laporte, indiana

 Welcome to Indiana! Seven states to go!

We are in Indiana! Tomorrow we head east toward the Atlantic Ocean with approximately 1,056.76 miles to go! And . . . tomorrow, Lord willing, we will probably go under the 1,000 mile mark! Yippee! We are in the home stretch! The horses are running to the barn.

Today . . . I pedaled 62.09 miles, mostly on the Red Arrow Highway / U.S. Bike Route 35. At places the shoulder was nonexistent but other places it was quite nice. Outside of New Buffalo, Michigan, I met a new pedaling friend, Dick, who escorted me through some lakeside community and onto Indiana 39 which led me straight into LaPorte, Indiana. That's where we are now. We just ate lunch at a Mexican Restaurant, Margaret is doing a huge load of laundry (her eighteenth), and I'm doing this blog. Later, we will go to the SnackWagon for supper and a visit with the recovering cyclist, Phil Jones. I think he's feeling better because he told Margaret that he will probably start pedaling again on Saturday.

We got out of Michigan at just the right time. Travelers are right now pouring into the west coast for July 4th holidays and the weekend. I had one man say, "Yep, they'll come right around the corner from Chicago and they'll be everywhere. Traffic will be crazy and hazardous." I've had two people tell me that Michigan will be overrun with tourists this weekend. I guess the moral of the story is, "It's better to get out of Michigan before it's overrun than it is to get run over in Michigan!" Ya think? Whatever . . . we're out!

BTW, this is Day 39 of pedaling with 2,507.24 miles pedaled and, as I said above, approximately 1,056.76 miles to go. You will probably hear me yell when we get to 999.99 miles to go. I am excited. There's just something fun, exciting, and even overwhelming about finishing something like this.

Some people ask, "Why are you doing this?" Basically, I'm just doing this because I want to and I can. When I really asked myself that question, the first time I did a cross-country ride, I came to the conclusion that my answer, by itself, was not a real good answer. When I seriously put my thinking cap on, several verses from Scripture came to mind:

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

"In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people" (Colossians 3:23).

 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17).

So my problem is . . . I'm not sure how to do that. I don't want any glory from this. I'm just pedaling and having a good time. (Well, most of the time. Sometimes it's been snowing, raining, or windy!) What I'm doing is done by lots of folks who, just like me, decided one day to pedal across America. So . . . I want to somehow point people in the direction of Jesus. If I can do that on this journey, I'll be a happy guy. 

Every morning, I read one or two of the notes of encouragement I've received from folks from everywhere! What a boost for the day ahead! I realize how much encouragement is needed in our lives. We live in such a negative world now. Just watch the news on TV (I don't.) and you can see more negativity in five minutes than one person should ever be required to handle. So, to all you note senders, I am grateful. They are not only encouraging to me but a constant reminder that I should somehow be encouragement to folks somewhere in a hurting world every day. That brings glory to God. And . . . it's something all of us can do anywhere and anytime. 

Bring glory to God today. Encourage someone. Give 'em a hug, too.