Surprisingly I said yes…with two conditions.
1. We would ride a tandem bike.
2. We would not have to share a tent with anyone else.
He agreed.
My biggest fear (besides having to shower in the community bathrooms with the other female bikers) was riding in a rain storm.
My husband loves the rain. I have a like/hate relationship with it. My inner child longs to not care about a little rain but laugh, splash and sing in the puddles. My tightly wound self likes to be put together (on the inside and the outside) and not be wet and miserable. I like to plan, prepare and know what is coming. I like to calculate my reactions so I do not cause a scene.
You see where this is going right?
It rained a lot. No, it poured. One day as we peddled down a pot-hole laced back road we were pelted with rain. A downpour soaked our biker shorts, our foam seats and our helmets. I could not avoid the less-than-ideal circumstances. I could not stop the sheets of water that obstructed our view.
My biggest fear surrounding the bike tour was happening right on top of my head and soaking my socks in the process. I was annoyed for a few minutes and then my husband and I started laughing. What else could we do?
If we slowed down it would take longer to get to the campsite. If we stopped we would get cold.
We could not change our circumstances. We could complain and add misery to an already stinky and slippery situation or we could laugh and embrace the unexpected situation that we found ourselves in.
We did not have tire guards for our bike and so we got splattered with mud too.
If I could have had my way with the weather then I would have missed out on the messy moments than gave way to marvelous memories.
I have to admit I did not did a very good job remembering that this was my word for the year.
There were difficult aspects of 2014:
-Walking through hard times with loved ones
-Attending funerals for a friend’s mother and another friend’s husband
-Realizing that I have workaholic tendencies when it comes to being creative.
-Recognizing just how tightly wound I am
-Saying goodbye to the dreams of developing a camp on the land we live on
-Ebola, ISIS, our friends’ adopted children stuck overseas
There were delightful aspects of 2014:
-Taking the next steps with writing
-Meeting some great online friends
-A long family vacation down south
-Surprise monetary gifts at just the right time
-Growing closer together as a family
A word, an idea, that is often closely connected to our circumstances.
But, as Christians, we know that joy is found in Jesus. It is lasting. It is our strength. It is present, deep down, regardless of the madness swirling around.
Joy is rooted in the real hope that we have as sons and daughter of God.
We belong.
We are forgiven.
Our life has purpose.
Jesus will come again for us.
We will be made new.
All will be made right.
When the mud splatters and the rain pours may we not forget that joy can be found anyway. Not an every-thing-is-sunshine-and-daffodils Pollyanna sentiment, but real lasting joy that bubbles up from within. This joy originates from His truth, His salvation, His promises, His love.
Joy is a choice. It can be present in the midst of sorrow. It can carry us through the horrific. It can fill our hearts even when they are heavy-laden and hurting.
My word for 2014 was joy and I learned that it can be found in the mud.
P.S. Would you pray for my friend and author Shelly Beach? She is undergoing surgery today to investigate a mass in her brain and could really use many prayers. Thank you.
Katie- Thank you for inviting us into the moment when you chose joy… when you let go of the circumstances and laughed with your husband. It was beautiful. This line is so powerful: “It is present, deep down, regardless of the madness swirling around. ” Amen! May God show you much joy this year, and may you unwind enough to choose it. You are one of my biggest blessings of 2014. Thank you!
Oh Karen, thank you! Stay tune tomorrow when I share some of your writing with my readers.:)
Love this, Katie! My word for 2015 is going to be JOY. It’s actually a spin-off of LIGHT in 2014. More on that tomorrow on the blog. But for now, I’m grateful for your words here today. They reminded me of what matters.
It’s a good word! Looking forward to how He grows you as you choose it for 2015. I realize the word joy is not in this verse but wanted to encourage you with it today anyway.:) Romans 15:13 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+15%3A13&version=NIV
Katie, you and I are so alike. I totally get you about wanting to stay dry and in control and out of the rain. I have a really hard time letting go with my kids. I like things in order. Thank you for keeping this mentality front and center for me. I am thankful for how your blog speaks to me. You bring me a cherished gift. Much love sweet Katie!
I understand Kelly, I really do. Praying that He helps us to embrace grace in the unraveling of life in 2015.:) In the same breath there are strengths that comes from being tightly wound- we just need to keep being wound up for Him.:)
Loved this! You sound a lot like me…I never, ever leave the house without make-up on. However, I’m recovering because I know where true joy really lives!
Christy- My son just told me the other day, ‘Why do you put make-up on? You don’t have to wear it.” One time I did a two week make-up fast, it was hard but really good for me. I now can go in public without wearing it sometimes and it doesn’t feel as scary.;)
Well said. It takes a while to figure out that joy and messy can come in one package. 🙂
Yes Astrid it does and I am still trying to learn it.:)
I really loved this, Katie. My word for 2014 was also JOY so this really spoke to me. I’m trying to write a post that concludes sharing how joy was found in what was probably one of my most challenging years. Just not sure when or if the post will be finalized. I’m learning to be okay with God’s timing with when the writing actually happens. 🙂
Much love to you, friend.
I hear you Beth.:) I almost didn’t post this because I felt like I did a pretty lousy job with joy this year. But as I wrote I began to realize that I got a taste of the depth of His sustaining joy as we walk through really hard times. Without Him I wouldn’t get through, without His hope I’d be lost.
Katie this was such a beautiful post and you are so right – we can have Joy if we choose to. I love the muddy bike ride as a metaphor for life…Our hope is in Christ and what a wonderful hope indeed. Will pray for your friend Shelley and stand in faith that God’s will be done in her life and that He will comfort her and her family and friends during this time of uncertainty. God bless 🙂
Thank you so much for your prayers for Shelly. That means so much!
Katie, it was heartbreaking reading through the struggles of your past year. I felt many of those same heart aches myself. Praise God that Joy comes in the morning! Also looking forward with great expectation for this new year ahead.
Blessings, your Ra ra linkup neighbour. Jenny x
Hugs Jenny. Thanks for stopping by.:)
“We could not change our circumstances. We could complain and add misery to an already stinky and slippery situation or we could laugh and embrace the unexpected situation that we found ourselves in.” Such good words. We always have a choice, don’t we? I loved your post and your bike trip was such a great illustration of “joy in the mud.” Joy does go deep and will help bring us through the hard things.
Thank you for commenting Gayl. Happy New Year to you- may this year be one of wonder and special moments.:) Psalm 121
Hi, Katie!
This sentence speaks right to my heart.
“We kept going over the bumps and plowed through puddles and eventually we made it to the other side.”
It’s the kind of sentence I need to write down for those moments when I’m in the middle of a puddle and rattled by life’s bumps so I can push through. Thanks for such an encouraging message.
#raralinkup
Hi Friend.:) I need to remind myself of this too- keep going, don’t give up!
“…regardless of the madness swirling around…”
such ‘joy’ as this, found through our Lord, can calm wild desperation.
Enjoyed reading your post via Emily’s link up 🙂
Thank you Lisa- I love this… “such ‘joy’ as this, found through our Lord, can calm wild desperation.”
Joy can be found in the mud. Love it, Katie! Isn’t it amazing how declaring One Word can bring lessons throughout the year, even when we forget we’ve chosen it? That was my experience this last year, too. God is so amazing!
Thank you Sabra. Happy New Year to you. Thankful for you!
This is really encouraging, Katie!
I often forget that true joy comes from Jesus, and I need to be reminded of it constantly.
Ps. I saw this post as a linky on chattingatthesky.com