Look Mommy! Daddy's wearing tights!

Look mommy!  Daddy’s wearing tights!

I’ve spent a good deal of my life working in and around Wright Patterson Air Force Base.  I first arrived there in 1989 and at that time I was not a runner.  Loop Road in the Area B section of the base has a 1 mile stretch that rises about 200 feet in elevation.  During the day you will almost always find someone running that stretch,  I would pass this section on my way out to lunch, usually to one of my favorite fast food places and think how crazy those runners were, especially when they were not only running the uphill stretch, but also in the wind, cold, rain, or snow.  Why would anyone want to subject themselves to that – that’s just weird? 

Fast forward about 10 years and that became me.  And more recently after coming home from a long run in the cold, wind, and snow my daughter remarked “Look mommy!  Daddy’s wearing tights!”  I’ll spare you the picture (you’re welcome!) but I would rather run outside than run on a treadmill or even worse, not run at all.  And I will dress accordingly. 

 

I love the title to Craig Groeschel’s book “Weird: Because Normal Isn’t Working”   Weird is going out for a run on a snowy day.  Weird is waking up before 5 AM each more and reading the Bible, spending time in prayer, and maybe even get in a run before most people reach to hit the snooze bar for the first time to get 10 more minutes of sleep.  Weird is adopting three kids from a foreign country in addition to the two you already have (and some of you are weirder than me!)  Weird is giving money to support the work of God instead of upgrading you house or vehicle.  Weird, not just for the sake of being weird – but to accomplish the work of God in my life. 

 Normal – is sleeping in, getting caught up in the things of the world – many (not-all) of which keep us from God’s true desires for us, and realizing that when we talk about being too busy to so certain things it’s God that has gotten left out. 

Last week I blogged about the Finish Line.  The journey to the finish line begins with some decisions   “What do I want to accomplish?”, “Will I do what it takes to get there?”, and “Am I willing to be weird if that is what it takes?” 

We all will race towards many finish lines in our lives before we reach the final finish line.  We need to decide which races to enter and which ones to pass up.  Each decision hopefully will be made with the final finish line in mind - the one which we hope to hear the words from the race director “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Some of you reading this are weirder than me.  You’ve given your lives to support the work of God – taking less pay and in some cases moving your family to a foreign country to do so.  I praise God for you! 

I would love some feedback – what are you doing that is Weird? Or what are you going to start doing that is weird to help you achieve your God ordained finish line?

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?  For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you,  saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

Luke 14:28-30

 

Run On!