Monday, June 06, 2011

Running the Race


Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! 
-Hebrew 12:1-3 (The Message)


Here is a confession that I've kind of made me before, but I'll say it more blunt today: I'm a quitter.   It's my natural and I was often allowed to quit things when I was younger, I put on a good show.  Now don't get me wrong, my parents never let me quit the important things that involved church, service, school, etc.  So now that I'm older, I am reteaching myself how to persevere, try new things, and find a way to push through and accomplish the new tasks at hand whether its fitness, daily devotion time, housework, parenting and teaching, etc.  

Since "spring has sprung" I've felt like I have a fresh new start.  Don't get me wrong I have my rough days and I know that there are seasons for everything, so it won't always be this fresh spring in my step, but I'm savoring this new found stage of life.  

Right now I'm pushing my body spiritually and physically.  In the past it's been one of the other and looking back on it, there was alway a component missing.  I would let me spiritual health slip while training for this or that, then I would focus on spiritual aspects and miss finding time for my physical health.  Last month I start doing a guided study through my Father's letters to me and I've been beginning my training for a ten mile race.  

Don't get me wrong, I've missed runs or days in the Word, but the most important component for me this time has been my new found freedom.  Yes, freedom.  Freedom to say, it's ok to miss a run or day in the word, but what happened yesterday can't influence the fact that I need to get in the word or on the road TODAY.  When I was talking to a friend today I said, "Don't let Monday's failure to run keep you home Wednesday too.  Failure isn't a bad thing as long as you learn from it."  Something I realized at that moment I'm learning.

A few months ago when I went to a women's retreat I was very convicted that I don't start things because I'm afraid I'll just fail, so why start.  We read a piece of scripture, that I can't remember, but it was talking about vines on a gate and a very vivid picture of a old rusty gate with out of control vines that have been growing unkept for years.  That was a picture of me and my heart.  Today I can say that I let God break me, (and He continues to) but He is building me up and giving me confidence in Him.  I can accomplish the task set before me whether being a teaching mother, caring wife, good housekeeper, running mom, or spending time in the word daily, but it's not because of anything I do, but because I can do all things through Christ's strength, not my own.



"Running is the greatest metaphor of life, because you get out of it what you put into it."
-Oprah Winfrey

Kelty Speedsteer Swivel Deluxe
Lastly, the awesome Kelty jogging stroller I'm getting to log many miles with.  After lots of research, review reading, coupon searching, and video watching I got this stroller down from $375 to....$168!!! That is a 55% savings.  And I can't wait to get it so I can start logging some long miles with it.

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