So before I get into the whole tandem bike thing, I need to get it off my chest about this HUGE hiatus I have taken, yet again. I am sort of disappointed and sort of encouraged.
I am disappointed because I promised myself this would be the thing I didn't do this with blog. I wouldn't be all excited, but then fail to follow through as I often do; however, I have! Not necessarily failed, but not done with it what I wanted. (Herein lies another issue;))
I am, on the other hand, encouraged because I have been feeling really urged again, but not to do what I want, rather what God wants. I have ignored this urge the last few weeks (bad me!), and finally this morning I was praying that God make me open my heart to the Holy Spirit more and see what I am supposed to be doing, and it was like he said, DUH MIRANDA! I have been telling you to write that post on the tandem bike thought you had....
SO, Here I am. Back at it! I pray (and you can too!) that I keep this up, not because I think I am a great writer, or that you all realize just how hilarious I am, but because I truly feel like God's plan for me is to serve others, especially women, even more particuarly, moms. (that is a terrible run-on, but I am just going to leave it!)
Okay already, Miranda: The Tandem Bike.
So about a month ago, I was running the lovely hills of Madeira, OH (Cincinnati), and I was struggling to push the jogging stroller up that last big hill. I looked forward to try and search for some motivation, and, lo and behold, I saw it (ps tears and chills here). I saw a woman standing up on her bike to fight up the SAME silly hill, only her bike looked weird, the front wheel was way in front of her. Then, I looked more closely and saw a man's head rising above hers and I realized, oh my, she is on a tandem bike.
At this point some are probably thinking, Miranda were you remembering to breathe??
Because, it is NOT difficult to distinguish a regular bike from a tandem bike.
The reason I didn't realize it was that she and her husband were LITERALLY in sync COMPLETELY. The only reason I even saw him was he had a good 9-12 inches on her!
Next question, what the heck does this have to do with a blog about being a mom?!
Well, I am so glad you asked! Often times as a mother, we neglect our duties as a wife, and I have felt VERY convicted about this lately (I will get into that on another post). But one of the realizations I have made is that Tommy and I need our marriage and our parenting to be like that tandem bike.
It has to be him in the front and me behind trusting that if I allow him to lead me and we stay in perfect sync, that we will make it up any silly hill life throws at us.
In the past, I am pretty sure Tommy and I have been riding on separate bikes, in different directions.
I would not say that we are yet that couple I saw during my run, but I am confident that, thanks to God, we are at least riding in the same direction right next to one another. And with our focus in the right place, and our hearts and minds centered around God's plan and purpose, we will most certainly ride that tandem bike into eternity.
We are so blessed by so many people in our lives who care about us as individuals, us as a married couple and most importantly, that care about our children. I am encouraged.
My closing thoughts and prayers are that all couples and parents, Tommy and myself included, would have this as their goal , such that someone from "behind" can't even tell you're two separate people because you're working in such unison. Our children will be undoubetdly blessed because of it.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
New International Version (NIV)
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:10 If either of them falls down,one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
