DAY TWO

Day two is now in the rear view mirror.  I found a great motel in Price, UT after I had to wait over three hours to get new tires put on.  On my bike they have to remove the saddle bags and the exhaust pipes and the pipes were hot...really hot!  The price was pretty hot too!  Over $700.  I'll have to check back on what I've paid in Fairfield, but at least I have great rubber for the next 8,000 - 10,000 miles.  I'll probably have to replace again once more before home.  Then when I left the face shield on my new bluetooth helmet broke on one side.  It appears the two screws holding it in place worked loose.  I'll have to find a Cycle Gear Store and see if they can fix it. Thankfully I do have my other helmet, but it ends the possibility of being able to talk on the road.  But I can always get messages and call back and I'll be stopping to check on Ingrid tomorrow often.  She is having foot surgery at 10:00.  Just keep her in prayer and don't call her for a day or two.  She does have lots of help coming.

Today was a great day.  The weather was actually not too bad.  I kept seeing these big thunderclouds and then I would just pray that the interstate would turn the opposite way and it did!  I hope the highway department won't be upset that God rerouted their highway!  I got sprinkled on near Salt Lake City, but not enough to put on the rain gear.  My interview at Wasatch Hills Church in SLC was fantastic.  What an absolutely fun and together team they have there.  In the bottom right picture you can see them all.  From the left they are Bernie Anderson (Sr. Pastor), Carlos Linares (Elder), Karen Bray (Head Elder), Carol Allison (Secretary), and Darryl Priester (Part Time Youth Pastor).  They had lunch prepared for me (haystacks!) and we just sat and talked for an hour and a half.  The Wasatch Hills Church has a high number of professionals and they have a spirit of acceptance much like Napa.  One program they have to reach out to unchurched people of all kinds of backgrounds is called "Brewed Awakening" (Real People, Real Questions, Real Coffee).  They open up to all questions and place it in a spiritual framework without being pushy.  A large number of the participants attend church regularly.  Pr. Bernie is very involved in the community via the Chamber of Commerce and other interfaith programs.  We'll fill in more in the book. When I left they all had to get on the bike for pics!!!  FUN!

An interesting sidenote came when Karen Bray asked me if I had ever been involved in the Clearlake Church.  I told her that I was a student pastor there over 36 years ago.  Her parents were a part of that church.  Her father was a physician and they had us to their home for dinner several times and Karen was a teenager then and remembered us.  Small world!

It is so much fun to sit and visit with these different groups.  So far the common denominator is really about relationships.  We have to help people build a real relationship with Christ before we detail the doctrines and we have to build a personal relationship with the people before we can really introduce them to Jesus.  In short, we have to get out of the church and meet people and serve their needs and when they come to church we have to shower them with love and acceptance.

Tomorrow, the parks of Utah and I promise to get some scenic shots.  I have seen some beautiful sights, but have been pressed for time and not able to get them.  I had to remind myself that my first priority is the contacts.  Glad to see the growing number of followers. Spread the word!