Voice of the Victory Riders

Transcription

1 Voice of the Victory Riders July 2012 CMA Chapter 1073 Chapter officers Jena, LA President David Smith Vice President H.O. Berry Secretary Jean Smith Treasurer Paula Berry Chaplain Norma Sharp Road Captain James Dedman July Calendar Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat July 9 July July 16 July 23 July 28 August 6 & 20 August 13 August 27 August Events Chapter Meeting LA/MS Ladies Conf. Bikes & Burgers Chapter Bible Study La. Melon Run Bikes & Burgers Chapter Meeting Chapter Bible Study Prayer Requests Beautiful Feet Ministries Donnie, Jeanie & Dillon Tim prison ministry Tom Cockerham Wallace Cockerham Ashley medical Lance & family Daniel Bill Phyllis injured shoulder Philip stage 4 cancer Elaine Philip s wife Casting all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7 Victory Riders meet the 2 nd Monday of every month at Rick s Pizza on Oak Street in downtown Jena. Come early, (around 6) to eat and fellowship and we will begin the meeting at 7:00 P.M.

2 A word from the President What a hot last few days. June was a pretty good month; however July looks to be a scorcher. Jean and I spent 9 days in Tennessee as we enjoyed the hills and curves, not to mention the cooler days, of the back roads of the Smoky and Cumberland Mountains. Everywhere we went someone would comment on our tee shirts (always wearing our Colors ) which usually enabled us to share about CMA and how God is using us to share the Word. Often times I have encouraged you to Wear Your Colors everywhere you go. CMA is everywhere and no matter where you go people recognize those colors. I don t know how many times people have told us that a family member or friend is in CMA, and of course that opens the door to share what God is doing in our lives, in our chapter and in CMA. Over the next month or so we will be facing some serious heat when we ride. I want to remind you that when you saddle up to ride be sure and drink plenty of water and take water with you. The heat and wind can dehydrate you before you know it. The biggest problem is that you won t be that thirsty until it is too late. You need to drink if you feel thirsty or not. Oh, and wear your colors. It s All About JESUS! David Smith, President Chaplain s Corner "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" John 14:6 (NIV 1984) I wasn't in the mood to be messed up. I put my head against my bedroom wall, closed my eyes, and whispered, "There's no way." It was late summer of 2003 when my world collided with what seemed like an impossible invitation from God: adopt two teen boys from war-torn Liberia. All the reasons why this wasn't a good idea tumbled before me. Honest reasons. Understandable reason. Solid reasons. Who would do such a thing? Missionaries would be much more qualified. Missionaries with grown kids and multicultural experience. People much more spiritual than me. People much more gentle and patient enough to do this sort of thing. Not this disorganized woman who originally thought Liberia was in South America. Not this mom who already felt overwhelmed with her three kids. How in heavens would we add two more? Not someone who couldn't find the video she rented a month ago and who paid so many late fees at the library they should have named a shelf after her. Maybe two shelves. Definitely not me. But it was me. The invitation was mine. And I knew it.

3 No matter how many times I whispered over and over, "There's no way," this nagging sense of possibility wouldn't leave me. It wove its way through every fiber of my being until I stood up and shifted everything I thought my family would be with one weak whisper, "Yes." I can honestly say there were moments of sheer joy where I felt reassured I'd heard God right. But there were many other moments where life felt chaotic, messy, and really hard. There were tears. There were moments where I loved my five kids but I didn't like them very much. There were moments I wondered if I'd heard God wrong. And there were more times even after we adopted where I said, "There's no way." There was no way we could overcome a medical diagnosis one of my boys got. There was no way two teenage boys who tested at a kindergarten level could catch up in two years and be ready for middle school. There was no way I could be patient enough to educate them at home during those two years. But every time I said, "There's no way," I'd remember Jesus calling himself, "The way..." (John 14:6). He was the way. He was the One to follow. He was the One who would guide me each day. He was the One I needed to pour out my heart to in prayer. He was the One to listen to. And He was the One who reassured me with so many promises in the Bible. One of those promises was Isaiah 58:10-11: "... If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." I could be a light rising in the darkness. I could be full of life like a well-watered garden. I could be refreshing like a spring whose waters never fail. Me. Crazy, incapable, crying-in-my-closet me. If I let Jesus be my way, and do what He was asking me to do, these things could be true for me. And they can be true for you as well. Do you have a situation in your life where you are saying, "There's no way..."? Maybe you aren't called to adopt, but whatever you are being called to do, take heart. Look into the Bible and find some promises that apply to your situation. And follow Jesus' instruction for that promise. Friend, there might not be a way if you look at your situation with only human reasoning and calculation. But if you let Jesus' truth and promises fill you, you'll find a different way. A good way. A sure way. His way. It s all about Jesus! Norma Sharp, Chaplain Taken from: Road Captain Report Hot Weather Riding Tips WATER COOLING the rider. Riding in wet clothes is much cooler. Wet your bandana and hair, and in very hot conditions soak everything if possible and do it every hour or so. PREVENT Fatigue. Stop frequently to rest, stretch, move around, drink water and cool down. Research shows that accident rates are reduced by regular short rest breaks.

