Hello everybody,
"When this all started." What do I mean by that? And what is "this all?" First, I'll say that it all started when I was born! People sometimes ask when I first believed, and I realize that I always have. He has always been there- it's just that I haven't always been there too! Now, what I mean by when this all started is this- I have been feeling God's hand upon me heavily for a few years recently. I figure that He must have thought it was time for me to start moving towards what it was that I was supposed to be moving towards!
On July 5, 2007, I became the proud new owner of a used, but new-to-me, bright red, fast, motorcycle. Did I mention it was fast? It was! It is a street bike, and I loved it. I had no fear while riding it, but much respect. Fear, while doing something critical like riding a motorcycle, can only cause problems. I remember when I was learning to drive an 18-wheeler on the busy freeways in the bay area- that fear itself is dangerous. I remember the driving instructor looking over at me and asking me, "Are you scared?" Well, the truth was that I was afraid, but I didn't just hide it, I took control of it. I knew that panicking from fear while driving that big truck would be dangerous, so I didn't allow myself to become afraid. Same with the motorcycle. I got braver and braver on that motorcycle- my confidence improved with time. There's that line, the line between confidence and stupidity- you know what I mean. Well, I went fast at times, but that kind of motorcycle is designed for that, so I felt confident. I don't believe I ever pushed the limit past what was safe. I loved riding it. I've heard that it is almost as good as flying an airplane. So why am I telling you all of this? I rode that bike for a good year, without any mishaps (well, serious ones anyways!). I learned some powerful lessons on that thing- like the power of choice. While riding, it became extremely obvious how critical and powerful were the consequences of the choices I made. How fast to go? What risks to take? What weather to ride in? Only having two wheels and being a small moving target seriously impacts the way you think. I loved firing it up and roaring off down the road. Then one day I started it up and I had a fearful feeling that had not been there before. I started to think about "what if." As I rode, I started to think about what was around the corner ahead. What if there was a car that shot around the corner and came right at me? What would I do? What if I crashed? I had never had these thoughts before. I could not enjoy the ride. I parked the bike in the garage. A few days later, I started it up, thinking maybe the fear would be gone. No, it came right back. I went for a short ride, but it was no fun. I turned around and parked it again, and while doing so I recognized Who was talking to me. I knew Who it was. I felt God telling me that I had a purpose and that riding this motorcycle was taking an unnecessary risk. I listened. However, I did try to ride it once again months later, but the same feeling was there. That bike sits in the garage to this day! Does anyone want to buy a motorcycle? Seriously. I need to sell it soon. I tried to explain to people about the whole thing- some understood, some didn't. What matters is that I understood. And that, my friends, is when the ball started picking up speed as it rolled towards The Walk.
God bless,
Craig
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Hey there! I'm still here! Friday, January 14, 2011
Hello everyone,
How are you? I'm sorry that I have not written sooner. No excuses, I just haven't written.
Before I left on The Walk, my fellow employees at the City of Fortuna pledged a dollar a mile for my walk. This weekend I calculated that I had walked 553.3 miles from Ferndale to San Luis Obispo. This Monday morning I went to the Monday morning safety meeting and announced my mileage. They cut me a check for $553.30 right away!! Isn't that great? Thank you Fortuna Employees Association! The next day I got it into the mail to Bob and Joyce Coder. They were very appreciative because, if you have been following their blog, the Coder clan just moved to a bigger house. The check will help them offset their moving expenses.
