5K

Friends

God has been doing wonderful things in my life in the past weeks.  God is always doing wonderful things in my life, but recently He has been showing off.  I sat in my car last night clapping for Him and praising Him because once again, He had done more than I hoped or imagined.

One of the ways God has worked recently is that I ran a 5K.  Shanda Sprick completed a 5K.  I have never liked running.  I felt like I would vomit after completing the mile and a half in high school.  Yet, when I began to exercise in January, my stamina began to increase.  I was told by my doctor that I needed to walk/run and as I did my assigned work, I got stronger. . . and I enjoyed it more.

One week-end I was able to run without stopping around a little circle of houses in our subdivision.  I couldn't believe it!  A few weeks later I wondered if I could make it around half our neighborhood--1/2 a mile.  I made it the whole way.  I was so surprised and I thanked God.

My friend Lisa stepped by my side and together we decided to enter the 5K at our school.  I paid for my entry in the ZCS Zip which was this past Saturday.

There were many times when I wanted to pull out, when I doubted my ability.  I even sent Lisa a text a few days before the race that I didn't think I could run very much (cramps, leg pain, tiredness) and she reminded me that we were going to do the best we could and celebrate God's gifts and goodness to us.

So we did it.  We ran 8 minutes and then walked 2 and we completed 3.1 miles in just over 37 minutes.  I was anticipating 45 minutes, so this was a great time for me.  My joy in the Lord though isn't completely about finishing the race.  I do praise Him indeed that I physically completed the race. . . He created me and equipped me to do it. . .but there is more.  Bless His Name!

There were other things that happened as well.
1. I had to put aside my yucky feelings about my body (thighs!!!) and just go.  I am who I am.  I'm participating.  I'm doing my best.  I couldn't let my perception of my looks stop me from achieving a goal.
2. I heard my name and turned while waiting at the starting line and there was Dana--a former student from Chicago Christian.  She moved to Holland years ago, but we have never ran into each other until now.  We laughed and talked and she told my friends that I was her favorite teacher.  What a boost for me and a distraction right before the race began.  I was able to start with a huge smile on my face.
3.While running I found a penny.  I FOUND A PENNY!  God consistently sends me a penny to let me know that He has me--In God I trust.  I found one on the road.  Both Lisa and the police officer looked at me funny as I stopped to pick it up.  I began to cry (and had to fight it off hard--difficult to breath!) as I praised God who let me know during the race that He had me--that I was His.
4. Doing this with a friend changed everything.  We both brought different gifts to our run.  I marveled that she could encourage every person that we passed.  I was focused on breathing.  It encouraged me to hear her say "You've got it." and  "I'm so proud of how you are doing." to people we encountered.  She told me she couldn't run up the big hill because her knees would give out.  I gladly walked with her when I could have run instead. She also told me that if I got discouraged I should tell her and she would begin to tell me all the great things she sees in me.  She was ready!  We need each other.  We need friends in our lives.
5. There were people cheering on the runners.  It felt uncomfortable at first. . .strangers and friends yelling my name.  I was reminded to take it; to accept it.  I had to learn to smile.  There was a part of me that didn't think I was good enough to be there, yet these strangers saw me as a runner--because I was running.  My mind needed to catch up with what my body was doing.
6. The finish line.

Number 6 is a whole paragraph in itself.  There comes a point where the finish line is in sight.  I hadn't thought about the finish line at all, never processed that I would cross it.  Seems trivial, but it signals the completion.  I could hear it before I could see it and I really didn't think about what was happening.  Lisa alerted me to the fact that we were almost done: it took me by surprise.  I saw Lisa's husband and daughter and then I saw all kinds of people gathered around in front of me.  I began to tell myself "stop crying stop crying stop crying".  This was it and I had done it.  I heard someone say my name over a microphone and there were lots of people clapping.  Then I saw my family.  I saw my family!!  Gary was smiling so big and my kids. . . my kids were watching their mama complete a race.  They had seen me not even able to run with them and now I was finishing a race.    I hoped that my tears looked like sweat as I gripped my penny and confidently went across the finish line and then I followed Lisa.  She knew we were supposed to get out of the way.  :)  I hugged her and then went to find Gary.  I bawled then as we hugged--it was so overwhelming.  I haven't experienced a victory like that ever before.

Later Lisa mentioned to me that she wanted to say "it looks like the cloud of witnesses" as we strode to the finish, but she wisely waited.  I don't think I could have kept anything together had she brought that to my mind.  I have thought about it many times since then.

One day I will approach the finish line of my life.  There have been times when I've run, and others when I've walked.  I've had pain and I've felt amazing.  I've had good days of training and some days when I've struggled.  I've taken pit stops for water and I've encouraged and received encouragement from those around me.  Paul knew what he was talking about when he likened the Christian  life to a race.  Someday though, someday I will approach the finish line.  I'll know that I'll be a winner because my name is written in the Book of Life.  I really believe that those who have gone before me, those who have had a hand in my life will be there greeting me and welcoming me home.  We'll celebrate together and praise the one who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

So the ZCS Zip. . .it was more than just completing 3.1 miles.  It was a morning that I'll never forget.