Onward and Forward

I have been wanting to bike this amazing trail ever since we moved to Michigan 2 1/2 years ago.    It is a 60 mile bike ride round trip!  We didn't have a bike trailer for the babies, so we never went.  Last summer, some friends gave us a tandem attachment for a bike that would be perfect for our 5 year-old, Mariah; and just before winter, I saw one left-over bike trailer attachment at the store at an amazing price.  I bought it and anxiously waited all winter to use it.

Then yesterday, I realized that this Mother's Day weekend would be the last time we would all be together as a family in Michigan until the end of June... possibly even July.  This weekend was our weekend to go on our bike adventure!  This was spontaneity at it's best, and I loved it!!

The weather would be cool and a little rainy.  There would no lightning, and we would bring ponchos!  I prayed about it and called Abe- he obliged (only because I pulled the "but it's Mother's Day" card.)  I asked the kids if they wanted to go- they were ecstatic.  I squealed with excitement and made the plans:

We would leave after swim lessons today and arrive in the evening to a nice cabin just half a mile away from the trail head.  I'm guessing it will take us 6 hours to get there by bike... I guess we'll find out for sure!  Our plan is to start our 30 mile return trip at 6am Sunday morning in order to arrive to our friend's house by noon.  We will then take a shower at their house before racing over to church by 1pm.

It was all perfectly planned!  Everyone was excited to go... (Abe was excited because I was excited.)  Then, all of a sudden the thoughts of fear came last night:

"It's the coldest weekend in weeks... You're going to freeze and be stranded... There's no sunshine this weekend, so it will be a dreary ride... The babies will cry the whole way... Is it really worth the time?... You won't have time to finish everything that needs to be done for your weekend plans... You're too tired to do something like this... "  I really could go on and on at the self-doubt that tried to take over my mind.

...but I made a good decision at that moment of self-doubt.  I decided to say another prayer and follow the feelings of joy that I initially had.

I awoke this morning casting Satan's doubts away.  I realized that even if this is a tough trip, the memories of endurance, joy, togetherness, and "roughing it" will be priceless family memories!!  Satan doesn't want us to have priceless memories!!

We will pray extra hard again knowing who it is that fights against the family and move forward!!

Onward Christian Soldiers!!!!  :-)

My point in writing this is that there are all kinds of wonderful things we can do as a family or with close friends... many times we let fear and self-doubt take over us so much that we miss out on wonderful opportunities!  CLEARLY- Riding 60 miles on bikes is not exciting to everyone, but there are other things that bring beautiful memories and bonding experiences to our lives.

I believe that God loves for us to fully LIVE our lives- in whatever fashion that excites us!!  HE gave us these beautify lives to find joy in HIM and through HIM!

I believe that miracles await!!