Becky put up some outdoor Christmas lights this weekend. Not a big deal for most folks. But this weekend was also the 33rd anniversary of the day I met two paramedics following a 10-foot fall – while installing outdoor Christmas lights. This time our neighbor helped. Everyone kept their feet on the ground. We’re not […]
Continue readingMore TagCategory: Rich’s Ride
It Is Well
It was nearly 40 years ago. Hard to believe. I sit here planning exciting new adventures for FREEDOM TOUR 2021 and a familiar hymn takes me back to the day I publicly began my journey with Jesus. It was a simple ceremony, and I got to choose a favorite song. An obvious choice captured the […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Are They Really Principles?
It’s easy to talk about lofty principles. It’s easy to follow those principles when following them leads to comfortable short-term outcomes. It’s easy to impose the difficult consequences of our principles on others. It’s hard to follow our principles consistently, regardless of circumstances, especially when the short-term outcomes might be disappointing or painful. But following […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Who Are We?
It was an interesting online conversation. A pretty well-known personality fielded questions about a published article. As always, comments ranged from helpful and educational to silly. This one caught my attention. “You’re not the smartest guy in the room, are you?” In the online world, a snarky remark isn’t all that unusual. It was the […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Four Years Later
Four years ago. Someone who’s in a leadership position in one of my circles publicly celebrated a difficult, divisive outcome. An outcome I knew would elicit fear and anguish in people I loved. An outcome I believed would bring real pain. If felt like he was laughing at those who wished for a different direction. […]
Continue readingMore Tag
About Enough
I don’t usually think of myself as affluent. I’m learning, though, that wealth is a relative notion, and by rest-of-the-world standards I live in overwhelming abundance. A huge majority of the world’s population would consider it a wonderful upgrade to live in my garage. I don’t know exactly what to do with that knowledge. I’m […]
Continue readingMore Tag
What We CAN Do
Right now, all around us, folks are literally crying out for us to just stop talking and listen. Not argue or agree. Not discuss or fix. I think these folks are literally begging us to listen. A few times recently I’ve seen someone online doing what could generously be described as “venting.” Often there are […]
Continue readingMore Tag
A Key Question
What’s the goal? With a few inches of snow slowing autumn cycling, now’s a good time to go back to basics. As we plan for FREEOM TOUR 2021, what are we actually trying to accomplish? It’s the time when I’m tempted to envision a bigger tour with tons of riders. Because more is better, right? […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Weighty Words
I wrote (but never published) this nearly two years ago. Words matter. “Nick” was a great student. Bright, outgoing, popular, a really good kid to have in class. Except, it always felt like he was sort of distant with me. I couldn’t figure out why we didn’t connect, so one day I asked him to […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Define Your Terms
We’re all engaged in a two-way interaction with God. In simplest terms, we call God’s side of the conversation “revelation.” Our side of the conversation, how we respond, is our religion.
By this definition, everyone has some sort of religion. Even if it’s a decisive “No,” everyone responds in some way.
Continue readingMore Tag
Please Or Serve?
You and I live in lots of circles. We’re part of families, neighborhoods, and churches. We have circles at work and with friends. I’m thinking about different ways of expanding and working with those circles. I want to serve people; too often I end up trying to please them. Pleasing people and serving people look […]
Continue readingMore Tag
What’s The Job?
I think a lot about my job description. When Becky and I started doing bike tours, I didn’t anticipate a team. Even when we did the first FREEDOM TOUR in 2013, I didn’t envision hundreds of cyclists and more than a quarter million dollars. I believe this whole crazy thing is the result of doing […]
Continue readingMore Tag