A March Storm Weekend

Well this past weekend we got majorly dumped on. Definitely one of our biggest storms yet of the winter (and hopefully by far the last!).
However before the storm, 4 of us sea to sea'rs made the trek out to Toronto for the International Bike Show. Hilena, Nick, Peter and myself. It was a great time. We first hit up MEC as I needed to pic up some new climbing shoes. After 3 winters with my original pair they were getting pretty scuffed up and now that I was moving on to harder climbs I needed to step up the pair of shoes too.
Afterwards we picked up a friend of Nick's and headed to the show. There were so many people there. It was a crazy 3 hour whirl-wind. Go-go-go it felt like. My heart rate was up the whole time, kind of silly really. Usually though I have about one main thing on my list that I try and find and they rest are bonuses but this time there were too many things I was looking out for. Managed to get a couple more pairs of shorts, which is always good and finally grabbed some shoe covers for those colder and wet days. I forgot to get
handlebar tape (as I was looking for something a little different and funky) for my new bars so I guess I'll have to hit up some of the stores in the area instead. The others managed to grab a few things that were helpful as well and then we headed back home. That was a long drive. It took us over 2 hours to get back from TO (about 45min to get there), but it was still a good ride as I had great company (even though we were all super drained by this point). It was great though as we got to bounce a lot of questions about various things to do with the tour off each other, including fundraising ideas.

I had decided to get snowed in at my parents house so as to not be alone for a whole weekend. My poor mom was down with a cold and my dad was out most of the day shovelling but it was still great to be there for the company. I love my family. I had meant to help my dad with shovelling but I amazingly and FINALLY (as my mom would say) got back into painting! It's been nearly 2 years. I know I talked about them earlier but I am finally working on paintings to make into thank you cards, as well to sell as a fundraiser.

I'll post a pic of what they look like when they are completed which hopefully will now be shortly. I already painted 2 and just need to paint 1 more design. The plan is to have 6 to a pack, 2 of each design. I'm really excited that I finally got going on this and it did feel really good to pick up a paintbrush again (but don't hold your breathe mom, might be a bit again till the next time, lol).

A couple other updates:
For those of you in the Brantford area, mark April 2 on your calendar as I am going to be having a Soup and Chili Fundraiser in the fellowship hall of Hope CRC in Brantford.
Check out the sea to sea website or follow this link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92ne38jwTQo) there is a new promotional video for the sea to sea up on Youtube, check it out!! They have done a great job putting this together. For myself watching it, I just get so pumped and excited for this trip, I just can't wait.

Prayer Request
Well a little update on the knee situation for those of you wondering. I made a comment that my knee has been bothering me and I went and had x-rays done. Well on Monday I found out that, though nothing is confirmed, I might have a minor tear in my medial meniscus. I am now waiting for an MRI appointment to be made (though have been told that getting an apt itself can take quite awhile). I'll admit I was somewhat shaken up and feeling kind of down after that, as I did a little bit of google searching on it and though it's nothing serious it did mention surgery in some cases. But after talking to one of the guys in my spinning class who had something similar and then again with my Chiropractor this morning and of course knowing that there are lots of people out there praying for healing, I am feeling much more positive. I pray that I can keep from any doubts and that I can fully trust in God knowing that he is capable of anything including healing my knee completely from whatever is wrong.
Please pray for me that I can get an appointment quickly and that I also can be completely healed, but as well please keep all the cyclists in your prayers as I am not the only one who has hit this kind of obstacle. Please pray for all our safety as we continue to prepare for the tour this summer. :)

On a roll - well almost

Well in the last little bit a few things have been going on. 2 Sundays ago Dirk Van Wyngaarden and myself presented at Hope CRC in Brantford. I also put up partner sheets for the both of us and that has been working out really well. Already we have about 22 people signed up combined!

Fundraising is definantly on a roll now. Come end of March I have a soup and chili dinner planned.

This past weekend Nick Ellens put on a coffeehouse fundraiser. Hilena and I went to support him and it was a great evening. We ended up getting to meet Eritia for the first time. I love making these connections already and friendships. It's so much fun and just gets you so much more excited and that wasn't all. Afterwards we went to a friends party and near the end we ended up being introduced to Julia Wissink from the tour as well. She was down all the way from Ottawa! How cool was that and what were the chances. Plus I found out we are pretty close in age so that's cool. Saturday ended being an extra great night full of sea to sea connections!

This coming weekend Nick, Hilena, myself and Peter Kranenburg (another cyclist) are hitting up the Toronto International Bike Show! I can't wait! I've been going like the last 4 years or so. Try to find some great deals and usually do. Hoping for the same again this time around to help save money on all the equipment needed. Plus it will be a great day getting to hang out together - hopefully the weather cooperates.

