lately

Every time I hear the song "Lord of Lords" by Hillsong (one of my running songs in the list on the right), there is a line that sticks out to me and resolves to getting stuck in my head for days on end: "I'll run 'til I finish the race..."  Right now, it's just where I am in this season of life:  With my one word being "finish" and, of course, as I'm training for the half, and as I spend time with my elderly neighbors at the senior center next door each week, this concept all the way around is something I've been thinking about a lot lately...  If "finishing the race" is coming to the end of our life here on earth, then how are we running right now?  And, the bigger question... for Whom?

The line in this song implies that being finished is not simply to stop.  We run until it's finished.  It's a process.  There is progress.  We don't reach the end until it's over.  So how we live now (and who we are becoming) is vital to the legacy we will leave behind—and to our lifelong quest that our entire lives are to glorify God.  Every aspect of them.  In running and in life, it takes perseverance, discipline, and lot of faith.  There is resistance, refinement, and response.  It requires positioning oneself... and paying attention.

I can remember thinking a long time ago that my biggest fear is complacency.  (If I'm being REALLY honest here, it's probably spiders... shhhh.)  That fear had nothing to do with anything spiritual, but at this point I really don't think it's such a bad place to be in my walk.  God is always going to come in and disrupt us.  I don't think He ever wants us getting too comfortable.  Being taking out of our comfort zones, facing change, being challenged... these things are God's classroom.  They are where he molds us into His image.  One day we'll reach it, one day we'll see His face... but, like with training, how are we doing with what we've been given?  Right this very second, we have what we've been given.  And it may or may not always live up to what we want... but it's what we've got.  So how do we use it?  We all have obstacles to either face and press on through, or allow to stop us.  But we also have God's mercies that are new every morning—that are just enough for every day.  (Lamentations 3:22-23—love this truth.)

I think the word "finish" for me is already becoming more about transformation than anything else (ironically).  I know I'm not perfect and will never be.  But I can't let that be an excuse for becoming content.  Something I heard our pastor say once (paraphrasing) is: "The biggest enemy of 'great' isn't 'bad'; it's 'good.'"  I really believe that...

On a less "deep" end of things, I have to say, running has felt just plain GOOD lately—and I am savoring it!!  My recent runs have felt amazing; no pain at all.  Did a "fast 4" two days ago with a friend and had a smooth 5 yesterday at the beach.  The Loop is such a quick drive from work, so it's a great place to run before heading home (not to mention the sea breeze and a sunset over the waterway!).  And it doesn't hurt that it was yet another 70-degree, sunny day in January... so blessed!!!!!

Today I took a rest from running, and did some ab work and yoga with a friend.  This week also happens to be our "scale-back" week—we're only supposed to run the equivalent of a 5K (3.1 miles) on Saturday instead of bumping up to 9 miles.  It's hard to rest and to scale back when things are feeling so good.  But I have to have the patience and the wisdom to know that sometimes rest actually adds to the progress—and then have the discipline to follow through.  Lord knows I truly believe I can do whatever I think is best for me sometimes.  Learning... :)

So thankful for His provision and faithfulness today... What are you thankful for?