Date Night - Bicycle Style

Chris has wanted to buy a new bike for a long time, probably since we moved to the city and he saw the advantages of the road bike. The slim tires and the light weight frame made moving around the city seem effortless. His old bike, which is now my bike, is a hybrid. Basically it's a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike. This suits me just fine since it you sit more upright than leaning forward which is better for my low back and wrists. (My only complaint is that I have a hard time maneuvering it up and down stairs because it's big and a little heavy.)

He started saving for his new bike after his 27th birthday. He decided his birthday money would be used as the starter for his "bike fund." In June we added the bike fund to the budget and set aside a certain amount to go toward his bike every month.

It seemed to take forever! I know he was really eager to get a road bike and was envious of the other bikers who seemed to whiz by at high speeds during his commute to work. He just kept riding the hybrid and saving. Month after month. After Christmas when I started getting the nerve up to ride, he was even more eager to have it so we could bike together (and he didn't want to be bike-less).

Well, yesterday was the day! Chris purchased his new bike at a local bike shop. He had been eyeing this bike for awhile but we needed just one more month's savings in order to pay for it. Saturday was like Christmas, except he actually worked and saved really long and hard to get it.

Last night was date night. As we were getting ready, Chis asked, "So, you want to bike or drive." Wow, we have so many options now! I jumped at the chance to bike with my husband! (And I had never ridden at night and could have used a guide!) The restaurant was just down the hill and we got there in less than 5 minutes. Then after dinner we rode about a mile and a half to a friends birthday party (so part of the evening was date night anyway). The night was pretty quiet and although a little chilly, was pretty nice. We had a really great ride together.

After the party, we got back on our bikes and made the journey home. The streets weren't too busy so again it was a pretty good ride. Chris really enjoyed his bike and can't wait to get more comfortable on it.

And we both can't wait to start exploring the city on weekends together with our new mode of transportation!

Chris has wanted to buy a new bike for a long time, probably since we moved to the city and he saw the advantages of the road bike. The slim tires and the light weight frame made moving around the city seem effortless. His old bike, which is now my bike, is a hybrid. Basically it's a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike. This suits me just fine since it you sit more upright than leaning forward which is better for my low back and wrists. (My only complaint is that I have a hard time maneuvering it up and down stairs because it's big and a little heavy.)

He started saving for his new bike after his 27th birthday. He decided his birthday money would be used as the starter for his "bike fund." In June we added the bike fund to the budget and set aside a certain amount to go toward his bike every month.

It seemed to take forever! I know he was really eager to get a road bike and was envious of the other bikers who seemed to whiz by at high speeds during his commute to work. He just kept riding the hybrid and saving. Month after month. After Christmas when I started getting the nerve up to ride, he was even more eager to have it so we could bike together (and he didn't want to be bike-less).

Well, yesterday was the day! Chris purchased his new bike at a local bike shop. He had been eyeing this bike for awhile but we needed just one more month's savings in order to pay for it. Saturday was like Christmas, except he actually worked and saved really long and hard to get it.

Last night was date night. As we were getting ready, Chis asked, "So, you want to bike or drive." Wow, we have so many options now! I jumped at the chance to bike with my husband! (And I had never ridden at night and could have used a guide!) The restaurant was just down the hill and we got there in less than 5 minutes. Then after dinner we rode about a mile and a half to a friends birthday party (so part of the evening was date night anyway). The night was pretty quiet and although a little chilly, was pretty nice. We had a really great ride together.

After the party, we got back on our bikes and made the journey home. The streets weren't too busy so again it was a pretty good ride. Chris really enjoyed his bike and can't wait to get more comfortable on it.

And we both can't wait to start exploring the city on weekends together with our new mode of transportation!

My Closet of Contentment

Have you ever opened your closet door or dresser drawer and said something like, "Uh, I have nothing to wear!"? (Okay, maybe that one was just for my female readers.)

I have. And I still do. I go through these phases where I am just sick and tired of what I have. I want something new or better yet, I want everything new. You know what I'm talking about. Where nothing excites you anymore, or everything you have just seems old, used, worn out or just plain out of style.

I try really hard not to live in those moments for too long or let them happen too often. I know I have plenty of things to wear and I should be very grateful for all that I have. Seriously. Not just, "Oh, okay, I'm fine with what I have." But rejoicing with a heart filled with gratitude that I am well taken care of and provided for. I know people (lots of people) who go without a lot of things because they don't have a choice right now. I know what life in a third-world country looks like for many (and I know it is much worse than what I was exposed to for most).

Why is it so easy for me to get caught up in the have-nots or the I-wishes? Why do I care so much about what I can wear or eat or purchase?

The other day when I was feeling this way I decided to literally take stock of what I have. More specifically, what clothes I have purchased or been given in the past two years. I was shocked. Here's what I saw:

sweaters, dressy shirts and long sleeve shirts . . . and that doesn't show two jackets or my new shoes.

A lot of solid colored tops, a few new pair of pants, shorts and capris . . . 

The clothes I've purchased in the past two years is definitely enough to last me a while but that's not even half of what I own! 

A lot of those new clothes were gifts, and I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful. I'm actually extremely grateful for those gifts because they are cute, and my style, and I love them and they came from very special people. And it means I get to wear new clothes!

But my point is, that being in a place of discontent is dangerous. Very dangerous! It can start with something small like wishing you had newer clothes but it can spread to wishing you had a bigger apartment, better furniture, a different job, a house, a yard, or dare I say a (fill in the blank) spouse or family? 

