My new bike

Been preaching on contentment versus envy. I’ve been making do with my old Scwinn bicycle. I do mean old. Bought the bike about 24 years ago (don’t exactly remember) when we were having babies. Recently I brought it out of the mothballs. The inner tubes and tires were cracked and ruined.  I made myself proud with new rubber and I was on the road again. The old chain soon popped so I replaced that too. True the shifters & brakes weren’t the best but I was doing pretty well.  

One day after a trip to the local coffee shop I had just made it home when the back wheel locked up.  I pulled the axle out and these 7 ball bearings jumped out and sprinted down the sidewalk.  So I went to a bike shop and discovered that the axle was no longer made (surprise!).  I was, however, able to purchase some new inner parts to repair the battered axle. My friend Gary came over to pack the bearings and I was back on the road again.  Barely a week went by and one day I flew over a piece of terra firma (my sidewalk had been torn up for construction) and as I landed on mother earth (not literally, there was a bar between usL) my seat bent backwards almost touching the rear tire.  I was unsuccessful in bending it back. A friend suggested I go on a diet which wasn’t very helpful but brought me full circle as to why I’m riding the bike in the first place!  Anyhow - the next Sunday at church my good friend Gary the fix it guy - said to me, ‘I’ve got something to show you.’  There in his pickup bed was a very nice, very much newer ‘Diamondback’ bicycle!  A friend of his had been trying to sell his bike. When he heard the sad tale of my bike he wanted to give it to me!  So, there I was enjoying my old stuff and being content and God just gives me a gift to enjoy.  Joy snuck up and bit me! Isn’t that just like God?  Thank you Raymond and Louise for being the very hand of God!  As Hannibal Smith used to say, ‘I love it when a plan comes together’!