Why another Blog from a pastor?

Why this blog?


While I am a United Methodist pastor, this blog is not really about ministry or the church. This does involve spiritual reflection-- but it is of a less directed nature than what I share in the church I serve.


Bicycles (and later motorcycles) have been a source of freedom for me since I could first ride one. Because bicycles require movement to maintain balance, they are  a useful metaphor for movement in the Spirit-- and thus a way to talk about life in the Spirit.


Years ago, a friend compared the wheels of his bicycle to Buddhist prayer wheels. For me, riding a bicycle is something like prayer--it forms a stronger connection to "terra-firma," but in a way which incorporates wonder and joy. I still experience balancing on two wheels to be magical. Explanations from physics do not diminish my sense of wonder when poised on a bike.

Bicycles are also an extension of self. Riding a bike changes one's physical self-- and our physical, emotional, and spiritual selves are all interrelated. To touch one is to touch the whole self and all aspects of the self.