Rollerskating

Yesterday, I'm riding my bike up the rural road on which I live. It's something I'd like to do more often, for the exercise, but also because it's mentally relaxing. I only go as far as the elementary school, about two miles up, because the sky is threatening and I don't want to get caught in the rain.

On my return trip, I pass by the house where two of the kids who come to youth group live. They see me and call my name. I pull into their driveway, which I love, because the branches of the willow trees hang down on either side, making a tunnel.

"Hey, let's do something tonight," they say.

"OK," I say. "What did you have in mind."

"Rollerskating!"

Two hours later, I have four youth at my house, eating pizza and then piling into my car for the 40 minute drive into Roseville where there is a Roller Skating Rink. By chance, one of the people we see there is Gary, who the kids recognize as one of their counselors from church camp. The kids love Gary, and what a wonderful way to start getting them excited about camp this coming summer!

We buy our skates, and even I pay the three dollars for the inline skates, because they are just so much cooler. The kids are off, but I'm a little slower. My roller skating ability is not quite theirs, and I'm a lot less graceful, but it is God's grace that gets me through the evening without injury, and by the time we leave, I realize that it was even fun.

I guess I could say more, but the weather is once again threatening (I hear thunder), and I'd rather not be on the computer during a lightning storm. Besides, lightning is fun to watch, and we get so little of it here in the Sacramento Valley.

Roller skating, kids who like to hang out with me, a lightning storm---a pretty good weekend.