This blog is shared in celebration of Bike to Work day and was first shared on Columbus Mennonite Church’s Mid-Week blog. Shared with permission.
Joel Miller has been the pastor of Columbus Mennonite Church since 2013. He and his wife have three school-aged daughters who keep them on their feet and backyard chickens who miraculously turn compost into tasty eggs. As a pastor, Joel has the honor of walking with people through the sacred events of life and challenging his congregation to recognize all of life as sacred. He grew up on a farm in Bellefontaine, Ohio, but has lived his adult life in urban areas. Before moving to Columbus, he pastored for seven years in Cincinnati, Ohio. Joel is a graduate of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. He has also lived for briefer stints in St. Louis, Missouri; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Cairo, Egypt; and Atlanta, Georgia. All these places and the life they hold have shaped him. Joel enjoys running, home improvement projects — of which there are many — and being amazed at trees.
______________________________________________
Days after the rains the river
still swells but is back within its banks.
The air is crisp but gloves hold the heat and the sun
promises warmth to come.
Two geese are eating grass.
A squirrel risks its luck and darts in front of my tire.
A leashed dog squats, looks me in the eye,
And takes a morning crap.
The wheels turn true on the path as the rider
ponders Could a commute be a pilgrimage?
At the church awaits email and Zoom
and the annual report and more subtleties of the Divine.
Approaching High Street my awareness shifts.
Any one of these cars could crush me.
A driver waves me through an intersection and smiles
and soon I have arrived.
The views and opinions expressed in this blog belong to the author and are not intended to represent the views of the MC USA Executive Board or staff.
Interested in submitting a blog for Menno Snapshots? Please see our blog guidelines here.