This winter has been really annoying and I definantly have cabin fever now. In the last 2 weeks I have driven through some of the worst stuff, even pure white-out conditions. I thank God for keeping me safe during each and every time I am on the road that I made it home safe again. But I tell you I am praying hard (as I am sure most people are) that spring shows up sooner then later. I wish so badly to get out on the road on my bike...but paitence, I must learn patience :P lol.

Unfortunatly, I had my first setback last week when I appear to have injured my knee. I have had this happen a few times in the last few years but decided with the tour coming up this summer that I probably should take the smart route and go see my Dr. to make sure that it isn't anything worse then a strained muscle. I have my first apt tomorrow, mainly it will probably just be a referral to who I really need to see and hopefully I'll be able to get in to them well in advance of starting the biking season. I still taught my spinning class on sat but decided to take the rest of the week off. I thought it would be hard to do it (always worried that a week off can set you back) but I actually feel at peace with that decision. I think I might have been pushing too hard lately and this is just my body rebelling. Ah well, it's all good...I hope :P

Immanuel CRC Team

So this past Sunday (Feb. 3) the Immanuel CRC Team went up in front of the church for our presentation and kick-off for our fundraising there. We are a team of 6 cyclists! Peter Kranenburg and myself are riding the who way and Peter Dehaan, Rick Dejonge, Al Karsten and Dave Van De Woerd are riding the last 2 weeks from Grand Rapids, MI to Jersey City, New Jersey.

Combined together we are raising $36,000. Seems like a lot? Well, maybe, but it can and will be done by God's guidance and blessing! Remember this is all to go for poverty!

We also set up the bulletin board and put up prayer and financial support partner sheets (where you can sign up for a day at $1/km). If all the spots are filled in this would raise about 50% of our goal.

I think everything went great that day and we took a couple of team pictures, sporting this years Sea to Sea shirts (borrowed, thanks to our connection in the office). Already I have had a few calls from those wanting to support us! So exciting! I'll be setting up a similar board at my current church (Hope CRC in Brantford) this Sunday! Dirk (also supported by Hope CRC) and I will be doing a presentation on the 24th of Feb and then Lord willing, a collection will be taken the following Sunday. It's exciting to see things get going now. In the beginning raising $10,000 can be a little overwhelming and mildly stressful if you let it be.

A little side note; so I've taught about 7 spinning classes now. Two Saturdays ago I already ran into a mild dilema! A good dilema I guess in a way... I actually ended up being 2 bikes short! Wow, amazing how the classes just all of a sudden start to fill up! It's so exciting! I've also filled in on a couple of classes when the other instructors were unable to be make it for whichever reason.

I have had a number of new people come to my classes, some who "use" to spin and others who have never spinned before. I really like to make sure that they are set up properly on their bikes (as you can do harm to your knees and other parts of the body if you are not) and have a good first experience overall. I find in some classes the instructor doesn't always take the time for this and that really is unfortunate. Just like making sure that someone coming for the first time realizes they don't have to push it as hard as the others, to just gradually build yourself up. I really recommend to my students to not do alot of tension add-ins the first class or two. Rather just take the time to get use to spinning and especially standing while on the bike. This can really throw new comers and it is definantly something you need to work up too. When this isn't pointed out, they can become discourage quickly and end up not coming back again as they just didn't enjoy it and possibly felt like they just couldn't and wouldn't ever be able to do it.

Anyhow though I'm really enjoying teaching these classes and my goal is to really pass that passion onto those in my class. It's a great time and I encourage you to try it out for a great way of training or just everyday winter exercise!

200 CYCLISTS!!!

Well yesterday was the final day to sign up and as of January 31 there are exactly 200 cyclists signed up!!! Wow unbelievable, nearly 30 signed up in the last 3 weeks. There is still a possiblity of that number rising a little more in the next few days as they wait for the mail to come in, but how amazing is that number! God is soo good! Can you believe as well only 5 more months till we start! Till most of us meet! I can't wait for then.

Didn't sign up to be a cyclists but still feel like you are being called in someway to help? Well obviously there is always help needed financially and spiritually by prayer, but the Sea to Sea committee is still looking for volunteers to share your time and talents with the tour as a member of the support crew? If this interests you there is a spot on the website to go to that lists the positions available. Please pray about this.

In the last few weeks there have been e-mails flying around about specific prayer requests needed. Since those e-mails many of them have been answered so far! Praise God!

1) A permit was needed in order to end the tour at Liberty State Park on the water's edge in New Jersey. Normally, New Jersey government officials do not issue permits there on a holiday weekend and so far the committee had been denied. Well God answered our prayers and the committee has received the okay!!

2) There were hopes to have the tour stop in Grand Haven, Michigan on Friday, Aug. 15 and use the CRC conference grounds and the city-regulated surrounding area for overnight accommodation. Councillors from the township met on Jan. 28 for a final discussion and to vote on the request to stay there and it was approved!!! Thanks be to God!

