I am sorry this ride report is late, I just finished an internship for college and that has been eating up most of my time. Now that it is done I can catch up on some stuff, like this ride report.
The morning of the ride started out cold, but not terribly cold. I think it was around 36 degrees in the morning. There were about 9 people that came out for breakfast and 7 of us that rode. One person left an hour into the ride due to work, but I was glad he came out to ride. To continue I think I need to take a step back. First of all, this ride was called the Jump into Jersey because the planned and reconned route went through North and West New Jersey. However Hurricane Sandy came through and kind of threw a monkey wrench into our plans. After conferring with other chapter members, the preference was to cancel the Jersey ride and ride into the Poconos mountains instead. We made this decision about 3 days before the ride, so I had to come up with an alternate route, and fast! Now back to Saturday. It was good to see old friends, and meet some new ones too. R/T brought out his other "new to him" bike for us to check out. Very Nice! I should have called this ride, the "wing ride" because I was winging it to put it on. By the time I missed the third turn, (yeah it was bad) a guy who lived up here volunteered to bail me out. So, thanks to the panda for saving my bacon. Ron led the rest of the ride and we had a blast. Did I mention Ron is fast? Yah~! But thankfully enough he matched our pace and a great time was had by all. He knew of local restaurant that served great food and we enjoyed a day out in the wind. There were no crashes, no breakdowns and no entanglements with law enforcement. It was a good ride. I forgot my camera, so I'll have to ask others to put up pics if they have them. I'll see you all in December.
Scripture Readings for November 2012
The Scripture reading for today is from Matthew 13:1-23. It is called the Parable of the Sower. The text follows:1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
The ancient practice of putting down seed in a field, was one where a farmer would have a sling full of seed strapped onto them. Then they would walk down a foot path that bisected sections of the field. As he walked he would cast seed to the right and left as he went, this was how he "sowed the seed". A parable is a story that illustrates a spiritual truth with a physical or familiar subject. It also called the hearer to respond or consider the message. This first part of this text that strikes me is that God is willing to put Himself out and sow the seed of truth even to those who may not even listen. How gracious and merciful is our God! The next thing I consider is which soil am I? How am I responding to God's message that is being "sown" into my heart? I think I am the thorny soil, because even though I hear and understand God's Word, I don't think I am producing a crop that is 30 times or more than what is sown. I have been trying to realign my life with the purposes of God and winnow out the things that have consuming resources that I need to produce fruit for the Kingdom of God. As I stated before, a parable calls the hearer to response? So, I ask you, "what soil are you? How do you respond when you hear the Bible being taught?" Do you seek more of God or turn and walk away? I urge you to seek God and consider His ways. It will be a life changing decision for the good. I pray you all may have a blessed Thanksgiving and I hope to see you soon!
