Friday Tidings

This is mind-blowing. It puts true meaning back into the word epic. Rob Decou climbed onto his recumbent bike June 14th in Oceanside, California with his eyes on God and a destination of Annapolis, Maryland. With intensity athletes know well, Rob says, “impossible is unacceptable.” Just imagine 3000 miles on a bike, with incredibly tough time constraints along the journey. Why? He’s on the Race Across America team—riding and raising money for brain cancer research. Rob’s goal is to raise $20,000. But this isn’t about Rob, it’s about honoring his friend Christina who lost her battle with brain cancer in 2013.  It’s also about helping others facing brain cancer and the daunting challenges it presents.  So why not ride 3000 miles in less than two weeks? He knows he can’t do it alone, and neither can those suffering with cancer. Rob is depending on his mighty God and the incredible team supporting him every m

Several wedding invitations are on my desk. Each couple has planned a special day with flowers, flowing dresses, serious vows, love, laughter, maybe some joyful tears, and a gathering of families and friends. But beyond the moments shared at the altar or in a garden, and after a brief honeymoon, the real journey awaits. And honestly, their future is unknown.  Many couples delay marriage—sometimes fearing failure, money issues, or just too much uncertainty in our weary world of horrible tragedies, suffering and misfortune. But please don’t let that stop you from saying I do. Here are some scary highlights from the year I married: Revolutionary forces in Iran under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini took over Iran. Militants later seized the US embassy and held over 50 Americans hostage—for over a year. A US oil embargo caused such long gas lines that it took upwards of an hour to get to the pump for rationed gas. The S