No Pain No Gain

No Pain No Gain

Wow! It's been a while! It's nearly squirrel season which means that Iron Chef America will be filmed on location in our backyard in the next few months, secret ingredient: you guessed it....SQUIRREL! Last year the boys cooked their own dinner over the fire pit in the backyard...squirrel and marshmallows. I can definitely get used to the idea of them cooking for themselves, they said a little garlic salt and teriyaki sauce did the trick! The boys have me researching different recipes so that they can contribute a meal Thanksgiving week with the Beck family; they can't wait to see the look on two particular uncles faces when they dig in...can't get anymore organic than that!

So I joined a running group at the beginning of the year, not to learn how to run but to learn how to ENJOY running. Anything is better with friends, except a NASCAR race - found that out the hard way. Our group ran 2/3 times a week together, all focused on the common goal of doing well in our next race. Once we all settled into our paces, we naturally ended up running in pairs or small groups. This was nice because you always knew you could run alongside a friend and chit chat to take your mind off of that days assigned punishment. But there was this one day...where all 3 of my buddies couldn't be there so I knew I would be running solo - which was ok because I knew Michael Jackson would help me push through. :) Before I go on, I need to introduce you to our fearless leader...her name is Lucinda* (Lu for short), she is 10 years older than me and doesn't just run races, she WINS races. She quite literally can and will run circles around me; she used to inspire me until I figured out that I will never be able to compete with her. Now I just watch her with awe and admiration, completely convinced that she is in fact not human - but an unstoppable machine.

So back to the day with just me and Michael...our group met to do an "easy" 3 mile run - which sounded just perfect to me because I was worn out. When we do our runs, we all start out running together in a big group, then spread out as we settle into our paces - all meeting back at the finish line when we are done. So we start our run and I end up paired up with Lu, which is no big deal because I know at the 1/2 mile mark she is going to leave me in the dust - which I am perfectly ok with. That is, until she starts talking to me...and she's not commenting on the weather.

Now at the time, I had just finished Blackaby's study Experiencing God so I was very much in tuned to where God was working around me, and how I was to join Him in His work. I have shared bits and pieces of my life with folks at the Y if it gives me an opportunity to talk about how God has used it for good; Lu being one of those people. So as we are warming up that first 1/2 mile, Lu hits me with this very direct question: With everything you have been through in your life, what has been the one thing that got you through? Now, you might be thinking - what an easy opportunity to share what the Lord has done in my life, I mean - she just asked me straight out. Well yes, but it wasn't quite that simple - after all, we weren't sitting on my sofa enjoying a cup of decaf. No, we were running and if I was going to answer her question, it meant that I would be running with her, Speedy Gonzales! And frankly, I just didn't know if I had it in me that day. I remember having a brief conversation with God about whether or not it was absolutely necessary to answer her question at that precise time or if it could wait until later. His answer came quick: Buck up and kick it up a notch!

So I began sharing my story and knowing that at mile 1, she would be picking up her pace. When her watch signaled the first mile marker, sure enough she got faster - and so did I. As she was peppering me with questions, my mind was doing double time trying to figure out how to answer her using the least amount of words possible and breathe at the same time. I was holding my own, but I knew that at mile 2 Lu's pace would pretty much put me at almost a full sprint. I was dreading that 2nd beep, and when I heard it I knew that would probably be the hardest mile I would ever run in my life. A miracle happened that day...I somehow managed to answer all of Lu's questions, keep up with her, breathe, not puke and finish the "easy" 3 mile run. When her watch signaled that 3rd mile, I came to a screeching halt - yelling "That was 3!!!" declaring that we were done, that I was done. She flippantly said - "Oh... Was that 3 already?". I've got my hands on my knees, bent over on the sidewalk trying to convince my breakfast to stay with me while I'm gasping for air and dripping with sweat, while she is barely glistening and isn't even winded.

It dawns on me when I get home and out of the shower, as I lay like a limp noodle on the couch, that God had never asked me to do something that was physically taxing or physically painful for Him. God had taken me to a completely new and different place with Him that day. I never would have thought that I could have ever kept up with Lu on a run, but because I was obedient God gave me the ability to get it done. Was it hard? Yes! Did it hurt? Yes! Was it impossible? No! Will I ever run with Lu again? Absolutely NOT!! (unless God tells me to)  In my weakness, He is strong!

No pain, No gain,
Robin

*all names have not been changed, she needs to know how much I suffered!