That’s how I feels these days. Like the dog in Disney/Pixar’s UP. I am not generally an ADHD type person, but I do tend to get distracted and caught up in my latest obsessions. So I went through a season of posting multiple times a week to not showing up for a while. I was off chasing other interests. This is the way I am wired. I get bored and obsessed easily. This has wonderful results as I learn and experience a breadth of things. But it also has negative fallout in living for the long-haul.
I remember in college hearing a message from our college president, Dick Foth, that the Christian life was not about sprinting or even a marathon, but plodding. I don’t recall all the details of his message, but the word plodding stuck with me all these years. I hate plodding. I walk fast, make decisions fast, get distracted fast. There is nothing remotely attractive to plodding to me. But there is wisdom and truth to this behavior, at least where serving God is concerned. Pressing on, leaning in, holding fast – these are marks of commitment and growth.
But as to my being regular in my blog posts, well, plodding will likely never be a good description. I do have stuff to say and share and process externally, and so I will continue to do so. But as God made me to be one who gets caught up in things, I will from time to time be off on my latest adventure.
My first 5K!
Currently that adventure is tied into my long journey of getting healthy. I have NEVER been one to love sport and fitness. But I have been bit by the running bug. Well less about running, and more about Disney’s events around running. I did my first-ever 5K last week at DisneyWorld. It was an amazing experience. I was personally proud of the achievement. Again, I am 50 years old and this fitness thing is all new to me. And because it is Disney, they go all out to create experiences; the fireworks marking your run start, the swelling soundtrack throughout the park as you run, the giant finish line with crowds cheering you on, and the draping of a medal around your neck. It is VERY cool. And as I am one who gets distracted, this type of event is a great tool for me to keep focused on the exercise journey. So I am already signed up for the next run event. On August 30 and 31 I am going to do the “Dumbo Double Dare” at the Disneyland Half Marathon. On Saturday I will run a 10K and then on Sunday a half marathon. So while the training regimen is boring, dare I say, like plodding, the goal is worth it.
Hey, that sounds like our faith journey, huh? (Did you see what I did there? 😉 Flipped it right back.) Yes, we are in our journey to live for Christ and the day to day may seem uneventful and boring, but the goal for which Christ has called us is worth it! At least in the area of your faith journey, don’t get distracted by the squirrels, and stay the course.
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:12-14 (NLT)
Added Note: My goal of participating in the run in August also includes raising money for the children of St Jude hospital. If you would like to encourage my personal journey of getting fit AND help children get treatment for cancer, then check out my info and donation page at http://heroes.stjude.org/lenbanks