Running the Race to the End

I've been watching the Olympics off and on this past week. The other night they had the womens marathon race through the streets of Beijing. Having been a long distance runner in my high school days, I was interested to see the ladies run. I love to see their long strides and think about the endurance it must take to run 26 miles. I wonder what is going through their minds for those long miles of the race and what makes them try and win so hard that they go through grueling training to get to the Olympics. They are all running for the prize of an Olympic gold medal; to hear their national anthem played while they stand on the highest step. But for some, who train to run a marathon, it's just the finishing of the race that matters. It's getting to the end and the prize is within themselves; they finished what they set out to do against all odds. While watching the marathon the other evening, I was hearing the newscaster talk about why all the ladies seemed to be running in a pack together. He said it was easier that way, they all set the pace for each other. But he said that soon, someone was going to have to run out ahead of the pack; to break away and strive to set her own pace. And sure enough, one lady did start to edge out ahead and set her own pace. Until the end of the marathon, this woman ran her own race. At times she was almost a full minute ahead and the TV was showing that she was so far ahead, that if she looked back, she wouldn't even see any of the other racers. She had set her pace and was sticking to it. Being in the lead like this, the camera was on her and I got a chance to really watch her face. At times, she seemed strong and her body showed no sign of weakness. But for a little bit, she looked stressed and I thought she seemed lonely. Then she picked herself up and got her stride back. The newscasters were saying how it was wise of her not to even look behind herself to see where the other racers were and that if she did, it could discourage her and make her lose her stride and timing. So she didn't look back. She finished the Olympic marathon in first place. She ran into that stadium to win her prize with the crowd cheering deafeningly for her.

Watching this marathon, I was put in mind of my life and how I've run my race in the faith. I started out as a young woman, with a husband and our family grew and grew. I ran my race then with all my sisters along side of me. We all were doing the same thing, we had the same pace set together. Life was good because I could see that others were beside me. But one day, the Lord made me start setting my own pace. I had to take that step forward like the woman in the marathon. It's probably because I needed to run just with the Lord for the prize. I couldn't rely on my sister's to set the pace anymore. I've been bemoaning the fact that I don't have other sister's beside me to run with like I used to. Each sister that is my age is at her own place in the race; on the way to her own prize at the end. It's hard to not have sisters to watch; who have had many children, raised them and now those children are leaving to start their own lives. I do have my dear Sis. D., who is my comrade in arms against the adversary and who I thank God for daily. I know there are other sister's out there at the same place in life as me in other assemblies. But, it's really just me out here running my own race. Figuring out what the pace is. I need to stop looking back to see where all the other racers are that I started out with. I need to keep my face forward toward the end. The finish line. We heard in church Sunday about picking up our cross and following Christ. That's what I need to do... I need to follow Him. To make it to the end and hear the voice of God saying, "Well done, my child.", is going to take me running my own race to win the prize of heaven. Now I just need to go and ask Him to help me follow along and find the pace He will set for me.

Morning Glory!

I thought I would post some pictures of my garden that The Dad has worked on so hard this year
We both work out there, but mostly it is his continual puttering that keeps it going. It's time to
order our garlic to put in the ground in September and we have been avidly pouring through the
Territorial Seed Catalog to pick which variety to plant. We are also going to plant some fall cabbage and
some Oriental Bok Joi which is luscious in a stir fry! Oh and we won't forget to plant some carrots so our
little guys can go out and pick them and eat them directly!

Contentment or Drama?

A couple of weeks ago, the ministers here in our assembly were used to speak about contentment. You know, as in "Godliness with contentment is great gain" or "having food and raiment therewith be content" etc. But it was so much more and I wish I could put into words what that Sunday meeting has worked in my life. Not sure if I've made great strides toward the mark or anything, but I've had plenty to ponder since then. One of the things one of the minister's said was "are we content with being the person God has made us, or do we want to be something bigger and better?" This really struck home with me, not that I really want to BE someone spiritually, but it's just that The Dad is used by the Lord all the time and it seems like all I do is sit in my seat and well... just be there. I won't go into how terrified I would be to actually be used in anything spiritually now, but that meeting really made me start thinking. Am I content with who I am? Is it okay for me to be just plain old Sis. Lori and wait (as in being a waitress at a restaurant) on the Lord? In the mean time, I got a sweet magazine about homeschooling and the focus of it was on homemaking. There were tons of articles about rejoicing that you were a wife and a mom and it really made me see how I had let that kind of heart slip from me. There was one article that really struck home with me about having a complaining heart to have to wash the dishes... instead of thanking God for those dirty dishes and seeing that it was because you have food to cook that those dishes got dirty! I've been begging God everyday that I could just stay home again. Not have to work at the library. My plate is so full. I have so much to do, and not enough time to do it. So, do I love that kind of drama? Do I have a melodramatic heart of seeing something wrong in my life, something that I have to complain to the Lord about? There's been this little niggling thought in my mind about drama vs. contentment and then last night The Dad was listening to me complain ONE more time about how my life is TOO BIG for me and he asked me if I was focusing on having drama. "Of course not!", I thought as he said it. But then, as I lay on my pillow trying to get to sleep, I really considered his words. Could that be me? Could I be focusing so much on having TOO much to do to be thankful that God has given me the health and strength to do all of it? Do I just like the drama of life? Shouldn't I just be content to do everything the Lord has given me to do and rejoice in it? It's going to take me a long time to swallow this and digest it all. But I see myself in that question that my husband asked me. I really love the Lord and I don't want to displease Him in anything. Neither do I want to be a weariness to my husband's soul by my continual droppings of drama! Contentment or drama; which one will I chose?