motorcycle evangelism

I greatly enjoy riding my motorcycle. For me, riding brings me to a place of reflection, prayer, and general sabbath peace. So it is easy for me to speak well of it to others, to encourage people to become a rider, and ohh, the gas mileage is phenomenal.

I was at dinner with my sister. It was a wonderful time of conversation, but that's not the point. I met her at the restaurant on my bike. I set my helmet and jacket on the seat beside me, and the waitress serving us saw it. She said that she had wanted to ride for years now. And the conversation began. And it was an easy one to have. I told her what I like about my cruiser, how much my insurance was, and gave her info on the riding school I went to to get licensed.

Now I pose the question I asked my sister: motorcyclists have cool apparel and the beautiful body styles of the bike's themselves to spark interest and conversation. What are those things that Christians have? Why can't evangelism be as easy as talking up about the other things we love?

The cross, once powerful in image and full of meaning, now for many is a simple iconic fad accessory for no other reason than it is part of their look.

¿Qué más?

Carry my travel Bible with me? But that's awfully silly if the point of bringing it is to set on the table in public.

How about our lives? Our character and integrity of speech and action? Is that sufficient to perk people's interest in why and for what we do as Christians? I hope so because I know no better witness than our lives played out in love and faith in and for God. So then the next question is: is my life the witness I desire it to be?

school life

So I have been trying (not very hard) to get my stuff together for graduate school applications. I oscillate between expectation of new learning possibilities and approaching even closer to my goal to be a licensed architect ... and not wanting to loose myself once again into the pattern of no (or very little) sleep, having no time for a life outside of school and work and church, and just being utterly tired.

The last go around of school, I didn't participate in the college life. My friends were good for inside studio (though I almost never stayed there to work) and sometimes a study partner here and there. This weekend, while celebrating my sister's birthday in Austin, I had the opportunity to hang out with and see what fun her UT friends had with each other. They made a point to get together. It is a pretty cool thing. I know myself and the excuses I give, but none stand up. For example: one girl changed majors a year ago, as a junior, to petroleum engineering, and still chose to graduate in four years. Nuts, I say, but she manages well to still have a fairly balanced life. So me saying, 'But I would be an architecture student in grad school. There is a reason all architecture buildings on campus have nicknames that all say the same thing - the lights are always on because students are always working.'

So, when I finally do get my act together and finish my portfolio, resume, essays, and other application needs, it would be good idea (I think) to discover how to enjoy school life meshed nicely into life outside of school. That's the plan anyway.