If I was told
"Run to that tree and back"
I would pick tree "A".
What about you?
This morning we had our boys out
training for their "Big Race".
"Run Mommy!!"
"OK, run to that tree and back to me.
On your mark, get set, go!"
And they ran, and ran and ran.
They made it to tree "W"
before we yelled for them to turn back.
I think they would have ran straight through
that creek,
tagged tree "Z"
and ran happily back
if they wouldn't have been stopped.
And they did this over and over.
They did not complain
they didn't quit
I never heard "I can't".
In fact, I have NEVER heard those words come
out of their mouths.
If there is something big guy can't accomplish on his own,
I hear
"Help you, mommy."
When I approached him about entering a race
he did not respond with
"Oh, I can't do that!"
or
"I don't want to, I am too slow."
He was immediately up for the challenge.
He met it with excitement and optimism.
He is working hard for his big day.
OK, so he doesn't really comprehend what will happen on that day,
but
to me, that would be even MORE scary!
But not him,
"Excited mommy"
is usually his response when I bring it up.
Oh, and "where did those squirrels go?"
and we are side tracked......
I was shocked today when he finally found the courage
to go up and down
this big slide
all by himself.
On his tummy
straight into the rain water
and sand
at the bottom.
His buddy is a little different.
He is fearless.
He loves to climb and go fast.
I didn't think much of it when I snapped these pictures
at the park this morning.
Just some buddies hanging out.
Then tonight I attended my weekly
Bible Study.
We are only on our third of ten week series.
But it is intense.
And through the study
I envisioned these pictures of them.
And this one of me.
I was definitely NOT having positive thoughts.
I wanted to quit.
Probably 18 out of 20
of the obstacles
I looked at and thought~
"I can't do that!!"
And the voices in my head saying,
"Just go around,
you are too weak
too fat
too short.
What made you think YOU
could do THIS??"
But those other voices
won the race.
"Your leg is only stuck up to your waist,
at least your face is out of the water!
and
Your 3 biggest fans are waiting for you
just around the corner....
make them proud,
they LOVE you~
no matter what!"
As adults
why do we have
so much holding us back?
Why those heavy chains
negative voices
self criticism?
When we are told to run
why don't we just RUN?
We ask
"How far?
What is at the end?
WHY?"
Wouldn't it be great to be free like a child?
To not worry about
how I look
if I am too slow
if I will win.
Our study is teaching us how to
"Break Free"
from those things holding us back.
For the entire first week of the study
I couldn't stop singing
by Wilson Phillips.
A few weeks ago someone said something to me
that negatively impacted me
for an entire week.
Her one short sentence
threw me into a tail spin.
I thought about it constantly.
It brought negative energy to everything
I did
all
week.
I almost quit things
because of her
and what she said.
Then I saw her again
a week later.
I didn't want to talk to her.
She approached me with arms wide.
Embraced me
"I have been thinking about you all week!"
she said.
I thought,
"Oh yeah, I have been thinking about you too!"
She continued with
"Thank you so much for sharing what you did. I have been praying for you all week. You are a strong and special woman.
Thank you so much for being here."
GULP!
My heart sank.
I wasted all my energy on negative thoughts
for a WEEK
on a woman who had been praying
for ME.
Wow, what a wake up call.
I realized then and there
that I must break free from
these negative thoughts.
There are other chains
around me that also need broken.
But through perseverance I know I will overcome.
I will run when asked.
I will not question.
I will be positive in the face of obstacles.
"Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people".
Isaiah 57:14
It will be a very humbling journey.
But I know in the end
my heart will be free.
Just as a child's.
Then I can relax
"On the beach Mommy!"
not worried about obstacles ahead.
Oh,
and I am ready to sign up for
next years
"Mud Run"!
Crazy......
love, the rockinryans
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