Boston Marathon

You may be asking, why haven't you posted in a while. I will tell you, because I have been RUNNING. RUNNING my little tail off! I didn't really want to post this because I really don't feel like telling the world how awesome I am. But, yes I am running the Boston Marathon. And, the coolest thing is that my entry into this race actually shows how entirely un-awesome I am and how amazingly awesome God is.

I made a promise in 2008 to my mom that I would someday make it from Hopkington, MA to Boston in a marathon. An organized race. Possibly the most known in the entire world. As you may know, she passed away in 2009. So, in 2010, I began the journey of marathon running. I will say this, I am a good runner. I am a good sprinter. I am athletic. You would think the feat of qualifying to run the Boston Marathon in 3:40:59 would be do-able. Yes, and my race results would have shown you such. However, I will tell you that no matter how awesome you think you are, running 26.2 miles humbles you. There is no greater challenge for your mind, heart, and soul. Even if, you like I, can run 22 miles in practice at the speed that it takes to qualify, the actual day of the marathon proves to be another test. Therefore, I can tell you, I did not qualify for the Boston Marathon.

How sad is it when we do not succeed at a goal we have set out for ourselves? How crushing it can be to the spirit. Worse is when people tell you, "Awesome job, you finished that's all that matters." Please. Your goal was to qualify. You ate, slept, dreamed. You ran. And not only ran a little, but ran a lot. Things were sacrificed, time, sleep, relationships, hobbies. Worse is when you look on paper and see that you should have done it and not only completed it in 3:40 but could have even made it in 3:35. If you only ate differently, slept more, ran more.

Qualifying is something that our culture lives and breaths. We expect that we need to earn our way in our jobs, families, recreational activities. We want to be liked, admired, etc. We want everyone to deem us acceptable. But, my friends, I tell you this is not the way of God. He doesn't care how much time I put into running, he doesn't care that I didn't believe him when he told me I could do it. Nope. Did you know the Boston Marathon registration closed in 1 day? 1 eight hour day! A few of my friends, qualified, yet were not able to enter the race. And, here I stand before you with entry into the race on no effort of my own.

I tell you there is no better feeling in the world than telling someone that I am running the Boston Marathon this year and not responding with the typical, yeah I can run a marathon in 3:30, I'm awesome. But rather because God blessed me with entry. You may laugh and think really that is the silliest thing I have ever heard. But, I will tell you, when I stand on the starting line, I will not just be running this race for me, I will be running this race knowing that God knew it all along and that he actually cares about the desires in my heart. He knew that someday I would be finishing the toughest race of my life and he wanted to make sure that not one ounce of my body, mind, and spirit thought I could do it on my own!

So give it up. Stop trying to qualify and let God do the work. The reward is far greater.

And, mom, this one is for you!