On January 7th I participated in another 5K, but it was not just another 5K. Read on...
Well my 4th 5K was at Veterans Memorial Park in Dawsonville GA to support a ball team. It had just rained right before the race. I got there later than usual, and I really had to go potty. So I did and as I am walking to the start line, the horn blows to start. Well for me a few seconds is not going to matter too much anyway. My mood was a little down. I had not been walking regularly and was not prepared at all. The course was fairly easy. Not too many hills. It was just me. All the other 3 races, Stephanie, Jack, David, Cathy and Lexi (the whole gang) had been there. But not today. It was just me, and I knew I would be the last to finish. Don't get me wrong, I do not mind doing things alone. It really does not bother me. But I could really tell that my motivation was down, way down. After the first lap, I felt like quitting. I thought that if I kept on knowing my time was not going to improve from the last race, that I would be disappointed. I thought it was too hard and no one was there that I knew to see me quit. I did not quit. I kept going. I prayed and that helped. Mostly, I persevered and pushed through. On the last lap, I saw the clock timer and I was at 45 mins and apologized to Lowell that I would be holding everyone up. He said no problem and encouraged me on. Remembering what Steph had told me about the last mile or so. You kind of get that 2nd wind. The last 3/4 of the last leg of the race, I saw a couple of boys (probably all from the baseball team we were supporting) come up behind me. I spoke to them and they said that they were going to walk with me to the finish line! Then a few steps more boys, a few more steps, more boys joined in. They were chattering and talking and joking with each other. They are extremely impressive kids. There was no junk talk, no cursing, no bullying, no pushing, no shoving, no ugliness at all, only goodness and only good clean fun conversation between them. After a little while, I saw the volunteers come and start walking with me. And then Tyler came back around. I met her on the walk and it was her first 5K and it was her birthday. She doubled back after finishing the race and brought me a bottle of water. So, all along I thought I would cross the finish line all alone and leaving no doubts to the onlookers that I was the last one to finish, and my personal best time would not be a personal best. And the one that held up the annoucements at the end. But I was not alone. I had a whole baseball team and ladies behind me to cheer me on as I crossed that finish line with a personal best time no less!!! I was estatic. I was high fiving all the kids and thanking them and telling them how awesome they were. A couple of the smaller boys that I missed came up to me with their arms and hands up and we high fived. Thank you God for giving me that blessing. And thank you God for using my situation to bless those boys. I know how important it is for children of all ages to feel important, useful, giving, part of something. Sometimes I forget that when I let someone help me, you, God, are blessing them. I also met a dear person and we talked about our life's goals and what we are doing now. We had a long conversation. Meeting her was so awesome and encouraging. I told her I would pray for her and her endeavors and she told me she would pray for me. She thanked me for encouraging her! I compare both our situations and in normal secular circumstances, I would never think I could have helped or encouraged. But when God is involved even lowly me who still does not have it together can give my ideas, my prayers, my encouragement to another person. Again, God blessed me and blessed her just by us showing up at the same place. One of her son's was on the ball team and I was praising them and telling her how awesome those boys are. By accepting help, we are allowing a blessing and a joy and a wonderful experience to come in to someone else's life. Dear Lord, Please help me to remember that.
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