5K Obstacle Course Race
Time = 57:33
On Saturday, February 15th I conquered several obstacles and waded through piles of mud compling the Be My Muddy Valentine Obstacle Course 5K at Lee Farms in Tualatin. It was my first race of 2020. One of ten.
Needless to say my morning did not go according to planned. My son was supposed to do the race with me. We did it together in 2018 and 2017 and were looking forward to spurring one another through the challenging course. A nasty throaty feverish cold went through our house this week and he got hit the hardest Friday late afternoon. Also both years we were blessed with sunny warm-like conditions and zero rain. I woke up Saturday morning to pouring rain and cooler temperatures. The rain was supposed to continue throughout the whole morning into the afternoon.
I honestly did not want to go. Last week I worked extra hours and I found my mind still partially there in the evening hours when I returned home. I wanted to be with my family on a blustery Saturday morning cozying up at home. Now I would be gone the entire morning racing solo. My husband reminded me I used quite a bit of spending money to run this race. Which is true. Obstacle course races tend to cost more than regular running races. The frugal part of me (which is partially to blame on my stubborn Dutch heritage) could not justify wasting that money to stay home.
As I drove forty-five minutes to Tualatin, God kept putting the word "obstacles" on heart. There have been many blessings in my life the past few months. I could count them one by one and make a gratitude list. However, there have been plenty of obstacles in both my working and personal life. Some I expected. Others I was ill prepared for.
I was reminded of crossing the obstacles in life as I crossed the first obstacles of my race. I began my race with a wave of about twenty other men and women. Starting the race, we ran along a mix of dirt trail mixed with some rocks. This was not difficult for me at all. At one point I was at the front of the pack. I could tell I had more running training than most of the group.
One of the first major obstacles is two large walls approximately nine to ten feet tall with a slight incline. Runners must gain speed and run up the wall "parkour style" and climb back down. My son can always make it over the wall on his first try. Children naturally climb when they play. Their bodies are also more flexible. As we creep into our forties, our bodies lose their flexibility and balance. I think our brains also have a built in fear of "What if I get hurt badly" whereas children go both feet forward and consider the consequences later. It always takes me an extra try or two to get over. This time with the wet and extra muddy conditions, it was not looking good for me. I tried and barely got a couple feet up the wall and could not grasp the top. Some younger twenty somethings who caught up to me said, "Do you want to get over the wall?" To which I replied, "Yes, can you help me?" They nodded.
We counted, "1-2-3" and one lifted me by the foot and the other grabbed my arms. I hoisted my body over. I stayed at the top of the wall and helped the next person over. We repeated the procedure on the second wall. It was like this throughout the whole course. Another person and I lifted a tire together because we knew we did not have the capabilities to lift it alone. We guided each other through the muddy swamp and encouraged one another as we tackled a rope climb. I would rather had my son to team up with, but I was grateful for the people in my wave.
It reminded me of many obstacles we faced in the ministry and in our personal lives. We had to open ourselves up to people that could get us over our own walls--sometimes people we would least expect. Of course God was with us and showed us His unconditional love and grace. He provided us with people to walk with us through those obstacles. Here are a few examples:
When my youngest was a baby she became quite sick with bronchiolitis. Rob had to go to California leaving me behind with a preschooler, toddler, and a very sick baby. A friend in my church who was single at the time probably had better things to do on a Friday night like go out with her friends. Instead she chose to hold my sick baby to give me a break. She put my preschooler to bed. She sat on the couch and watched the Winter Olympics with me because I had little energy to do much else.
Two years ago we were walking through a difficult time in our ministry. Due to confidentiality needs and people desiring space to heal, I could not draw much support from friends at church. This is something that is never easy but sometimes necessary when you are the pastor or pastor's spouse. It can be lonely and sometimes end a ministry, but thankfully it was only a season in our lives. God provided us with Joey and Robyn from 10 10 Ministries who walked with us and helped us move from Point A to Point B. We were blessed we had met them the summer prior before everything occurred. We had instant support that we did not have to go searching for. God also provided me with supportive co-workers which made my workplace a refuge from the challenges of my personal and church life. This is something I have not always had. More often it has been the opposite.
On Sunday Rob preached from Romans 12 and I was reminded of verse 15: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those of who mourn."
Who is helping you over your obstacles? How can you open your heart to receiving their support?
No comments:
Post a Comment