We give thanks to God for his wisdom and the ability to serve and be appreciated….
We finally had a day (weather-wise) that was worthy and we made sure to maximize it – the following is the accounts of our ongoing saga of Team CSBA…
The Crew in attendance: 1st Row – Russ, Chris R, CJ, Matko, Nick – 2nd Row – Cory E, Sheldon, Jojo, Lindsay, Zori and Jim (J-Mac), Kount (Latin Riderz), Auggy, Brandon, Cory L, Martin, George, Sydney, (yours truly), Kelly and Chris A. [Allan C and Larry were on the triggers]
Where do I start? The weather was heaven sent – we could not have asked for a better day weather-wise. Everyone was excited to ride – and we had riders. Crews came from as far north as Conn., east from Long Island/NY and south from just north of Philly.
We all arrived early so about half the group settled in for some breakfast –
It was a very special day as we made some new friends while introducing some old ones. One in particular, has been a member for nearly a year and it was his first time joining. We’re so happy to have Sheldon finally in our ranks. Another new rider to our group was CJ – he had never ridden with us before, so we made sure to give him a proper welcome. Sydney came down with his NY crew and also brought to us the famous “MzKelz (Kelly)” – she’s been nearly to every state on 2s and I believed she just returned from Alaska. I couldn’t help but admire her bike – the woman surely has good taste! George didn’t disappoint – riding down from Conn, and Nick and Kount Latin Riderz joined us from Long Island. August (aka Auggy) was Cory’s friend and he came to hang with us too. Along with the usual suspects (all identified in the above picture), it was to be a great day! Oh – I should also mention that Russ brought 2 new friends and one of them had less than 40 hours seat time as a rider – she (Lindsay) did amazing. (Tip: to all those riders out there that think you’re not experienced enough to ride with us – we have all groups and will take good care of you – just come and experience our rides)
We had a full house of riders – ready to get their knees down:
After our ride meeting – we gathered into groups. The key message was to watch for blind turns and also “Law Enforcement”… Self-fulfilling prophecy maybe – more on that later in the report.
The morning went close to flawless – we only had 2 missed turns as part of a revised new morning route we experimented with. Because of all the boater traffic, it was agreed however that the older original route was more desirable. We live and learn – still, we had great scenery and all arrived to the lunch spot safe and sound. Our friends at the “The Dock on Lake Wallenpaupack” (our lunch spot) got us in with no issues and we all enjoyed a lovely lunch. Since the weather was so nice – we relaxed at the top of the hill as I gave the afternoon ride meeting recap and our message for the day – “Is Your Warning Light Lit?”. Check it out as it speaks to our conscience and being aware.
Next stop was the Hawks Nest (NY), but we also experimented with a new way to get there. Everyone seemed to enjoy the picturesque view of the water and scenery. It wasn’t a ripping ride, but it was most enjoyable – until we crossed over into NY – then something happened….
Yep – we got into it with local law enforcement. Now to their credit, they were very professional and thankfully no tickets were given. A group of hooligans (shall remain nameless) challenged the local authorities ripping past them at triple digit speeds. The rest of that story stays forever in the vault – but the good news is no one was hurt and no tickets were given or received. We did finish the ride but had to high-tail it out of NY because of local authorities were on the look-out. We did meet up as a group in PA and enjoyed a more leisurely pace back home. With many stories and plenty of pictures to share, it was a terrific day for a ride and a great time of fellowship and making new friends, especially after such a long gap due to bad weather.
In closing, as I always share – your friends at the CSBA have crafted these rides for you, our riders, to enjoy the roads with us. We’re promoting a fellowship and an environment in which we want you to come and enjoy your love with others that share your passion of riding. Big thanks go out to all the ride leaders and everyone that stepped up and help make the day such a big success. We appreciate our long- distance visitors and our local supporters. Everyone matters and we sincerely appreciate all the energy shared by everyone present.
For more great pictures and video of this event, visit the facebook event page for our “Poconos Screamer Reloaded” Ride here: [www.facebook.com/events/1743115642463166/ ], the CSBA member’s forum on Facebook [ www.facebook.com/groups/ChristianSportbike/ ] or on our website at www.pacsba.org.
Mark your calendar for our upcoming events:
Shamokin Screamer: www.facebook.com/events/195269427989435/
Hopefully, we'll see you again real soon - Blessings to you all!
IS YOUR WARNING LIGHT LIT?
“If your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice...”
PROVERBS 23:15
We’re all used to it – we call them “idiot lights” on our dashboard that alert us if our brakes are wearing thin (or not working at all), engine not running 100% or that something could be wrong with our ride…. But what do we use to know when something is not right with us - personally? In an earlier message I focused on eating right, exercising regularly, and sleeping adequately – these staples provide us with a basis for a physically healthy life. But what about our very soul? How are we to know when that is in danger?
One of the ways God has revealed Himself to us is in the conscience. Conscience has been described as the light of the soul. Even when it is dulled or darkened by sin, it can still bear witness to the reality of good and evil, and to the holiness of God.
What causes this “warning light” to go on inside me when I do wrong? It is my conscience, given by God to steer me away from evil and towards good. Conscience can be our gentlest teacher and friend – and sometimes our worst enemy (of so we think) when we sin.
The Scripture says, “Man’s conscience is the lamp of the eternal…” (PROVERBS 20:27 MOFFATT). In other words, conscience is God’s lamp within the human core. In this Critique of Pure Reason, Immanuel Kant said there were just two (2) things that filled him with awe – the starry Heavens above and the human conscience within.
You should also be aware that persistent sin can dull and even silence our conscience. On the other hand, persistent attention to God’s Word will sharpen our conscience and make us more sensitive to moral and spiritual dangers. Are you paying attention to your conscience?
As we’ve shared in past messages, look to nourish your body and also your conscience. Doing so honors God and super charges your own internal dashboard to monitor your own well-being.
Are you feeling lost, worried or burdened that you can’t sense your own warning lights? God intended for us to help each other – so don’t carry that worry. You might just need q quick tune-up. God is here (and through others) to help. Your Brothers and Sisters are here for you - seek them out as we’re always stronger together than apart. Of course, my door is also always open - Blessings!
