Keeping the Pace

I took the kiddos out for a run yesterday.  The older two have set some running goals for themselves.  One would like to run a 10K this year and the other his first 5K.  Admirable goals, and this Mom needs the exercise too.  It was a gorgeous day, beautiful weather to run in.  Just the perfect amount of breeze and coolness! :)

We set out in the afternoon on our bikes and headed to the track.  Wednesday's are always a busy day and I have trouble trying to fit everything in but I knew they needed it and I did too.  What happened I will remember for the rest of my days.

I have had two injuries in the last year to the same foot, so hadn't been running on it for quite some time.  My stamina is gone....  Plus my son has never trained for a race so we needed to start over again anyway! I have to work up to running a 5K in the 33 minutes I was accustomed to doing it in.  We started the From Couch to 5K running app I have on my phone.  I was struggling to do the running portion of the program but was still pulling off the jog.  Heather commented that it was hard to run at the jog pace for her.  Not wanting to slow her down, I picked up the pace a bit but was struggling to maintain it.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw her watching me.  She smiled and said to me: "It's okay Mom, I can run at your pace, that you're even doing this with us means so much." Tears stung my eyes, and I know she didn't realise what she'd said.  I started talking about how the Bible talks about running the race.  My son pipes up and says: "oh wow, what race mom?"  I know he's got his mind on the running of an actual race and I chuckle repeating the verse for him found in Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."  Oh right!, he says. I explained to them that they are like the cloud of witnesses running with me and that Heather's comment to keep pace with me during this time impacted me in the spiritual realm too.  We need that encouragement, someone to keep pace with us through life, the storms, the hard things, the joy, the sorrows.  I go on to talk about how the Bible talks about not looking to the right or left but to the prize before us.  I was surprised when my son suddenly veered off course, running far off to our right.  I wonder what he's doing, then he runs back to us and says: "I get it Mom, when you run to the right or left you can't finish the race."  wow.  He actually did that without any prompting on my part.  I am astounded and more tears prick the backs of my eyes.  "Yes, son, that's exactly it, and we are to look to the author and perfecter of our faith (Christ), with our prize being the eternal life we inherit."  They got it, these kids - get it. We talked about the sin and the cares of this world, how they press in on us and steal our joy and hope.  We talked about how the race is hard and you want to quit but the more you run the stronger you get.  So many parallels to drive home the point.

I felt the Holy Spirit move yesterday afternoon and knew those moments were well spent.  I sometimes wonder if the teaching I am doing gets through, the kids fight, they struggle, I want to loose my mind sometimes; feeling like a broken record.....  Then these moments arrive and I am astounded.  God's word never changes, His touch heals and brings truth, it doesn't return void.  I pray my kids will remember this, that they will hold tight to this truth even in the darkest of moments when hope feels far off and life threatens to cave in.  I pray that I will always encourage and keep pace beside them, remind them who they are and that they are loved and held by a mighty God.