My thoughts about The Easy Button reminded me of a 1971 cult movie called Billy Jack. If you haven’t seen the film, you might recognize its theme song One Tin Soldier. Tom Laughlin plays a native-American Green Beret Vietnam veteran. The film centers on cultural conflict between leaders of an Indian reservation school and corrupt, […]
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The Easy Button
As folks in the Boston area begin to put the pieces back together, I notice a nearly universal phenomenon following tragedies: the search for an “easy button.” We want THE answer, happy endings, a fast fix. And mostly, they don’t exist. In real life, there’s rarely an easy button. When faced with significant loss, people […]
Continue readingA Tale Of Two Pictures
I recently had the honor of speaking to my church’s Prime Time group. They’re in the prime of life—past age 55 and eager to deploy their accumulated wisdom and experience in service. I shared a story centered around two images. The first image was a hospital hallway about five weeks after my injury. Therapists loaded […]
Continue readingHow Did You Know For Sure?
A few months ago I spoke at a high school about following God-sized dreams. In the Q&A time a young lady asked, “How did you know FOR SURE this was what God wanted you to do?” I didn’t have a quick response, but if you’re going to encourage young folks to take risks and follow […]
Continue readingGiving Away Light
We debriefed the Florida tour with friends a few evenings back and someone asked an interesting question. “How do you keep from getting dragged down by all the pain and need you encounter, especially in the groups you spoke to on this trip?” Good question, and as usual I didn’t have an immediate response. I […]
Continue readingWhat’s It Look Like When You Don’t Know They’re Watching?
It was an ordinary Monday morning—if there is such a thing—on the RICH’S RIDE Florida tour. I tried to look casual about the awkward process of climbing onto the bike. Monte watched, hoping for an invitation to grab his leash and join the morning run. Becky pumped tires, arranged equipment, and did a million things […]
Continue readingFinding Friendly Eyes
When I speak to a group, I try to connect with eyes. No matter the size of the audience, I usually find a few sets of eyes that seem responsive and in tune with my message. When I need a little reassurance or a sense of how things are going, those friendly eyes become my […]
Continue readingFred And Joan
RICH’S RIDE is about people, and we’re blessed to meet interesting folks in a variety of settings. Fred and Joan wondered about the trailer, the dog, and the odd-looking bike. We’d stopped by the beach for a food/water break on day 2 of the Florida tour. Monte was still trying to make sense of the […]
Continue readingMeet Coach Rick
Even in the sprawling park, the SAINTS weren’t hard to locate. We didn’t have much trouble spotting a hundred kids in yellow t-shirts. As we pulled beside the picnic shelter, a big guy with a broad grin walked toward us with a half dozen munchkins in tow. He stopped to remind them about being safe […]
Continue readingBetter Than I Expected
One common joke among guys of every age is “we’re trying to figure out what we want to be when we grow up.” The real joke, as any woman will happily tell you, is most of us never actually get to the growing up part. Once in a while I manage to chip away at […]
Continue readingWhat Do You Learn On The Journey?
A guy takes a bike tour. At the end of the tour he’s learned an important lesson. His story can make a difference. It seems like a bold statement, but he’s pretty sure he has something important to share. That might seem sort of silly for someone who’s been writing and speaking for several years. […]
Continue readingGod-Opened Doors
Some will see only coincidence. We’re home. The tour’s over, except for some residual effects from the Skunk-Ape attack (click the link if you missed the story). It’s time to reflect. I think I learned from FLORIDA HOPE TOUR 2013. Over the next few days I’ll share what I observed, hoping you’ll find some application […]
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