While I was at it, I inquired into how much money The Walk may have helped raise for the Coder children. It turns out that it wasn't very much. However, we don't know what the future holds. There may still be someone who has it in their heart to help out financially. The great news is that the Coders and their board of directors expressed their appreciation for what I did. What is so great is that they expressed gratitude for how what I did may have helped uplift people along the way! I know that it did. I had the privilege of being there. I had the pleasure of seeing them uplifted, and I had the pleasure of being uplifted by them. So, it's not all about money now, is it? It's about God's will being done. When His will is done, we are all blessed. Sure, I wished that more money would have been raised, and maybe it will be, but right now I am grateful for the experience. Before I left, I knew that this walk was not just about the children, but was also about building my own faith and courage. The Walk worked. It did build my faith and courage. But guess what? They are still not perfect! Probably never will be. They are both like muscles- they need to be exercised. And like muscles, if they are not regularly exercised, they will fade. We climb a hill only to find a bigger one just beyond!! A clue, hmmmmmm?!? I realize now just how much I needed The Walk and the exercise of my faith and courage. I am still in danger of getting "stalled in the city" as I have come to call it. Getting stalled in the city is when I try to figure out the road ahead while staying in this city. I try to figure out the obstacles and their solutions now, instead of when I confront them. It is also a matter of losing a little bit of courage with each passing day while I wait. If I wait too long, I won't leave the city- know what I mean? The only solution is to have the faith to go ahead and step out, and trust that God will work out the solutions to the obstacles right when I come up against them. I can say from the experience of my walk that He did come through- every time. Now I find that I still have my doubts and fears. Oh well, I am human, huh? However, they aren't nearly as big as they once were though. Hallelujah!! If you want to know something that I am thankful for, it is that! I find myself more brave and hopeful now than I have ever been before in my life! I say Amen!
I said in an earlier blog that I would write about what I had learned along the way. The above is one of the things I learned- so there you go. I hope it helps you in your walk of faith. I will write more. There is plenty more to say. I just hope that you will be patient with me and keep tuning in. It will get interesting............
Love,
God bless,
Craig
How are you? I'm sorry that I have not written sooner. No excuses, I just haven't written.
Before I left on The Walk, my fellow employees at the City of Fortuna pledged a dollar a mile for my walk. This weekend I calculated that I had walked 553.3 miles from Ferndale to San Luis Obispo. This Monday morning I went to the Monday morning safety meeting and announced my mileage. They cut me a check for $553.30 right away!! Isn't that great? Thank you Fortuna Employees Association! The next day I got it into the mail to Bob and Joyce Coder. They were very appreciative because, if you have been following their blog, the Coder clan just moved to a bigger house. The check will help them offset their moving expenses.
While I was at it, I inquired into how much money The Walk may have helped raise for the Coder children. It turns out that it wasn't very much. However, we don't know what the future holds. There may still be someone who has it in their heart to help out financially. The great news is that the Coders and their board of directors expressed their appreciation for what I did. What is so great is that they expressed gratitude for how what I did may have helped uplift people along the way! I know that it did. I had the privilege of being there. I had the pleasure of seeing them uplifted, and I had the pleasure of being uplifted by them. So, it's not all about money now, is it? It's about God's will being done. When His will is done, we are all blessed. Sure, I wished that more money would have been raised, and maybe it will be, but right now I am grateful for the experience. Before I left, I knew that this walk was not just about the children, but was also about building my own faith and courage. The Walk worked. It did build my faith and courage. But guess what? They are still not perfect! Probably never will be. They are both like muscles- they need to be exercised. And like muscles, if they are not regularly exercised, they will fade. We climb a hill only to find a bigger one just beyond!! A clue, hmmmmmm?!? I realize now just how much I needed The Walk and the exercise of my faith and courage. I am still in danger of getting "stalled in the city" as I have come to call it. Getting stalled in the city is when I try to figure out the road ahead while staying in this city. I try to figure out the obstacles and their solutions now, instead of when I confront them. It is also a matter of losing a little bit of courage with each passing day while I wait. If I wait too long, I won't leave the city- know what I mean? The only solution is to have the faith to go ahead and step out, and trust that God will work out the solutions to the obstacles right when I come up against them. I can say from the experience of my walk that He did come through- every time. Now I find that I still have my doubts and fears. Oh well, I am human, huh? However, they aren't nearly as big as they once were though. Hallelujah!! If you want to know something that I am thankful for, it is that! I find myself more brave and hopeful now than I have ever been before in my life! I say Amen!
I said in an earlier blog that I would write about what I had learned along the way. The above is one of the things I learned- so there you go. I hope it helps you in your walk of faith. I will write more. There is plenty more to say. I just hope that you will be patient with me and keep tuning in. It will get interesting............
