An Off Road Adventure

So for the last few days I’ve been thinking about my life. Where I’ve been, what I’m going through, why I’m doing this ride, what’s my future look like…why am I doing this blog??? Part of why I’m doing this ride is because we live in such a diverse and beautiful country. It’s a completely different experience to travel the country on a Harley. But the biggest reason is to reflect on life and what the next chapter of mine will look like.

I really feel compelled to take you on an off road adventure. That would be this one commentary that has nothing to do with my travels through 50 states. This has to do with me. It’s important that you understand that, because I don’t want anyone to apply anything I say here to someone else.

I’m a man that has been blessed beyond my wildest dreams. I was raised in an amazing family of love and support. I married the woman of my dreams, have the three most amazing children any man could hope for and the greatest two grandkids on the entire face of the earth. God blessed me with a great career, after almost two decades with FedEx I was able to build a successful business with McDonald’s. My kids are now grown and I was in full preparation for the “sunset” of my life, traveling and working with my passion, which was missions.

Things really started to change about 4 years ago. I lost my dad, my close friend, to pancreatic cancer. I didn’t really handle that very well at all. This was the beginning of the stripping away of almost everything I valued. In these past four years I’ve watched as my world has crumbled. I’ve lost my wife, lover, best friend, my marriage. I’ve seen my kids suffer unimaginable pain and confusion, completely helpless to make it better. I’ve had to sell my home, where I saw my children grow up and graduate high school, losing 30 years of equity in buying and selling homes. I’ve sat back and seen the death and liquidation of the companies I built and nurtured from infancy to mature thriving enterprises. Some of my employees, that have been loyal to me for the past decade, losing their jobs because of this transition. My self esteem has been shattered, my integrity challenged, my ability as a husband, lover, father confronted. I’ve been humiliated and humbled beyond anything I could ever imagine. In short, I’ve been crushed.

So why am I telling you this. It’s not to garner sympathy, that’s for sure. It’s for you to hear this…My God is Faithful! I don’t care what happens; I know that there is a plan for my life. I serve Jesus Christ, and He is good. I’m a man that on every front has been attacked and beat down, but I know that God is not done with me yet. For the past several years I’ve pondered a scripture…it goes something like this: “though God slay me, yet will I praise Him”. I’ve thought that was sort of silly. Many times over the past year I’ve thought that would be a welcome result. But here is something I’d like to proclaim: “though God force me to LIVE, and walk this road of pain and suffering, yet will I praise Him!” Now that’s a challenge. It would be easy to give up, but that’s not what we are called to do.

My life has meaning because of Jesus Christ. There’s an old hymn we used to sing that said: “because He lives, I can face tomorrow”. That’s so true for me right now. So here is something I have to ask: Do you know Him? Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? If not, find someone to talk to about it. If you don’t have someone, call me. My cell number is 972-467-1039. I’m a broken, hurt, humbled man, but I know what matters in this world. Soon this life will be over, and every one of us will stand face to face with our God, and I know that I want to stand there and be able to say that I was faithful to the end.

I also want to say that I’m still blessed beyond reason. I’m so thankful for my kids and grandkids that have been amazing through these trials. I’m thankful for the 23 years God gave me in marriage to the most amazing woman. For my family that has been strong when I was weak. For the friends that have loved me and stood by me. For McDonald’s, ORC, OOSI, Wellspring and SonScape. For my Harley and roads that wind through mountains and by clear rivers. For states that have no helmet laws! For this great and beautiful country we are privileged to live in. But mostly I’m grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because I know that He is faithful when those you hold dearest are not. This life is so brief and I want to live every day for eternity. So I’ll leave you with the family constitution we established about 15 years ago:
- Honor others
- Appreciate others strengths
- Have meaningful touch
- Handle your money well
- Be a good example for Jesus Christ

Thank you for listing to me and for sharing in the journey. I look forward to what God has planned for me around the next turn.