On a gray, wintery afternoon near Christmas, Mom asked me to ride my bike to North Berne and pick up a loaf of bread from Mrs. Elick. Mrs. Elick kept an old wooden cupboard on her front porch stocked with fresh Omar Bakery Bread, glazed donuts and the Eagle Gazette. It was North Berne’s version of a general store and it worked on the honor system—no cash register, you just left your money in the Mason jar.
We lived high on a ridge so to get anywhere you coasted down a series of long, often steep hills. I had glided into North Berne on the momentum of Ruff’s Hill, but now my friend became my foe, an obstacle against my return. A cold, December wind nagged at me, pushing relentlessly against my chest as I tried to peddle up the half-mile hill. It proved too much for my 11-year-old legs—I began pushing, one hand on the handle bar, the other cradling the bread like a football. I struggled against the elements, feeling sorry for myself. “Why do I have to go after the bread?” The words floated away on tiny clouds of frozen mist.
As I neared the crest of the hill I heard a car speeding toward me. I turned to see my cousin Don’s Chevy barreling up the hill. I thought, “Hot dog, I’m rescued!” I just knew Don would stop for me. As he drew nearer I gave a big wave and smiled. He roared right past me without a glance—not even a nod! Even more curiously, there was a bike hanging out of his trunk. Not just any bike. It was my dream bike, the bike I dreamed of owning one day! I had the ad from Boy’s Life Magazine taped to my dresser mirror. It was an English style bike, one of Schwinn’s newest models called a Traveler. I knew every detail about that bike. It featured 3 speeds, hand controlled brakes, chrome fenders and a leather bag that hug from the rear of the seat.
Now, standing there, alone on the hill, I was stupefied!! Why would cousin Don ignore me? Why would he leave me stranded on Ruff’s Hill on a cold December day? And what was that bike?
I rode home as hard as I could. I wanted to see the bike that was in Don’s trunk! But when I slid into our driveway, there was no Chevy, no cousin Don and certainly no Schwinn Traveler. I ran into the house shouting, “What did Don want and what’s he doing with that bike?” Mom blinked back at me and said in a very nonplused tone, “Don? Oh, he was just stopping by to say hi. I suppose he was carrying a bike for a friend, that’s all.”
“Who’s his friend, and why did Don have his bike?” I demanded. Mom simply shrugged and went on about her work.
You know where this is going, don’t you? Christmas morning, I awoke to the most beautiful metallic blue piece of transportation I’d ever seen. Turns out, it wasn’t brand new, and it needed polished a bit, but there it was with my name on it! I must have put a thousand miles on that bike before I turned 16. Sadly, I lost track of that bike. But if I ever find one like it…I’m gonna get a paper route and buy it!
God often comes to us like cousin Don, roaring past our perceived wants on His way to delivering what we most desire, real life in God. I believe His Son has delivered that gift to everyone who follows after him.
“And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God–what a gift!–and we are living in the Truth itself, in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life.” 1 John 5:20 The Message
Read Ron’s column, Simple Faith, each Saturday on the Faith Page (page 3) of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette, or visit www.lancastereaglegazette.com.