I don't want to get there. I need to be thankful, grateful, and joyful for what I do have . . . all the time. I need to be content with who I am, where I am in life, and what I have around me. I need to be content with the clothes I have in my closet and remember how blessed I really am.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Have you ever opened your closet door or dresser drawer and said something like, "Uh, I have nothing to wear!"? (Okay, maybe that one was just for my female readers.)

I have. And I still do. I go through these phases where I am just sick and tired of what I have. I want something new or better yet, I want everything new. You know what I'm talking about. Where nothing excites you anymore, or everything you have just seems old, used, worn out or just plain out of style.

I try really hard not to live in those moments for too long or let them happen too often. I know I have plenty of things to wear and I should be very grateful for all that I have. Seriously. Not just, "Oh, okay, I'm fine with what I have." But rejoicing with a heart filled with gratitude that I am well taken care of and provided for. I know people (lots of people) who go without a lot of things because they don't have a choice right now. I know what life in a third-world country looks like for many (and I know it is much worse than what I was exposed to for most).

Why is it so easy for me to get caught up in the have-nots or the I-wishes? Why do I care so much about what I can wear or eat or purchase?

The other day when I was feeling this way I decided to literally take stock of what I have. More specifically, what clothes I have purchased or been given in the past two years. I was shocked. Here's what I saw:

sweaters, dressy shirts and long sleeve shirts . . . and that doesn't show two jackets or my new shoes.

A lot of solid colored tops, a few new pair of pants, shorts and capris . . . 

The clothes I've purchased in the past two years is definitely enough to last me a while but that's not even half of what I own! 

A lot of those new clothes were gifts, and I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful. I'm actually extremely grateful for those gifts because they are cute, and my style, and I love them and they came from very special people. And it means I get to wear new clothes!

But my point is, that being in a place of discontent is dangerous. Very dangerous! It can start with something small like wishing you had newer clothes but it can spread to wishing you had a bigger apartment, better furniture, a different job, a house, a yard, or dare I say a (fill in the blank) spouse or family? 

I don't want to get there. I need to be thankful, grateful, and joyful for what I do have . . . all the time. I need to be content with who I am, where I am in life, and what I have around me. I need to be content with the clothes I have in my closet and remember how blessed I really am.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

The Dietrich Bonhoeffer biography

I don't normally go for biographies. Especially biographies that are over 500 pages! But, the Jews for Jesus Store (where I work) was promoting Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas to our donors and it was a huge hit. Seriously. So, I felt like I was missing out by not being in the know of this apparently great man of WWII. Yes, I had heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer before, in fact one of his books is on my reading list, but I didn't know anything about him.

The book is long, but very thorough. The first two chapters were the most difficult to get through as you aren't familiar with the characters yet and are reading the "begot so-and-so" history of his family. But after I got through that, it was really great.

The author takes you through is childhood and what the depression was like in Germany (awful). Then we see Dietrich as a young adult starting to take on theology with the big-wigs. But not until his mid-twenties (as if that was old) does he really begin to thirst for a relationship with Jesus. And in his German culture, that was strange. There really wasn't much talk of this "relationship" at all. But he believed and that relationship changed his life.

He was a huge advocate for community and actually started a theological seminary where he lived with his students and practiced what he preached (disciples like prayer, meditation on scripture, scripture memory, etc.)

Throughout his life he is making friendships that will eventually form the group of conspirators against Hitler during the second World War. And although they aren't successful in their plots they were successful in standing up for Christ, the Church, and the Jewish people during this time of persecution.

He really was an amazing man of God and very inspiring. I also really enjoyed learning more about that time of history and from the German perspective. I remember very little of what I learned in high school (shame on me, I know) but am so thankful that it's not to late to learn!

If I haven't given away too much of his life or the book and you are interested in more, you can check it out at http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/store/bonhoeffer-pastor-martyr-prophet-spy.html

(yes, that was a plug).

I don't normally go for biographies. Especially biographies that are over 500 pages! But, the Jews for Jesus Store (where I work) was promoting Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas to our donors and it was a huge hit. Seriously. So, I felt like I was missing out by not being in the know of this apparently great man of WWII. Yes, I had heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer before, in fact one of his books is on my reading list, but I didn't know anything about him.

The book is long, but very thorough. The first two chapters were the most difficult to get through as you aren't familiar with the characters yet and are reading the "begot so-and-so" history of his family. But after I got through that, it was really great.

The author takes you through is childhood and what the depression was like in Germany (awful). Then we see Dietrich as a young adult starting to take on theology with the big-wigs. But not until his mid-twenties (as if that was old) does he really begin to thirst for a relationship with Jesus. And in his German culture, that was strange. There really wasn't much talk of this "relationship" at all. But he believed and that relationship changed his life.

He was a huge advocate for community and actually started a theological seminary where he lived with his students and practiced what he preached (disciples like prayer, meditation on scripture, scripture memory, etc.)

Throughout his life he is making friendships that will eventually form the group of conspirators against Hitler during the second World War. And although they aren't successful in their plots they were successful in standing up for Christ, the Church, and the Jewish people during this time of persecution.

He really was an amazing man of God and very inspiring. I also really enjoyed learning more about that time of history and from the German perspective. I remember very little of what I learned in high school (shame on me, I know) but am so thankful that it's not to late to learn!

If I haven't given away too much of his life or the book and you are interested in more, you can check it out at http://www.jews-for-jesus.org/store/bonhoeffer-pastor-martyr-prophet-spy.html

(yes, that was a plug).