Dear All of Us,
Remember when
we first learned
to ride a bicycle?
It was a definitive
Rite of Passage.
It opened wide a way
different, scary,
and exciting.
It took daring do
and lots of practice.
We needed another
to run alongside,
to coach, encourage
and steady us.
It's so similar such as
The Spirit
spins us along
Soul Way.
Learning our
spiritual way
takes trust,
openness to the
new and different,
a willingness
to lean/learn forward,
practice,
adjustment,
balance,
coordinating
variations
- lots of gear changes.
There are
spills and scrapes,
and
euphoria
aplenty,
as we
cycle forward
- flat on our face
to shy high.
We deal will terrains
different, difficult,
delightful -
bumpy, twisting,
flat fast,
tense tight.
We learn to
counter correct
frantic fast, lazy slow,
right or left leaning.
We never stay
in the same space,
rarely at the same speed.
We traverse lush
soulful gardens to
dry desert wastelands
of spirit
with lots else
in-between.
We weather
warm sun,
drenching downpour,
gusty winds,
placid peacefulness
- it runs hot and cold
and we try not to.
The big difference between
learning to bicycle and
learning to journey spiritually
is that we are
forever coached
and
supported
by
The Spirit
not only alongside us
in soulful, wise elders and
our "Spirit"-ual Communities,
("a cloud of witnesses")
but always
intimately, deeply within.
It's not over until we are,
Heven Arrived,
Home Safe.
Between here and there,
now and when it's
God Go
as we
SOUL
CYCLE
******
Paul cheers us on.
What he says
of running
we apply
to cycling:
Do you see what it means -
all these pioneers who blazed the way,
all these veterans cheering us on?
It means we'd better get on with it.
Strip down, start running - and never quit!
No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.
Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both
began and finished the race we're in.
Study how he did it. Because he never
lost sight of where he was headed -
that exhilarating finish in and with God -
he could put up with anything
along the way: Cross, shame, whatever.
And now he's there, in the place of honor,
right alongside God. When you find yourself
flagging in your faith, go over the story again,
item by item, that long litany of hostility
he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline
into your souls!
Hebrews 12:1-3
The Message
How about that
as a get go,
as a keep going
indeed, a
way to go,
Soulfully
Cycle
******
HOMEBOUND
For those
who missed it
last week,
here's a lead on a
small, for real
Country Church
that livestreams its
Service.
It's a blessing for the
homebound.
In weeks to come two other
very different and excellent
churches will be highlighted here.
Free Union Vienna Church
This is a delightful, small,
country church
located in the rolling hills of
beautiful NW New Jersey.
Their 10:00 AM Sunday Service
(East Coast USA time)
is livestreamed.
Just GOOGLE
Free Union Vienna UMC Facebook
Delete the X top right.
There is an ease and warmth
about this friendly community.
The Sharing of the Peace
is mobile, vigorous
and takes a while.
The hymns are both
old time and
contemporary
favorites.
Creative videos
are woven into
prayer and sermon.
Anthony's preaching
is conversational
in manner,
soundly scriptural,
deeply spiritual,
and is interspersed
with references
to contemporary
media and music
Oh, yes!
Be advised
Anthony
goes big for
The Boss
- Bruce Springsteen -
:)
This is neither
a traditional
high church
nor a
manicured
and polished
big church.
This is good church
up close and real.
******
It's Spring in The States.
Lot's of warm freshness
here in Washington, DC.
Such is our welcome to all
joining with us recently from
around our global village.
Great to cycle forth together.
ONLINE POSTINGS
Thursday mornings
East Coast USA time.
A sampling of
past postings
is available
by scrolling
well down
beneath
this posting.
See you next week.
Love to all.
God Bless,
John Frank
frankly speaking
spirituality for the street
johnfrankshares.blogspot.com
******
