All The Same...But Different

[Brian Elliott]

I arrived back in Texas yesterday and everything seemed the same as I left it...busy and chaotic. I sure do miss the simplicity of living on the road. I went on a bike ride with my dad as soon as we got to the house. I rode my mountain bike, which had a flat before I even started. We rode to a restaurant to eat sushi (which I have been craving for the last 2 months). It was chopstick Tuesday (a tradition Lyzz and I started this summer that we encourage everyone to partake in....use chopsticks for dinner every Tuesday) and I was stoked to get some good exercise, good fellowship with my dad, and good food. Well, as soon as I got on the Trekster I felt out of place. It just felt sooo awkward and slow. After spending about 250 hours with my good friend Cayenne (my road bike) this summer, I think the Trek was a bit envious and angry about being abandoned all summer. Cayenne and I built a strong bond this summer and it just feels natural for us to be together. We feel "at home" when we are together. When I am pushing down with a mighty force trying to feel a the wind rush past me, she loves it and slices through the air and floats up the hills and over mountains. All is good. Well apparently the Trek (I need a good name for it) could sense the awkwardness because he went flat on me right when we got to the restaurant and once again when we were riding back to the house. I ended up walking most of the way home. I sense that my relationships with people are going to be similar. After spending every minute of every hour with the same 18 people for 2 months, going through the same trials and tribulations, sharing in the same joys, going through the same thirst, pain, hunger, lack of sleep, saddle sores, seeing the same beautiful trees and skies, eating the same random mix of food, sharing the same floors that we slept on, leaning on one another and encouraging each other to keep going, and most importantly growing in Christ together and learning more about ourselves by learning more about each other and about how God is working in everyone else's lives, we now are unified by a strong bond that will no doubt last at least 87 years when we will meet together and reminisce about Foamhenge and the road that was "All downhill from Pie Town," and conclude the evening with a couple rounds of Time After Time. Spending time with old friends is not quite the same. They just can't relate or really understand where we have been, what we have gone through, or who we have become. It's a unique and special relationship our team has that can NEVER be taken away from us. It reminds me of my relationship with Christ. He has been there with me my entire life going through everything I have experienced in life, both good and bad, whether I talked with Him a lot or very little, he was always there. The more time I spend talking with Him through prayer, learning about him by reading scripture, serving Him, loving Him, worshipping Him and just being in His presence, the stronger our bond grows. As I grow closer to Christ I become more like Him and begin to emulate his qualities and characteristics. This happens in any relationship...you begin to think and behave like those you spend time with. This is what becomes "normal" and "correct." Other behaviors and thoughts seem "weird" or even "wrong." Most of our society's "normal" and "right" thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors are just self-centered, pride based, materialistic, and hopeless. I want my thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors to reflect those of Christ, being full of love, selflessness, compassion, grace, thankfullness, hope, strength, and eternal based. This means I need to spend more time with Him so that it just feels "natural" and "right" when I am talking with Him and serving Him. So much so that being around people who don't have a similar relationship with Christ and a similar mindset feels awkward and abnormal. Those who you spend the most time with end up being the people you care about and love the most. My goal is to love God more than anything else on this earth for the rest of my life. That being said, Cayenne is supposed to come back home tomorrow. Oh, and I had a terrific run today in the sub 100 degree weather!

[Erik Pelttari]

I'm glad you've sharpened me this summer. Give the Trek some time and shower her with love and you two will be right in no time.