Childhood summer vacations - aah the memories....
Most of our family trips were short stints up to northern Minnesota where we would enjoy a weekend of swimming and fishing at my Uncle Donny's cabin. My father was a self-employed contractor, which dictated when our family was able to leave for an extended trip. During those early eighties of a prosperous economy, my parents were able to afford our first family road trip.
The spring of my fourth grade year I was delighted to miss out on a week of school and take an extended vacation to Washington D.C. Before we left I had written a letter for my school homework requesting a signed autographed picture of President Carter. After receiving the picture, I could hardly wait to walk through his home in the White house.
The drive from St. Paul, Minnesota made for a very long journey – especially when you were crammed in the back seat of a small Buick Century with your two older sisters who enjoyed torturing you the entire trip. Perhaps this is why my parents never did take us on any other long road trips that I can remember. After many toll fees and truck stops, we finally did arrive to this bustling city in the spring of 1981. The sweet fragrance of the apple trees were in full bloom surrounding the beautiful Capital City. I remember feeding seagulls from the deck of our hotel room and inhaling the fresh breeze from the Atlantic Ocean.
The next day we headed to the White house for our grand tour. I can still remember the guards that surrounded the gates of the building. My ten year old eyes grew larger with every step into this infamous house filled with fancy chandeliers and decorations. For more than 200 years, the White House has been more than just the home of the Presidents and their families. Throughout the world, it is recognized as the symbol of the President's administration and of the United States of America.
Construction began when the first cornerstone was laid in October of 1792. Although President Washington oversaw the construction of the house, he never lived in it. It was not until 1800, when the White House was nearly completed, that its first residents, President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, moved in. Since that time, each President has made his own changes and additions.
Today in 2010 there are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in the Residence. There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators. A person can still book their free White House tour, but there are limited time frames and many restrictions apply that were not in affect thirty years ago. As a ten year old girl, I was a privileged to have walked down those nostalgic hallways and enter the famous oval office where history was made by past presidents.
Thirty years later reflecting back on my childhood memories, I have come to realize an exceedingly greater privilege as I have been invited to take a tour in the most honorable house of all -the Lord God almighty, creator of heaven and earth. In all of God’s power, He could have chosen to close the doors and exclude humankind from experiencing His presence; but instead He chose to give each of us access into the doors of His eternal presence. Not only does He provide a way into the eternal house, the creator of the universe desires to walk and talk with us on a daily basis.
Unlike my childhood experience at the White House, there are no guards that keep us from His presence. God has purchased our ticket through the sacrifice of his son’s blood nearly 2,000 years ago. Just as I had a tour guide take me through the white house, God has provided a guide through the presence of His Holy Spirit. He desires to do everyday life with us, but so often we are not willing to open up the doors of our hearts and allow him to be our true source of life, purpose and hope. Whether you acknowledge God or not, He is presently working all around you and His love is ever following you and inviting you into His presence. Many of us have already stepped into God’s house, yet daily we continue to do life solo, as if God were not even living in our presence.
So wherever you may be in your spiritual journey with God- He desires to meet you right there. All you need to do is make the choice on a daily basis to get on the tandem ride with God – He has great plans for you. In the chapters following we will discuss some of the key’s to riding through life effectively as a tandem team on each of our spiritual journeys’ with God.
It had been two years this past September since both my husband and I first attempted tandem racing. Just recently finishing our second attempt, we had to retrain our individual biking styles and remember how to peddle more efficiently with each circular motion. Many of the other tandem teams ahead of us in the race had been training together for hours this past summer in preparation for the Fat-tire race. Foolishly, Craig and I had only gone out on a few tandem practice rides - and our results showed the lack of preparation. We crossed the finish line with a new appreciation and respect for those who finished so far ahead.
To be honest, both of us felt like throwing in the towel and giving up entirely on tandem riding – it was too difficult. Sometimes I have the same attitude in my relationship with God. I start to play the daisy game - He loves me, he loves me not. We have all played this mental game at one time or another - when life is riding smoothly - God loves me, but when we suddenly hit the boulders of our difficult circumstances we start to doubt that God is paying attention.
Riding tandem has provided many lessons in the area of humility and trust. I have discovered that these two essentials are also crucial in my walk with God. The upcoming chapters, ": Humbly Connected" and "Trusting in the Captain", will help loosen our grip on the shifters and breaks as we learn to trust in our heavenly father for the road ahead. So grab your bike gear and saddle up for an adventurous ride. Be prepared for some major life adjustments as you will be changed forever on your tandem ride with God.
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