One Fine Sunday

It was a beautiful spring Sunday, no June gloom as yet, and Dallas on ABC had promised it to be a day in the mid-seventies, clear, and with only a slight breeze so I decided to ride to church.  I enjoy riding to church whenever I’m going solo and don’t have something bulky to bring like a card table for the Youth Missions Stock sales.  To be sure, it is fun to arrive in a way that is different from most others but I think it is something more basic than that for me.  I dress in my armor; riding boots, helmet, gloves, and riding jacket. The armor is not as complete as it might be since I don’t wear padded or re-enforced riding pants and from time to time wear a ¾ helmet instead of the full face style.  But, it is far better than what I wore nearly 40 years ago with my first bike; helmet (always), but sometimes only short pants, a tank top, no gloves, and deck shoes without socks. It makes me shiver to think how grown up I am now. There is something about the preparation required to ride that I really like and I relate it to the scene from Cat Ballou where Lee Marvin’s character is transforming from the drunken sot into the cold blooded gun slinger; the matador’s music going on, the serious look as he puts on his pearl handled twin gun rig, black hat with the sterling band, the gloves, the stitched boots with the silver stirrups, and finally the look in the mirror to see that he was completely ready to meet his adversary.  Most rides are like that for me; getting ready to meet the adversary, putting myself in the mood to be defensive rider, and ready to meet the task at the end of the ride.  For church, that’s being ready to pray, worship, and fellowship with folks I haven’t seen for a bit.  I think that putting on riding gear is sort of like the ritual of putting on Sunday School clothes used to be for me; the dress pants, shirt, tie, and jacket.  We need some preparation for worship because it is something special and requires that we pay attention to how ready we are.

On this particular Sunday, riding down the hill toward Foothill I passed the occasional early Sunday morning walker.  There were some couples with dogs, singles with dogs, and only a stray couple or single without a dog. Just above the L.A. County Sheriff’s office was the scene of the day that gave me a cause for a double take; an activity I stay away from while on the road. I try to take everything in at a glance and keep the road with all its vagaries in front of me; safety first, ride on, and all that stuff.  Nevertheless I did the double take.  On first glance I saw an attractive young lady walking along with a dog while she read a book; the girl with long brown hair bouncing with each stride and the dog a beautiful golden retriever, freshly brushed out with the winter coat still filling it out. The retriever had that gait where the long hair down the sides and front ripples along like a field of golden wheat. That, as described was not worth a double-take.  The golden had a nice athletic stride as did the “owner”, her golden head held high and proudly caring the handle of her leash in her mouth which seemed to smile from nose to ear.  I nearly laughed out loud at seeing the marvelous picture of happy contentment on the dog as she walked herself while her partner (do we really own dogs?) blissfully walked along in some literary fantasy world.

Friend, what has given you cause for the double-take, given you such amusement that the scene sticks in your mind to bring a moment of joy again and again?  Or, what rituals do you practice in getting ready for time with family, competition, or time with God?