Jan 2, 2011 Tender Mercy

(This blog by Master O, aka Oliver Thompson)

Okay, so it’s my turn to share a few thoughts from our amazing bike trip. The one situation that sticks out the most for me today is when I was in Louisiana, due to an unfortunate happening with my front rim. I had to head south to find a bike shop that would hopefully have the right part, while the other guys headed North. After a mishap of heading to a “bike” shop and finding out that it was a motorcycle shop, I finally made it to a bike store and was able to get a new rim on my bike.  I was a little frantic at this point and trying to get ready to continue my journey, to meet back up with the guys.  Mr. Visay (a very nice man who wanted to stay with me until he knew I was on my way heading back to be with the guys) and I had stopped at a subway.  I changed from my street clothes back into my biking gear.  As Mr. Visay and I were getting ready to leave, I put my street clothes into my saddle bags, while being sure to pull my phone and wallet out. I hopped into the truck to get back on route.  In order to get me back on route, we had to drive a good ways. We went through a town and then onto the highway for about 7 miles.  Once we got off the highway and back into town, I started to panic. I looked around and my phone and wallet were no where to be found.  I thought back and retraced my steps.  My heart sank when I realized that I had set my wallet and phone on the back bumper of the truck, when I took them out of my pants pocket.  I was certain that there was no way that they could still be there at this point, especially after being on the highway.  We pulled over and I raced around to the back of the truck to see if they were there, only by a miracle. Yes! The phone and wallet were sitting exactly where I had left them.  I could not have been more grateful.  I was already some what stressed about my bike and being off route; losing my phone AND wallet was not on my to do list. In case you’re wondering…that just doesn’t happen! At least it’s not supposed to. I knew right away this was a true act of God. My Heavenly Father was watching over me and knew that I wasn’t thinking straight and that I would have been stuck in Louisiana with a bike and some pop tarts if that wallet and phone didn’t make it down the road with me. This was just one of the many times that I found myself saying, “how in the world did that happen.” Fortunately, this was a big miracle and it was easy to tell that the Lord had his hand in this. Unfortunately there are many times in our day to day, busy lives that we lose sight of these little and big miracles that help us to keep moving on our path through life, just as I was able to keep moving on my small journey that day and for the next 2,000 miles or so. Incidences like these made me love and want to serve the Lord more and more everyday and the best way to do that is by serving our fellow man. This is why I have decided to start the process of filling out papers to serve a full time mission for my Heavenly Father
If you see someone stranded on the side of the road and you’re not in a huge rush, why not stop and help ‘em out? Even doing little things like helping a lady load her groceries into her car or lending a helping hand to your neighbor. I challenge all who are keeping up with our blog to strive to do a good deed daily and try to find someone in need of your assistance.
 Well, that’s about all I have to say this time folks! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and I’ll see ya when I see ya!