I meant to blog last weekend before Amanda had a chance to but I have let work get in the way of my PRIORITIES. (Sounds like I am not the only one!!)
Last Saturday when Amanda and I started running the 10K on the beach in Port A, I said, "About 15 years ago, my sister-in-law and I started out meaning to just run this race to get in a 3 miler and walk the last half, but there were only a handful of runners that had entered the race, so of course we were last anyway, and there was this stupid firetruck behind us with its lights on the whole race and they were having a blast at our expense. We would stop for some water and they would say over their speaker, 'Just drop the cup. We will pick it up!'" So, I had been last before, and last wasn't going to bother me today! Then, we got started and I tried to keep up with the small pack of runners that had entered the run. Amanda ran right beside me. I was sucking air and she wasn't even sweating! So at 1 1/2 they had a water stop and I told her I was going to walk and drink and she should get going, and she did. Somewhere along the way, I started thinking, "I sure don't want to be last!!" I don't know what happened to my "PRIORITIES" there, but they flew right out the window! So, I started walking and running, but making sure I kept a distance between me and those "last place people". Then, about 10 minutes later, I see this angel running back towards me instead of towards the finish line, and I recognized the color of the running shorts. It was Amanda! I asked her, "what are you doing?" And she said, "we came to do this together, and I am sticking with you!" And so she did. She would run up when I walked and then run back for me. So basically, she ran twice the distance!
And, I meant to blog before Amanda did, so that I could say, Amanda, you met your "call to discipleship" that day. And isn't it funny to read your blog saying, you were "listening" to what God was telling you to do!
Amanda had set her PRIORITIES and was following through. Me, I was being stupid and paid the price by being a "back of the pack" snob, and so I was miserable the whole way! Until the very end there when we came across the lady that needed some encouragement. Then, I got back in my groove! We walked her through until she could run in, and then we let her run in across the line in front of us. Guess who got "2nd" in my age group?!? There you go! God bit me on the butt! That is what I get for forgetting my PRIORITIES and being a snob!
When I was 40 and ran the Big Sur Marathon, I was 7th to LAST in my age group, and my dad was 7th place (you know, from FIRST) in his age group. If the run would have been one month later, he would have been 65 and been in first in his age group! And I was proud of myself!
Anybody not "feeling it" in their training can just plan on having a good time back in the "back of the pack" with me! I'm going to stay where I belong from now on! Those people in the back are having a good time! Maybe we could set up some beer stops along the way?? That would be fun!
God is good - all the time!
Robin
"ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING! BE KINDER THAN NECESSARY, FOR EVERYONE YOU MEET IS FIGHTING SOME KIND OF BATTLE. LIVE SIMPLY, LOVE GENEROUSLY, CARE DEEPLY, SPEAK KINDLY......LIFE ISN'T ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORM TO PASS, IT'S ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN."
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Running God's Race
Last night I ran into a lady whom I've crossed paths with so much recently. She was in Junior League when Rebecca and I joined in 2005. Early last year, she and her family started attending our church (she stopped coming, though, about 10 months ago). Her daughter, who has a crush on Rebecca's son, Hayden, is in Hannah's class at school. And, even more recently I've seen her jogging around the neighborhood.
I ran into her at HEB at about 10:00 last night. When I saw her AGAIN, I said, "OK, God, your servant is listening what do you want me to do?" Usually, I give her a polite "hi," but something told me that I should strike up a conversation with her. While we spoke, I asked her if she was training for something (since I'd seen her running). She said that she was doing the marathon in SA! We talked about that awhile, and then church came up. She sounded like she wanted to come back, but was maybe embarrassed by not having been in so long. I went on and on about our new pastor, who is wonderful, and I could see her curiosity rise. Then, I mentioned that she and her husband should join us for Home Team one night, and her eyes lit up. I think that she was thrilled. An invitation was all she needed. She said she'd be at church this weekend.
Sometimes, that's all it takes. All I needed was an invitation from Lindsey to run this race. It's probably not something that I would have signed up for myself, but because she asked, I was willing. Another friend of mine asked Robin and I to run a 10K last weekend. Another invitation. We did it. And what fun!
We didn't break any records (although we did take 2nd and 3rd in our age groups!), but I felt Christ at work that day. As we ran along the beach, catching up on what had been going on in each other's lives, I was acutely aware of everything around me. The smell of the water. The cool breeze. The warm sun. The crunch of the sand beneath my feet. God is so good.