The latest prayer request as far as accomidations go is: Ed Witvoet is looking for accommodations for Monday Aug. 25 and found the perfect school in Albion, NY. However, they are denying his request because they already have another cycling tour coming through and they don’t want to accommodate a second tour. He has asked a few times as well as some other places in the area but has thus been declined. If we would be able to stay in this area it would allow for they cyclists to cycle by the CRC and RCA churches in and around Rochester. Please pray that things may work out for the best here and that a place may arise that can accomidate us all.

Some other prayer requests have been about cyclists health and safety. Sadly there have been a number of car accidents, surgeries, and just general health problems that have effected many of those participating in the tour. Please remember to keep everyone involved in your prayers during these next 5 months and of course while on the tour. Anyone of us could get in an accident or sick and be unable train for the ride. Please uphold us and continue to encourage as there is a lot involved even before we go.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!... Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:4, 6-7

A Moment of Grace in My Workplace

I thought I would share something that happend to me today. It's a little personal but I wanted to share it because I had to make a decision today on how I reacted. Earlier I talked about how I was reading the devotional, "What So Amazing About Grace." Well today it really hit home and I am putting some of that grace into motion.
Before today I had yet not asked for the time off from my boss. In December my boss had a serious heartattack while away on business in Japan. He actually died for 5 min. Thankfully there were 2 doctors nearby who helped to revive him (I believe God put them there, others say there are just so many people in a train station in Japan there's bound to be a few). He had to undergo double by-pass surgery and was kept in the hospital for nearly 3 weeks before he was allowed to fly back home. It will be quite the long recovery for him and he is only able to come in the office for a few hours at a time.
My original plan had been to ask for a leave of absense sometime in the early new year (2008, so now) but after what happened I didn't want to add to his stress (much good and bads going on at my company) and decided to hold off for a little while.
Well of course when you are excited about something as amazing as this tour, you generally have a hard time keeping it to yourself and proceeded to tell a few of my coworkers but asked them to not talk about it as I didn't want it being spread around just yet.
Well, today I found out someone let my boss know. He called me in and said he had heard some things and wanted to know if it was true, that I would be asking for a leave of absense and going away for awhile. I felt horrible, first I was just utterly shocked and hurt that someone had betrayed my trust, that they felt it so important to tell my boss to possibly save their own butt? I don't know and then I felt horrible that he had found out this way. At this point, obviously I was straight up and talked for quite awhile about this and various other issues in the office. I apologized that I had not been able to have been the one to tell him.
During the time I was in his office, thoughts kept going back and forth in my mind about how I felt and how I wanted to react. Was I angry? In a sense it was my own fault and in telling someone else within the office I was kind of asking for it wasn't I?
When I came out, two of my coworkers who knew about the tour (and who had noticed I was missing from my desk) were in my office (one I share it with). They softly mouthed, what was that about? I informed them that someone had let my boss know about my leaving for the summer. They were shocked and I think were half expecting me to spit rage. But already I knew that I had to make it clear that I was not angry, yes I was a little hurt that someone decided to break my trust but I was not angry. There has been a lot of anger going around our office and it can sometimes be easy to be sucked into the drama that has been going on as well, but I knew I had to approach this differently. To not get riled up, so that others would not get riled up and more rumours and words flying around behind eachothers backs. They asked who I thought it could have been, but at this point I decided that I didn't want to know who it had been. I didn't want to become angry with anyone and it wouldn't undo anything so what would be the point.
You see one thing I didn't say was that, there is word of layoffs going around our office and something like this quite possibly has put me up near the top of the chopping list. To lose my job with less then 6 months to go could make things difficult. But you know what, I'm okay with whatever happens because I realized how lucky I am. I have Jesus in my life and I know that God has ALWAYS provided for me and that I don't have to worry. It's not the end of the world for me if I do lose this job, yeah things might be tight for awhile but I know I am in good hands with whatever may occur in the next 6 months. But for some of my coworkers this would be devestating for them. There is no "greener grass on the other side." In a small town there are not many other options for the type of business we are in.
So I am not sure how tomorrow will go. I'm sure a few more people will know what happened in my meeting (it's amazing how word can get around so fast), but I want to make sure that whoever knows that they are the one that I'm okay with it and I am not angry with them. It's going to be hard to try and stay out of the gossip game as I am sure I will be visited by a few who want to know more of the details but I think I need to show that it's all okay, no hurt feelings (well maybe a little inside but none shown outwardly). I am not going to start pointing fingers and bad mouthing anyone. There are other ways to deal with issues: and that is to show grace...even within just your workplace.

It's 2008!

Just under 6 months to go! 173 more days!! I can't wait. I feel like more and more the tour is on my mind and I just can't wait for the time to pass till we go.

