You never know who you'll meet...

While out on a cold and windy ride yesterday, Sunday March 6, 2011 with Clark, a friend from church, we met a couple on vacation from Italy. Italy! We had ridden from Amarillo to a favorite lookout point in the canyons near Claude and were stretching our legs when this couple pulled up and started snapping pictures, lots of pictures! Believing that leadership = relationships + influence we struck up a conversation with them. It really didn't take long to deduct that they were neither American nor from Mexico (even though their speech was a mix of English and what I originally thought was Spanish) so the conversation quickly turned to their home country and what brought them to Texas of all places? They were on an extended 18 day vacation, originating in DFW and traveling throughout Texas into New Mexico and Colorado and eventually ending up in Las Vegas, NV. They simply had a map and had highlighted some areas of interest.

It was a neat experience for Clark and I to learn a little about their country (by the way, if I ever make it to Italy I now know I need to rent a motorcycle and tour the region near Tuscany) and to share places they needed to take in while making their way through this part of Texas. They especially thought it was cool that they had met some real life American bikers on their trip. Ha, I didn't have the heart to tell them that Clark is a home health care business owner and I'm a college administrator. They were too enthralled with taking pictures of us and our bikes (glad mine was clean).

You just never know who you'll meet on any given day. And to think, I was reluctant to go for a ride because it was a little cooler than I normally prefer (I'm a fair weather biker, ha) but I am glad that I went. I hope this young couple has a great time in America and I'm glad that God allowed me the opportunity to be apart of their trip in some small way.

Don't overlook the value of chance encounters. Paul tells us in Colossians to live a life worthy of the Lord. I think that means in word and deed. And whether or not meeting us yesterday did anything for this young couple from Italy, it made my day a little brighter.

Be on the lookout for who you might meet this week, you never know who God will place in your path.

Lead Strong...

Shawn