As we neared the end of the race, we ran up on another runner who was having trouble finishing. She felt nauseous and she said she couldn't feel her fingers. I will admit that, for me, all bets would have been off during a "real" race. I probably would have given her a polite "you OK?" and then been off. But, God had been working on my senses all morning. And, there was no question about the right choice. We stopped to make sure she was OK. Watching Robin "work" was a God moment. We were maybe 300 yards from the finish line and we were WALKING! (Something oh-so humbling for me). As we walked beside her, reassuring her that all would be OK, I was reminded that Christ stops and walks with me when I'm struggling. Who am I to deny that of someone else? Robin has a gift...she makes others feel good, feel brave, feel unburdened. As she spoke to the runner, I could see a transformation in her. She felt renewed and energized...she just needed a little pep talk. (You were a cheerleader weren't you , Robin?) The lady felt well enough to run the last 50 yards into the chute. Robin and I were right behind her.
As I did my Bible Study this week, Beth Moore wrote that, "In God's economy, the way up is down." And, all I could think about was humbling my prideful spirit long enough to let someone who was struggling in the race pass me by. You know what, though? It felt great to do it. Isn't that what we're here for? To humble ourselves and lift others up? Sometimes that's hard to do...especially when I really wanted that sandollar trophy! ;)
I ran into her at HEB at about 10:00 last night. When I saw her AGAIN, I said, "OK, God, your servant is listening what do you want me to do?" Usually, I give her a polite "hi," but something told me that I should strike up a conversation with her. While we spoke, I asked her if she was training for something (since I'd seen her running). She said that she was doing the marathon in SA! We talked about that awhile, and then church came up. She sounded like she wanted to come back, but was maybe embarrassed by not having been in so long. I went on and on about our new pastor, who is wonderful, and I could see her curiosity rise. Then, I mentioned that she and her husband should join us for Home Team one night, and her eyes lit up. I think that she was thrilled. An invitation was all she needed. She said she'd be at church this weekend.
Sometimes, that's all it takes. All I needed was an invitation from Lindsey to run this race. It's probably not something that I would have signed up for myself, but because she asked, I was willing. Another friend of mine asked Robin and I to run a 10K last weekend. Another invitation. We did it. And what fun!
We didn't break any records (although we did take 2nd and 3rd in our age groups!), but I felt Christ at work that day. As we ran along the beach, catching up on what had been going on in each other's lives, I was acutely aware of everything around me. The smell of the water. The cool breeze. The warm sun. The crunch of the sand beneath my feet. God is so good.
As we neared the end of the race, we ran up on another runner who was having trouble finishing. She felt nauseous and she said she couldn't feel her fingers. I will admit that, for me, all bets would have been off during a "real" race. I probably would have given her a polite "you OK?" and then been off. But, God had been working on my senses all morning. And, there was no question about the right choice. We stopped to make sure she was OK. Watching Robin "work" was a God moment. We were maybe 300 yards from the finish line and we were WALKING! (Something oh-so humbling for me). As we walked beside her, reassuring her that all would be OK, I was reminded that Christ stops and walks with me when I'm struggling. Who am I to deny that of someone else? Robin has a gift...she makes others feel good, feel brave, feel unburdened. As she spoke to the runner, I could see a transformation in her. She felt renewed and energized...she just needed a little pep talk. (You were a cheerleader weren't you , Robin?) The lady felt well enough to run the last 50 yards into the chute. Robin and I were right behind her.
As I did my Bible Study this week, Beth Moore wrote that, "In God's economy, the way up is down." And, all I could think about was humbling my prideful spirit long enough to let someone who was struggling in the race pass me by. You know what, though? It felt great to do it. Isn't that what we're here for? To humble ourselves and lift others up? Sometimes that's hard to do...especially when I really wanted that sandollar trophy! ;)
Monday, October 6, 2008
Bring the Pain
Hmmm...twice in the last week I set out to do an eighteen to twenty miler and ended up with the worst stomach cramps at twelve. That about sums up Wed and Saturday's runs (Wed on the lake and Sat on the treadmill). Colorado began seeming like a horrible idea. Today was different though. In church last night Jen Hatmaker talked about God's voice, and knowing when its him and when its my own voice talking. Before I went to bed last night I prayed that if God wanted me to wake up early and run that he would tell me and I wouldn't argue. I woke up at 3:45, my before work running time (which I hadn't done in quite awhile) no alarm or anything, just up knowing I should go run. I tried to convince myself that I should sleep for another forty five minutes unsuccessfully...who am I to argue with God. I started running, and I kept going, no stomach cramps. I felt a blister rubbing about mile 3, perfect, this is the kind of pain I should be feeling, little annoyances, then the chaffing, awesome, it had been some time since this has happened. I stopped at mile 15, knowing I could go 3 more if I wanted, which I actually did, but I was already late for work. It was a great morning! Just the right amount of discomfort and the perfect amount of fatigue to know that things were finally going right. Denver is going to be a blessed expertience, I just know it! LJ
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