Why I Run, Day Twenty Nine: Because Finishing What You Start is POWERFUL

God created me and began working in me before he started to work on me. He gave me a solid Christian home where I was unconditionally loved, safe, secure, able, accountable, disciplined. A parent now, I see so much value in a safe place. It is the reason I stay home with my children. And it is the reason I Run - it keeps the safe place of home safe, sane, steady, predictable, mundane enough to be edifying. And exciting enough to look forward to each day. Parenting is not a job you take and ever walk away from. Quitting, tapping out, resigning are not honorable nor really possible options.

Being a parent is like being a Marine. You just always are.

I know I want to finish what I start. Always. It is what my dad ingrained in my character. And if I'm unable to finish, it'll be because I'm dead, or more or less perfected in faith enough to be in Eternity. But I want to be a mother. Until and obviously long after I expire, I'm Mom. To do that well, I'm going to keep running. Because God called me to run the race with perseverance. I will run on two feet tilit is no longer possible. And I'm a stubborn old bird, so that will also be in death. Heck, I'm sure Heaven has a cross country team. Can it be Angels vs Saints and Saints go on to crush the Devils?

Just silly thoughts.

I have a funny habit of bumping into devotionals that specifically target my day, week, month or year - all its guts and glory. So at the end of this post, I'll include it. If I needed to read it and ruminate, surely someone else does, too!

I'm going to run this morning, mostly a longer walk with a bit of jogging in between. Feeling exceptionally old today and I need a slow day. I need to finish today, not win!

Here's a thought on finishing strong, a good analogy to life or struggles or whatever you might need to shine a light on.

I've run some forty marathons. More than one for each year of life. It has not been fun entirely, but an exercise in training, discipline and treating all my cascading mental illnesses (hello, we are all a little out there) with natural and holistic therapy called nature and dopamine. I like to start each run, no matter the distance, at the front of the pack. There is a mental advantage to this because it provides a very clear view of who I am chasing to the finish line. In he middle, somewhere about three, seven, ten, thirteen, seventeen, twenty miles, things are dicey. I wrestle with fear of failure, self loathing, questioning the point of all this mess. I talk to myself and start repeating mantras and scriptures and trying to seek out a distraction. I usually forget to enjoy the moment in the middle and am not good at small talk. I find chatting during a race to be quite profusely obnoxious. Then, the last 10k. I can saddle up and finish. But by then my legs ache and arches have fallen flat as a pancake. By then I can see salt caked on my skin and I just want a sandwich. And a nap. So I play the mental game again.

Gaining. Harder. Faster. Pick up your knees. Breathe. Breathe. Swing your arms faster. Stop. Stretch. Drink water. Start again. Every half mile for two miles. Stop and go. It gets nearer, the prize, the finish. The crowd, photographer, the snacks. I need to expel the toxins, got to vomit. Hold it in. Just finish. Let your body release. Unhook for two more miles. Around the corner. Hear the cheers and the music. Feel it in your blood, pulsing in your nervous system. The finish line! Sigh, reach. Find what you don't have. I start sprinting, a dead sprint. And there it is. The fastest 800 meters at my weakest moment. Collapse, get up, keep walking. Breathe. Weep and let go agin. Thank. God. We. Made. It.
Hug a stranger, find a friend and head home. That's how it goes and the next day, a celebratory jog, gearing up to do it again lest old age get the better of you!

Finish the race. Run it steady and with perseverance. It is not for the faint of heart. But then, neither is a real and sober life! In the end, in the right time, it is worth every step.

Enjoy your journey!

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Above was MY story, but here is a devotion from Dr. David Jeremiah that has benefitted me. I hope you enjoy!
😁
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
James 1:2-3

Think of the people in the Bible who faced the death of their dreams. Abraham dreamed of being the father of a great nation, but he was still childless in old age. Joseph dreamed of grandeur in Genesis 37, but he landed in an Egyptian prison. Prince Moses of Egypt dreamed of liberating his people, but he was thrown out of Egypt as a murderer. David dreamed of leading the armies of Israel, but he became their prey. Thomas dreamed of proclaiming the Messiah, but his Jesus was crucified. Paul dreamed of going to Spain, but was a prisoner of Rome.

And yet in each case, the setbacks became stepping stones; for in God’s will there is no failure, and out of His will there is no success. Our dreams sometimes die so they can be reborn in the image of God’s will.

Faith is trusting God’s promises when they are most needed, and going forward without a loss of enthusiasm. God provides the opportunity of having big dreams, but we must work according to His timing and will to achieve them. Along the way, if your dream dies, don’t let your spirits falter. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus, count it all joy, and wait for Him to give the victory.

"Failure isn’t so bad if it doesn’t attack the heart. Success is all right if it doesn’t go to the head."
Grantland Rice