Love,
God bless,
Craig
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Don't go away!! Thursday, Jan 6, 2011
Hello! My friend Karen visited me yesterday! She used to live up here in Humboldt County and she recently moved down to Santa Rosa. She came out and met me at Bodega Bay during my walk and camped with me. She also drove me around town so that I could take care of some things that I needed to tend to. Thank you Karen!!!
Thank you for tuning in again. The numbers of you tuning in has dwindled a bit, and I understand. I have not posted much lately----and The Walk is finished. Or is it?!? Things may get interesting................
We are called to have faith. We are also called to seek wisdom. We need to trust that God is good, but we also need to get up in the morning and go to work. "Pray to God, but row the boat to shore." "Pray as if everything depends on God, but act as if everything depends on you." Ever heard either of those?
Have you ever heard the story of the old dog and the panther? One day an old dog was way out in the middle of nowhere- out in the open. He caught sight of movement and looked way out yonder (yep, out yonder) and saw something running his way. A minute later he recognized the sight! It was a big ol' panther and it was heading right at him, and fast. It didn't take the old dog too long to realize that he was probably next on the panther's menu! That ol' dog ran around in circles, not knowing what to do, but knowing that he had to do something fast. All of a sudden he noticed some old bones laying there. He stooped over and started chewing on the bones. Just before that panther was about to pounce on him, that ol' dog blurted out loud, "Boy, that sure was a good panther!" That panther slammed on his brakes, turned around and slinked off, thinking to himself, "Man, that was close! I almost got eaten!" Well, a ground squirrel just happened to be around to witness this whole thing and he thought to himself, "You know, I can use all this to my advantage", and with that he chased down the panther. He told that panther about how he had just been had!
The panther said, "Hop on my back and we'll go settle this once and for all with that ol' dog." Now that ol' dog hears something and looks up, only to see that darn panther comin' back- and this time with a squirrel on his back to boot! He knows this can't be good, and he runs around in a circle again, thinking real hard. Now just as that panther is about to jump him again, that ol' dog looks the other way and says out loud, "Now where is that squirrel? I sent him off about an hour ago to bring me another panther!!!"
The moral of the story? You know, there are a few in there, isn't there? But the main simple one is this- Ya gotta be smart!
Jesus said, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16)
May you all have a shrewd and innocent new year!!!!
God bless you and yours,
Craig
Thank you for tuning in again. The numbers of you tuning in has dwindled a bit, and I understand. I have not posted much lately----and The Walk is finished. Or is it?!? Things may get interesting................
We are called to have faith. We are also called to seek wisdom. We need to trust that God is good, but we also need to get up in the morning and go to work. "Pray to God, but row the boat to shore." "Pray as if everything depends on God, but act as if everything depends on you." Ever heard either of those?
Have you ever heard the story of the old dog and the panther? One day an old dog was way out in the middle of nowhere- out in the open. He caught sight of movement and looked way out yonder (yep, out yonder) and saw something running his way. A minute later he recognized the sight! It was a big ol' panther and it was heading right at him, and fast. It didn't take the old dog too long to realize that he was probably next on the panther's menu! That ol' dog ran around in circles, not knowing what to do, but knowing that he had to do something fast. All of a sudden he noticed some old bones laying there. He stooped over and started chewing on the bones. Just before that panther was about to pounce on him, that ol' dog blurted out loud, "Boy, that sure was a good panther!" That panther slammed on his brakes, turned around and slinked off, thinking to himself, "Man, that was close! I almost got eaten!" Well, a ground squirrel just happened to be around to witness this whole thing and he thought to himself, "You know, I can use all this to my advantage", and with that he chased down the panther. He told that panther about how he had just been had!
The panther said, "Hop on my back and we'll go settle this once and for all with that ol' dog." Now that ol' dog hears something and looks up, only to see that darn panther comin' back- and this time with a squirrel on his back to boot! He knows this can't be good, and he runs around in a circle again, thinking real hard. Now just as that panther is about to jump him again, that ol' dog looks the other way and says out loud, "Now where is that squirrel? I sent him off about an hour ago to bring me another panther!!!"
The moral of the story? You know, there are a few in there, isn't there? But the main simple one is this- Ya gotta be smart!
Jesus said, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16)
May you all have a shrewd and innocent new year!!!!
God bless you and yours,
Craig
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)