Written by: Pete Perkowski
Today had us traveling from Santa Cruz to King City in the heart of California’s central valley where all sorts of fruits and vegetables are grown. The temperatures in the valley rocketed up to 107 by the middle of the day, and the road surfaces were very rough for some long stretches from all the heavy farm equipment and trucks that travel them. The day was still a pleasure though, as we had beautiful views of mountains to either side of us and a tailwind to help propel us through many of the 95 miles.
In the first few miles of our day we passed a church sign that stood out with its message; this one read, “Hipster Jesus loved you long before you were cool!” It sounds pretty ridiculous so it got me thinking for a little while. Hipsters might be the trendy counter cultural image of today, but 2000 years ago it was Jesus who showed us how to really live counter culturally, many of the things he did in his ministry were counter cultural, one such example being that in a time when only the best educated and brightest Jewish students of the Old Testament would ever be given an opportunity to follow and study with a Rabbi, Jesusselected common people like fisherman and tax collectors to make up his gang. I could make some sense of the first part of the message, but what about the “long before you were cool part?” How is that relevant, have I ever been cool? What is cool? Well I looked it upand Psychologists say “The way people or things are cool is they seem autonomous – they do what they want to, do it regardless of what other people think, but in a way that is appropriate, seen as valued or efficient, and different, without being harmful or worse.
By that definition the Fuller Center for Housing and their Bike Adventure seem pretty cool. The Fuller Center does things our culture wouldn’t normally do. They provide no interest loans to people for mortgages and house repairs so they can afford a decent home to live in, and people volunteer their time and talent to help others build and repair their homes in a display of love that puts others’ needs before their own. These are cool ideals to embrace. I’m still not sure if I’m cool, someone else will have to judge that, but I at least feel like the years since I’ve began working and riding with the Fuller Center have been the coolest in my life. It was only by Hipster Jesus’s grace I discovered this joy, and have been able to participate in so many bike adventures and build days. It’s easier to be cool when you know hipster Jesus’s love.
Also Lauren rocked the bike ride today! You were a great riding partner for the last 75 miles.
