between you and our Father

               is in anything..

                                         Is e v e r y t h i n g!

So..that being said…

 what about..the path?

          Should it even matter?

       When even our short sightedness ..

can be the stones covered with hot oil ..

to pave a highway ..

 for His Harley.

                                               

(Ah yes, speaking about the iron steed brings to mind a ‘garage’ story..)

-So…we were standing around the bikes, and the conversation went like this…

  ‘Michael’ - “You should come to church with us.”

            ‘Fred’ replies - “Got any good looking women there?”

                        Considering this, Michael and I look at each other, smile, and turn back to Fred- “Well, yeah man!”

Not exactly the offering you might have expected a couple of married, Jesus the Christ following bikers for ‘just one more, at any cost’.

           

                        But..

                       

                        The truth is..

 there are a lot of good looking women that attend our church.

(We married 2 of them! :>)

                                                            

Have you recently looked at ‘the path’ lately…yours?

             think about it for more than a minute…ok?

                        Sure, you can take our reply to Fred’s question, and get kind of starchy about it

                                           or

                                       as you reflect…

(and yes, I will always believe…’there are no coincidences’)

                      ….While we try to make ‘sense’ of ‘it all’ ..

                                 ….What if Fred went to check out some hot Christian chicks one Sunday..

                                                                   And God met him along the Way.

   

                                Isn’t it just that crazy?

                                                and so God!!

                                                      You know, I recently was perplexed about ‘the path’ others should take..

to realizing God through His Son, Jesus.

.

And I’ll tell you what I think about that-

            You might as well take a gallon of paint

 throw it in the air,

                   (!maybe get out of Its’ Way!)

   and after it hits the ‘canvas’ and dries…look at it,

                 and ‘decide’ what is ‘right or wrong’ about it.

           

     Well?

                       

                   Is what is on the ‘canvas’ not what you ‘expected’?

                             That, again, is just so our Creator!

           

        So if you find yourself in the ‘Door Way’, with your expectations

                                        be careful in what you think God can or can’t do with His ‘raw’ materials

                                            

                              cause’ someone going by that ‘Canvas’, 

                                                               may see Him ...

           and if you stop trying so hard to draw ‘the picture’..

                                        That ‘canvas ‘

may even be you.