off to the races....

I have been in a personal struggle. There is a situation where I am forced to be daily aware of a situation where a person purposefully chooses to act in a way that is far below standards professionally, morally, ethically, and where integrity is fully lacking. It is not a situation where children are harmed or any thing of that nature. Rather it is a situation where there is just a total lack of self-regulating. It is frustrating, upsetting, infuriating, and will suck the life out of me if I don't guard myself pretty closely. Thank goodness it is a rare thing and not the norm, as most in this place are life-giving, precious people that amaze me with their investment into the lives of those they touch each day. Thank goodness for them because I am able to look beyond the one situation and find that I am inspired by the rest and that propels me forward with great hope and excitement. Thank you God for the way I can see that all around in spite of what I have to be witness to in the one situation.

Releived it was the weekend, I have taken some reprieve and just enjoyed relaxing. I was messing around on the web last night and I came across a video that profoundly impacted my thinking and my heart. I realized as I watched it, why I am struggling so with the situation and I was reminded of the importance of what I choose to do in the midst of struggle myself. And of course... I was reminded of Eathan! I will get back to that of course. First, let me share of the video I watched.

It was of an Olympic runner who was favored to win, but half way through his big race, his hamstring tore and he went down. His pain was so evident, but even more evident was his fighting spirit. He didn't surrender, but chose to stand and begin to hobble the rest of the way towards the finish line. Even more touching was seeing his father push his way onto the track to run to his son and help him finish well. It gripped my soul and sent me to that place of reflection and deep, heart-thinking. I have resonated there all day today and therefore tonight, I sit to let my fingertips glide over the keyboard yet again, sharing my heart for anyone who might want to take a peek inside me. yet again.

When I think about that runner, I am deeply moved with the reminder that it is not the fact that we are running this life race that matters, but more so the fact that we must finish the course Christ has laid out before us. We will stumble, we may even fall from torn situations just as the athlete fell from his torn hamstring, but we must determine to continue on. It simply isn't an option to give up or give in, because our journey's end requires us to keep moving forward.

But even more than just moving forward, HOW we move forward is really the key. This athlete had every right and reason to allow the stretchers to pick him up and carry him off. He was completely incapable of finishing that race in the way that was intended by the world standards. Not one person would have judged him for choosing to stop that day. It actually would have been what seemed to make sense. But the lesson would have been lost and his spirit wouldn't allow it! He reached deep down into that place where only the truest of integrity resides, where it is a matter of going beyond what you can get away with according to the world standards, but instead rising to the place that can only be achieved through an inner determination not altered by the world. It is that place that causes one to do the right thing no matter if 10,000 or none are watching. This runner engaged in a powerful display of strength and character that will stay with me far longer than if he had won the gold that day.

No doubt, he had a plan to run well in the race, thinking that meant going for the gold. However, adversity came at the most inopportune time for an Olympian finally running the race of a lifetime, and it was a crushing blow. But he dug deep and within himself, realized that finishing well, on this day, had nothing at all to do with the gold as he had thought when he began. Instead, this race was about something deeper, more pure, more courageous, more beautiful. It suddenly became a race of spirit not speed. His speed was gone, but not even a torn hamstring could not strip away the spirit that had led him to the Olympics in the first place.

As I think about him, the pain on his face etched so clearly, and the pride his father displayed as he slipped his arm around his struggling son, I was deeply moved to want to be found just like that. Not on the track, with a torn hamstring, but in life. I want to be found strong in Spirit no matter what I am facing. I want to be found running my race no matter what and no matter who is watching.... beyond my Father. When the race changes from what I had expected, I want to dig deep and run. When adversity rips at me engulfing me in pain, I want to dig deep and run. When the world expects me to quit, I want to dig deep and run, knowing my Father will be wrapping His strong arms around me every step of the way. And I want to do it for Him alone.

I may not ever understand why some people do what they do. I may not ever grasp the reality that some people simply don't choose what is pure and noble. I cannot conceive that some literally reject the Father and all the help He offers through His son and His servants that have chosen to call Him Lord of Lords. But what I CAN do is dig deep and keep running my own race well, according to His standards. I can choose to see beyond the circumstances and see Christ.

Therefore my nugget for this day is really for me. Today, I have to choose to remember to see like Eathan saw. It isn't the adversities that are trying to get me down that decide how things go for me. It is my attitude and my determination to succeed in my life-race no matter what is trying to get me down. It is my faith in Christ not my faith in man that must be my focus and it is my pure need to hear the words, "Well done, thy good and faithful servant," that must be my driving force... no matter what.

No matter health or doctor reports... no matter others who may choose to forgo God in all ways... no matter adversity coming in any or all directions, my driving force must continue to be the desire to hear, "Well done, thy good and faithful servant"
from the One true God who is worthy of nothing less than ALL my praise! It is how Eathan lived. It is how many in my family live. It is how many precious friends live. And it is what this video reminds me to do. So tonight, I write simply to say I intend to finish my race no matter what, with the driving force being my deepest yearning to hear my Father say some day, "well done!" I think when that day comes, I will melt from the undeserving love! I simply cannot wait!

I pray you have the strength to continue to run your race as well. I know it isn't easy, but remember, all of this is as "a blink of an eye".

off to the races...

Robin