Things are starting to get underway. I have my first thousand raised! Only $9,000 more to go. No problem! Especially with God by my side. Family (especially my loving mother ;) ) and friends are helping me with great fundraising ideas that I can implement in the next few months.

Already I have put a letter in my church's mailslot and soon I hope to have a decorated bulletin board up in our Church all about the sea to sea and an opportunity to sign up for a day to be my prayer warrior and financial supporter at $1/km.

Looks like I will also be painting some blank cards to sell as well. I'll post a design once I get one done (though it might be another month or so, so don't get too excited yet) and if you are at all interested in purchasing a set, let me know :)

At the beginning of December, I also took a course to get my certification to become a spinning instructor. Wow that was one intense day, let me tell you. From 9:30am to 5pm and we were on the bike at least half of that time! You can say my legs were pretty wobbly the next day (and here I am thinking I am going to start teaching? lol). My good friend Mari again came to my aid and set me up with some of her teaching techniques and music. I really admire her and her teaching practices and how she really puts her heart into her classes. That's mainly why I decided to become certified, I wanted to be able to share that heart in my classes at the gym I go to. She really encouraged me (along with a number of other friends and family) to get my certification. Definantly boosted my confidence.

Anyhow this past Saturday was my first class and it was very successful! I really enjoyed myself and I felt like those participating did as well. The one nice thing I have going is that I am "one of the group" as I have been spinning with most of them for 2 winters now. So they are really good for feedback and offer great suggestions. Two of the guys in my class are also training for the Paris to Ancaster Bike Race that I will be doing again this year, so I really appreciate input and suggestions from those guys.

I will admit in the beginning being a spinning instructor is definantly a bit time consuming as I really like to choreograph my music with the variation of intervals. So right now I need to get use to my music and the beat and once I have a few routines put in place it should come much faster. Looks like I'll be teaching every sat morning till the end of March for sure. I said we will have to see after that b/c if the weather starts looking nicer I am going to have to take my training back outside.

Oh I also purchased new handlebars for my bike. I bought Easton EC70 Carbon Wing bars. I have yet to put them on my new bike but will get to that soon enough. I am excited about them and sure hope they work out. I ended buying them slightly smaller than my old bars b/c I always felt like they were just a bit too wide. I went from a 44cm to 42cm. This bar should also be a lot kinder to my wrists. I often found before that my wrists became quite sore after a ride but these bars have a nice flat top that is suppose to offer amazing comfort and stability for my hands and of course, it's CARBON! So here's hoping :)

Christmas Greetings

Wow, where did the time go. Can you believe that Christmas is just around the corner! It seemed to really sneak up on people this year, which in a way seems weird considering the amount of snow we have had this December. You think we would have been long prepared.

So what has been happening the last while? Well we are officially the biggest tour to cross North America! We now officially have 104 cyclists riding straight across! Another 46 are doing sections of the tour! This is so exciting. It's hard to believe that the tour is only another 6 months away. I sent out fundraising letters a couple of weeks ago to my church but hope to really launch my fundraising come January. It's great how many of my friends and family have already showed their support and want to help me in my fundraising in whatever way they can. Many e-mails regarding fundraising ideas and other bike related items have been flying back and forth between the cyclists on the tour. It's so great to see how others are doing and how they are coming up with the funds for the tour.

Obviously though I have stopped biking outside. With 3 storms having hit our area already there is no way you will see me outside on a bike in this weather. Instead I have retreated to the gym for spinning classes twice a week, soon to be 3 times. I even ended up taking a course to get my own spinning instructor certificate. My friend Mari has been so wonderful and has given me some pointers, so over the holidays I hope to put some spinning sets together and then hopefully in the new year I'll be able to start teaching at my own gym :) I'm kind of nervous in someways (as I've never felt that I had the qualities to be a teacher of any kind) but I have had so much encouragement from those who know me well that I am also really excited about this new venture and feel I need to push myself and try something out of the box for me.

Lately I've been reading the devotional What's So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey and it amazes me how so often we forget that is exactly what God is about. What us Christians should be about. Giving grace. Just today I listened to this YouTube post about a boy who talks about how he had to put down his sick cow and he yelled out to God, "Why, she was special to me?" and God answered him, "You know, my son was special but he died for a purpose and it's kind of the same thing." God understands when we go through these moments because his own son died for us so that we might live. At this time of the year though we remember the birth of Jesus. How he was sent to earth to give grace to those of us who are so underserving. Sometimes we as humans (myself included) forget that there is nothing we can do to make God love us more or nothing we can do to make God love us less. I pray every day that I can lead a life of grace to those around me because God showed me grace. I pray that God may use me and challenge me to become a living answer to those around me who desperately want to know Grace in their lives.

Well I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May God bless us all as he always does and may we all enjoy our time spent with family. I can't wait for the days I'll get to spend with my family. See you in the new year!