Pressing On..........

We just finished our first week of training. We are reaching toward our summer goal of being able to run a 5K race. We are doing the famous...Couch to 5K training and so far...so good. But I was struck with something today as I ran. It takes everything within me...I mean everything.... to make us get out and start the workout. But literally halfway through I have said aloud each time, "I am so glad we did this!" The benefits of finishing each training has encouraged us, and of course we now face the hurdle of next week's challenge that takes it up one more notch!

I started thinking today as we finished our first week, "Do I even want to blog this?" I was plagued with the thought of WHAT IF WE DON'T FOLLOW THROUGH! After all, last summer I was easily running 3 miles and now look at me! But I realized it is all part of the process, you can't just get up and run 3 miles. In fact, there are many things that I dread tackling, but once I begin I am so glad that I did. Cleaning out that neglected closet, balancing my checkbook, preparing for that lesson, putting away folded laundry, dusting my house, calling a friend, filling out that application. I don't know about you but my list could go on and on. I seem to lack the desire to hit some things head on. I'd rather be miserable than experience the pain of discipline which eventually reaps great rewards. But the longer I wait to face them the harder the process is of overcoming the obstacle.

Of course this has great implications for me spiritually as well. I get distracted and my times of solitude and meditation seem few and far between. I lack discipline and forget to give thanks even for the days, weeks, months (you get the picture) that things don't seem to go our way. We forget that it is really those times of struggle and discipline that we learn the most. It is those "middle of the workout" moments when we are glad we decided to pray, read His word or give thanks admist our trial. The past 6 months have been filled with a myriad of experiences as I have been training for my "Life's Race". I have been trying to face these experiences, trials, and situations in light of Psalm 103:2 "Praise the Lord, Oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits." I haven't been perfect by any means but I do have a greater appreciation and love for the process. Sometimes I think the Lord must be watching me saying...."Get off the couch!!!! I have the training all laid out for you! You know what you need to do, just do it! Once you get started you will see the benefit that it will bring you! By My grace...you can do it!"

Yeah, so we're hoping to run a 5K. We can only hope for the best and keep pressing on! "Praise the Lord oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits!"I think I'll have that put on the shirts we wear when we run!