It’s a default setting in my internal vocabulary. Someone voices a statement I believe to be true; it creates some sort of internal circumstantial dissonance. Rather than pausing to honestly examine the conflict, I react with, “Yeah, but…” Love your neighbor. “Yeah, but he’s a jerk.” God so loved the world… “Yeah, but He never […]
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The Best Ever
2022 – the 10th FREEDOM TOUR! So, let’s celebrate. Have a party. Get everyone together and do it up right. Hats, balloons, cake, the whole deal. Let’s make this THE BEST FREEDOM TOUR EVER! Bad idea. Not the celebration. The party, the hats and cake – let’s do it. But I hope we stay away […]
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A Jersey Parade
Everything’s a process. Like everything else about the FREEDOM TOUR, our jerseys and the design process have gone through quite an evolution. I hope you enjoy the memories as you look back at the jerseys and some of the amazing people who have worn them. Can’t see the video? Click here. + + + Want […]
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Pictures
Pictures serve lots of purposes. Right now it’s snowy and cold and we’re stuck inside. This FREEDOM TOUR photo reminds me it’s not long until warm sunny days and long bike rides. In just a few weeks we’ll get together in small groups to train. There’ll be lots of laughs and good conversation. And anticipation, […]
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Nobody Cares
“Nobody cares about the Uyghurs.” Billionaire Chamath Palihapitiya, co-owner of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, stated clearly that the genocide China is carrying out against Muslim Uyghurs simply isn’t a concern. He characterized them as “a segment of a class of people in another country.” Concern for global human rights, he says, is a “luxury […]
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Seek Justice?
At the FREEDOM TOUR we believe we’re following Jesus when we advocate for victims of injustice. I’ve watched three recent high-profile court cases because I wanted to see what happened in an actual courtroom. Spoiler – it’s not much like Law & Order. In all three cases, victims’ relatives said guilty verdicts didn’t really bring […]
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Decisions
As the new year begins, we’re making decisions about summer bike rides. 2022 marks our 10th FREEDOM TOUR. Ten years of friends and community. Ten years of supporting the kids at the Home of Hope. As our team makes choices with ten years of background, I notice how easy it is for me to fall […]
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Cookies!
Confession – I find humor in odd places. As we end a tough year, I’ll share a silly memory, a laugh with absolutely no lesson attached. + + + As part of the support team, our friend Claire worked overtime to feed the COLORADO MOUNTAIN TOUR team. We ate like royalty each night. She also […]
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Inspiration
Every project starts somewhere. For the FREEDOM TOUR, it was a sign at our church. Becky and I invited people on a 500-mile bike ride across Colorado. Woody was the first guy who signed up. It was a perfect fit. He grew up in the country where our Home of Hope is located. His heart […]
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“Holiday”
It’s not really an anniversary or a holiday, but December 5 is always sort of circled on my calendar. I call it Falling Day because on December 5, 1987, I fell 9 feet and my life changed. Falling Day used to be an occasion for sadness and regret. I’d kind of try to ignore it, […]
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An Odd Waiting
Back from the road trip, and now it’s Advent. A season of waiting for Jesus – when He’s already here. It’s an odd sort of waiting. I’m working through Giving A Year Meaning by my friend Jon Swanson. He reminds us that Advent is more about preparing, slowing, remembering. For some, especially this year, it […]
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Pop The Clutch
My high school friends and I often had cars that weren’t 100% reliable. We knew how to gather 2-3 guys, push a car, and “pop the clutch” to get it started. In a pinch you could even do it alone – push the car to get it rolling, jump in, pop the clutch, and with […]
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