Natitingou X-Games

The X-games are the Olympics of man-powered extreme
sports, so to speak. Skateboarding, bmx biking, rollerblading, and the lot, all things that I have
tried once or twice and decided to do cross-country skiing instead, which
can be extreme when going doing a hill! Here in Natitingou, I have been working
on some new extreme sports to add to the list, some African specialities. Enjoy!

Storm Racing
Usually people talk of Storm Chasing, which was made really popular after the
release of the movie "Twister". But here in Nati I have developed storm racing,
that is trying to get away from story. Given the location of Nati in a valley,
any storm rolls over the hills from any direction and gives me the cyclist enough time
to race home or to the nearest friends house. The bigger the storm,
the bigger the challenge. Only once has rain started as I went home, but I was just coming
up the gate, so escaped in time. And yes all traffic codes are followed, as much as
possible, that is when others don't you have to bend the rules to avoid, well, collisions.
But breakneck speed on a bicycle is not too hazardous, especially when its a blue
city bike.

Mouse Trap
Yes this game, though it may not appear extreme, is a push to the limits of mind
especially. How do catch the confounded mice that live inbetween the beams and
roof of my house. At night I wake up to their gnawing on my exposed potatoes, and
I find their droppings in the most unconvienent places. So there was the small
North American mousetrap, no good. So I upgraded to the African Mouse Catcher
2000, more power, ugh, ugh. But even this smaller version of a bear trap, with teeth
and all is not match for the light mice, who eat off it and leave it unsprung. Next I tried a truce,
loosing points in the game for sure. If you eat only what I put out on a plate for you
and do not climb on my table, you'll be safe, but no go there either. So
unfortunately poison is the next bet, for the mice of course. It is sold on the market,
and is tasteless, and deadly for mice populations, so be it.

Not Mountain Biking
Here is latest in extreme biking, avoiding potholes and large bumps and rivets. While
the traditional mountain biker will try to go into holes, and fly through the air off
of large bumps, with my three speed British Bluester, that can handle holes the size
of a bottlecap (okay I exagerrate), all bumps are avoiding at great cost. It beats
many a video game, navigating the boulder and pothole ridden roads of Nati.

Growing
Recently somone asked me if this experience was a growing one. I replied with a strong yes and the
added comment that sometimes too much growing seems to be happening in my life! My spiritual
skin is being stretched and old stuff is constantly being shedded. And it is extreme, sometimes
hurts like a falling from a bmx at ten feet!

God Trusting
Unfortunately it is more popular today to think that Christianity is a boring experience, but the adventure
is always just beginning. Any normal day never remains that way. The hard part, is putting the package
of each day all in God's hands. My aunt sent me a poignant quote on this recently.
"If you have given yourself to God, to do his work, you have no need to be anxious for tomorrow. He whose
servant you are, knows the end from the beginning." Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing pg 100
That's extreme, giving your life into the hands of someone you've never seen, a leap worth taking.