Still Run

June 25, 2015

It's been a strange day.

It started with the Baptist Bible School day four, which featured the game of "grabass" (as my Dad would say) in vast supply. The kids were punchy, literally and figuratively; and I was over it, literally and figuratively.  Next I went to a meeting for one of my new pseudo jobs coming round the bend, after a solid year of being job-free. It's a surreal feeling. Finally came the birthday party of a dear 3-year-old (see "Glimpse Back") who belongs to one of my best friends. I found myself a bit annoyed (but worshipful!  shout out to the Lord!) at the outset of this day, intent but lukewarm in the middle, and joyful, sad and frustrated at the end. As a matter of fact, I was so twisted up by conflicts around me that are not mine (not mine!) that I quickly returned home from the Mickey Mouse party, threw on my running garb, and ran and ran until darkness stopped me. I wished the darkness away. If I could just keep running, I thought...

But we can never run far enough or fast enough to escape the ailments in our hearts, minds, bodies. And enough about my silly day. People I love dearly are fighting real ailments of heart, mind, body. They aren't running. They fight, each in their own way. 

From my strange day of bits and pieces to real need that is all around me, I pray.  And I found these words that fit:

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." --Gandhi

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."  --Lao Tzu

"The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places."  --Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

Here's to forgiveness, love and strength.

How did the strange day end? It is still, with hope that keeps on running.

PS--

It takes a special God to get me in two hospital bed sheets pinned together to authenticate Biblical times in Galilee. This is my little crew who, for a moment, were also still.