4 Prevent SUNBURN. Remember that you can burn through many lightweight fabrics. Slap on total sunblock with highest SPF (Sun Protection Factor) for any exposed flesh. Pay special attention to the danger areas between sleeve and gloves, back of the neck, throat, nose and tips of ears. Don t forget to keep re-apply it too. DEHYDRATION. Signs are less frequent urination (urine passed will be less in volume and darker in color), fatigue, headache, dizziness and cramps. Dehydration can be very, very serious but it is preventable. Drink lots of water. This is probably the most important thing about riding in hot weather. Consider using drinking bottles which allow you to drink while on the move. If not, stop often and make sure you carry a good supply of water. It s all about Jesus. James Dedman, Road Captain July Holidays July 11 Cheer Up the Lonely Day is an opportunity to make a lonely person happy. Any time you can make someone happy, you've done a good thing, and should be proud of yourself. Lonely people have few friends and loved ones. They may have lost loved ones over the years. They may be elderly. They see people on an infrequent basis. Spend some time today cheering up lonely people. It's easy to do...just spend some time with them. When you visit, bring happy things to talk about. Keep the conversation upbeat, and lively. When you leave, give a big hug and let them know you enjoyed the stay. Sending cards or making a phone call is okay, only if they live too far away to visit. What a lonely person really needs, is face to face time with other people. The Origin of Cheer Up the Lonely Day: According to L.J. Pesek, Cheer Up the Lonely Day was created by her father, Francis Pesek from Detriot, Michigan. She told us that he "was a quiet, kind, wonderful man who had a heart of gold. He got the idea as a way of promoting kindness toward others who were lonely or forgotten as shut-ins or in nursing homes with no relatives or friends to look in on them." Francis Pesek chose this day, because it was his birthday. July 23 National Hot Dog Day celebrates one of America's favorite summer sandwiches. It is only fitting that this dog gets its day. Its summertime. Hot dogs are center stage on the grill, and at picnics all across America. They are at the ballpark. They are sold from carts on street corners in every city. It's not hard to find them. We consume hundreds of millions of hot dogs on the Fourth of July alone. Enjoy National Hot Dog Day to the fullest. Have a couple of hot dogs for lunch or dinner. And, don't forget to cook a few on a stick at the evening campfire. What's in a hot dog? Don't' ask, and we won't tell. Sometimes, its best if you don't know. Happy National Hot Dog Day! July 27 Take Your Pants for a Walk Day is a great day to get some exercise. This special day is well noted on the internet for Ecard and calendar websites. So, I'm sure your planning to celebrate this day in a big, big way.

5 It s an easy day to celebrate. Simply go for a walk. Unless you are wearing a dress or a skirt, you probably are wearing pants. So, by definition, as you walk, they come along. Give your pants some exercise. After all, they are looking a little tight around the middle. The walk will do them good. Our State Officers: They re back hurray!!! State Coordinator Jim & Loretta Owens bigo127@bellsouth.net Victory Riders website: Victory Riders online calendar: Area Reps Ron & Kathy McMaster mcmasterrp@hughes.net Youth Reps Donnie & Jeanie Stevenson donnieandjeanie@hotmail.com Dillon Stevenson July 6 CMA now has a YouTube channel where you can find promo material and other items that we have on video! Check it out at: National website: Tim & Carletta Kirl July 26 CMA is now broadcasting a weekly CMA worldwide update! The broadcast is every Wednesday at 10:00 AM, but you can view it anytime by logging onto:

6 CMA Classifieds If you have a bike, trailer or other item for sale, here is your chance to reach hundreds of buyers at no cost! Send your ad to Vicki Davis at vpdavis@bellsouth,net. Ads should include a brief description, price and location along with a contact name and number. One (1) photo may be included with your ad. * * * * * * * * * * Upcoming Events July Mississippi Louisiana Ladies Conference, Hazelhurst, MS July 28 Louisiana Melon Run-Watermelon Festival benefits local breast cancer patients & the Susan G. Komen Foundation September 15 - Ride for Hope benefits Morehouse Cancer Fund; Free T-Shirt and lunch with Pre-Registration September CMA Louisiana State Rally ABC in Eunice Don t forget Bible Study on the fourth Monday of each month at 6:00 PM at Midway Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. Bring your Bible and a desire to grow in the Word. (Also bring some sandwiches, chips or dessert!) To everyone except Norma and Rita (your name could be here)!!! Some new Louisiana laws that affect motorcyclists will take effect on August 1. 1) Handlebar grip can be no higher than operator's shoulders. 2) The prohibition on the impoundment of motor vehicles in certain circumstances has been repealed, so if your helmet is not DOT approved, you could be towed. PLEASE!!! Bring the list of your CMA activities to the chapter meeting, or call, e- mail or text it to me. This includes rides, rallies, hospital visits, witnessing or prayer opportunities. You don t need to include details, just the month and type of event. I must report these on my quarterly report. I try very hard to remember who all is present at things I attend, but I also need to report your individual activities. Thanks, Jean (Special thanks to Norma and Rita!)

7 Pray for these CMA Chapters Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Your birth date each month Shreveport, Slidell & Oak Grove Ruston, New Orleans & Jonesboro- Hodge Monroe, Eunice, Lafayette & Jena Mansfield, Hammond & Lake Charles Alexandria, Baton Rouge & Minden National & State Leaders & Evangelists Vacation to Tennessee