Dedication

Running Reflection!! ok, so this is a few days old, but it's still a reflection. i just haven't had time or been in the mood to write lately. anyway...

so last friday, christmas eve, dad woke me up at 8:30. i was all cozy and snuggled up in my bed, when i heard the dreaded words "dani- i'm going running- are you coming?" i mumbled something unintelligable and he said "well you don't have to go, but i'm leaving in 15 min." i grumble but say "no, i'm getting up." the way i see it, my body doesn't know that it's subzero outside and it will still stick the holiday food right to my hips/stomach/butt/anywhere else that's conveinent. so i rolled out of my warm, comfortable bed and started putting on layers. i was tired, cold and not in the greatest of moods... but i am a running addict, as is my dad and if he was going running, i was not about to be left behind.

we drove to goll's woods where we figured that the trails would protect us from some of the wind. i was finally getting comfortable and warm in the car and ready to doze back off to sleep when we arrived... i stumbled out of the car, kicking myself for getting up. and then we started running, and boy was it cold. my feet were froze, i couldn't feel my finger tips and my face was numb, making talking difficult. it was definitely a day that getting my bootie going was hard, but after i was done i was glad i did it.

fortunetly the cold did not kill all of my brain cells and as i was running and complaining in my head about how stupid i was to be out running when i could have been in bed, i realized it was all about dedication, and then i paralled that spiritually... what if i was as dedicated spiritually as what i am to running?

there are some days spiritually that i feel dead...and doing devos and having quiet times is a chore. i just don't want to do it. and even on those day that i feel that way and push through and do them, it still is sometimes painful. God will reveal things to me that i don't want to hear or that are hard to deal with. and at that point, it's difficult and i wonder what i'm doing having quiet times when it just ends up being painful... but in the end, just like my run, it will be worth it and i will be so glad that i was dedicated even in the difficult times. and you know what? just like every run isn't hard and a chore, my christian walk isn't always either.

there are some days that i get outside and could run forever. everything feels good, the weather is beautiful and i feel like i can take on the world. spiritually it is like that too. there are times when i am on fire for God and desire to spend time with Him and to grow and learn....

The key for me is to learn to be DEDICATED to God, even more so than what i am to running, no matter what i feel or what my circumstances are. there will be storms, there will be cold, bitter days, but there will also be calm, sunny days that i'll be able to look back and see how much the hard days helped me to grow and mature....