I am not a runner. I don't even play one on tv.
I don't know a lot about running other than I don't like to do it.
When I first heard about a marathon that was mis-marked to where runners ran an extra 800 feet, my first thought was, "When you're already running twenty-six miles, what is an extra eight hundred feet?"
The friend telling me about this incident went on to explain that this particular marathon was used for runners to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I do know enough about running to know the Boston Marathon is a big deal. With the added 800 feet, race times were wrong.
The runner I heard about was over a one minute too slow for the Boston. With the adjusted time, she was still fifteen seconds too slow.
Even though I am not a runner, I wonder what she was feeling as she finished that race. Did she see that she was over her BQ time and run just to finish the race rather than run with everything she had? A minute is a lot of extra time. Fifteen seconds, not so much. Did she have just a little bit more adrenaline she could have used to chop those fifteen seconds off of her time if she had known she was that close?
I think this is something like what the Hebrews writer is talking about when he instructs people to run the race with perseverance.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2 (emphasis mine)
Maybe he's not writing about an actual race, but he is writing about not giving up.
Run with perseverance; finish strong to the end. Don't run the race of life just to get it over with, run as if this race is Boston Marathon qualifying. Don't hold back.
The race marked out for us. Some runners in this mis-marked race noticed weird times and varying watch GPS readings. But they didn't cut corners. They made their concerns known but ran the race marked for them. Express your concerns to God but also continue knowing He has heard them and is taking care of them.
"Run with perseverence the race marked out for us."
Students, this means working hard all the way through final exams.
Employees, this means not spending your last hour of work watching YouTube videos and then zipping out early.
Unemployed college graduates, this means holding to your faith in this awkward time in between.
Don't make the mistake of thinking God has already closed a door. He has the power to reopen them as He desires.
Maybe I'm just preaching to myself...
<>< Katie
Showing posts with label run. Show all posts
Showing posts with label run. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Craving Attention
With the Wiimote in her right hand the nunchaku in her left, she aimed for the television ready to shoot her archery arrow. As she prepared to complete her shot, she was interrupted by a flying monkey. Also known as her little brother.
When their mother told him to stop, he made her his next victim. She was sitting on the floor, and he began a game of king of the hill. I could see it was only a matter of time before my little buddy earned himself a time-out.
"Hey, Buddy, I've got a question for you," I said from the other side of the room.
"Did you hear that? Katie has a question for you," his mom echoed, giving me the "thanks" smile.
The six year old ran around the coffee table and leaped into my arms. There wasn't time to wonder if I was going to catch him or not. I did and in a matter of seconds I had him in a headlock.
Katie: First question, how old are you?
Buddy: Six.
Katie: Second question, how do you like being upside-down?
I flipped him over, and he giggled and giggled and giggled. I pulled him onto my knees. My next move was going to be a "walk in the woods" where my knees become a horse galloping and suddenly the rider drops in a hole. But it wasn't necessary. When I pulled him back up and onto my knees, he sat peacefully for almost five minutes. I was shocked. The kid who mere minutes earlier bouncing off the walls was relaxed on my lap.
He had been looking for attention, and I gave it to him. That's all he wanted. He didn't want to cause trouble, he wanted someone to pay attention to him.
Don't we do the same thing? We run around searching for attention in everything we can find. More often than not, the wrong things.
When we focus our attention on God, He gives us what we need. He catches us and holds us to His chest. Sure, life isn't perfect in His arms. Sometimes we even get flipped on our heads. But He's still there, with His arms held firmly around us. His constant love engulfing us.
When Buddy was on my lap, the adult conversation around me no longer mattered. He had my undivided attention. When we're talking to God, we are given His undivided attention. How cool is that? To know the Creator of the universe is listening to you?
Talk to Him, my friends. Seek His attention. Cuddle in His lap. You won't regret it.
<>< Katie
When their mother told him to stop, he made her his next victim. She was sitting on the floor, and he began a game of king of the hill. I could see it was only a matter of time before my little buddy earned himself a time-out.
"Hey, Buddy, I've got a question for you," I said from the other side of the room.
"Did you hear that? Katie has a question for you," his mom echoed, giving me the "thanks" smile.
The six year old ran around the coffee table and leaped into my arms. There wasn't time to wonder if I was going to catch him or not. I did and in a matter of seconds I had him in a headlock.
Katie: First question, how old are you?
Buddy: Six.
Katie: Second question, how do you like being upside-down?
I flipped him over, and he giggled and giggled and giggled. I pulled him onto my knees. My next move was going to be a "walk in the woods" where my knees become a horse galloping and suddenly the rider drops in a hole. But it wasn't necessary. When I pulled him back up and onto my knees, he sat peacefully for almost five minutes. I was shocked. The kid who mere minutes earlier bouncing off the walls was relaxed on my lap.
He had been looking for attention, and I gave it to him. That's all he wanted. He didn't want to cause trouble, he wanted someone to pay attention to him.
Don't we do the same thing? We run around searching for attention in everything we can find. More often than not, the wrong things.
When we focus our attention on God, He gives us what we need. He catches us and holds us to His chest. Sure, life isn't perfect in His arms. Sometimes we even get flipped on our heads. But He's still there, with His arms held firmly around us. His constant love engulfing us.
When Buddy was on my lap, the adult conversation around me no longer mattered. He had my undivided attention. When we're talking to God, we are given His undivided attention. How cool is that? To know the Creator of the universe is listening to you?
Talk to Him, my friends. Seek His attention. Cuddle in His lap. You won't regret it.
<>< Katie
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Two Thoughts
I was walking back to my apartment under an overcast but dry sky yesterday afternoon when I noticed ripples in the lake. It wasn't raining where I was but it was raining over the lake. It was weird. It's kind of as if God was quoting TobyMac and saying, "If it's got to start somewhere, why not here?"
What's got to start somewhere in your life? Why not here?
Really think about it.
Have you thought long and hard?
Ok, then how about a Blast from the Past funny story?
From the time I was two until I was about ten we had some great neighbors. Without a doubt the best neighbors we've ever had. Late at night after my sister and I fell asleep, they'd set up the baby monitor and go to the neighbors'. If it was positioned correctly in the window of my back bedroom the signal would reach to the back window and hot tub two doors down. Probably not the safest thing to do since we were little and asleep, but we were in a good neighborhood, and we knew Mom and Dad and two houses worth of great neighbors were just a shout away. Well, one night in the dead of winter they were all sitting in the hot tub and they heard some suspicious noise on the baby monitor. In his swim trunks Dad flew out of the hot tub and ran barefoot through the snow home where he found three sleeping girls and an undistrubed house. He said the run home wasn't bad but the walk back was frigid.
<>< Katie
What's got to start somewhere in your life? Why not here?
Really think about it.
Have you thought long and hard?
Ok, then how about a Blast from the Past funny story?
From the time I was two until I was about ten we had some great neighbors. Without a doubt the best neighbors we've ever had. Late at night after my sister and I fell asleep, they'd set up the baby monitor and go to the neighbors'. If it was positioned correctly in the window of my back bedroom the signal would reach to the back window and hot tub two doors down. Probably not the safest thing to do since we were little and asleep, but we were in a good neighborhood, and we knew Mom and Dad and two houses worth of great neighbors were just a shout away. Well, one night in the dead of winter they were all sitting in the hot tub and they heard some suspicious noise on the baby monitor. In his swim trunks Dad flew out of the hot tub and ran barefoot through the snow home where he found three sleeping girls and an undistrubed house. He said the run home wasn't bad but the walk back was frigid.
<>< Katie
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