Everything happens for a reason

God works in mysterious ways.  This much I know is true.  He's blessed my life in countless ways, but more so than that, He is always listening to me, and trying to guide me down the right path -- despite the detours and bumps along the ways.

Without delving into the nitty gritty, on Saturday evening, as I sat in church with the rest of my family, I prayed, asking for help and guidance.  And it was today that I realized that God had answered me, ever so subtly.  Had I not been paying attention, I may have never recognized the message being sent to me.  Ain't it funny how that happens? 

I've heard many people doubt God's goodness, asking "Where was he when I needed him the most?"  While I can never personally answer that question, there is no doubt in my mind that EVERYTHING happens for a reason.  Many times, we look for God to give us a direct answer or solution to life's problems.  But more often than not, things don't work out that way.  You've got to look for the little hints and clues, grasp them, and do something with what you've got.  Only then will you be able to see just how God is working in your life.  And if you take away only one thing from this post, I hope it is this: Never underestimate the power of prayer.

Keep it in perspective

I'm allergic to something.  I have no clue what.  I went through the first twenty-five years or so of my life without allergies, so now when I get the symptoms, I haven't the slightest idea what I'm allergic to.  It must be my life in general at the moment, since most of the things going on in my life right now have only caused me a lot of stress and an adverse reaction, even though in the long term, they are really positive things. 

When I woke up this morning, I found my left eye barely wanted to open and that it was red and swollen.  As the day progressed, it only got worse.  I gave up on my contacts, thinking that would help, but have found that wearing my glasses instead hasn't helped a bit.  I'm not exactly sure how I've managed to pack, cook, and take care of the girls today, considering that I've spent the better part of the day swiping away the tears that have constantly escaped from my eye and blowing my nose.  One thing is for sure -- I'm pretty miserable.

The nice thing about allergies is that they are only temporary (even though they can feel like an eternity at times).  The same can be said for most bad things, or low times in your life when you feel like there is no escape.  If you have the patience to ride it out, things almost certainly will get better.  Just remember, that sometimes, the best and only cure is time.  

"Time is the healer of all necessary evils."  - Menander

Ah, push it!

... through the pain that is. Today was a run day, and before I took my journey outside to head around the track behind my house, I found that the blister on my right pinky toe was now double it's size. Darn it! I almost let it psych me out. I said to myself, "Well, I'll run as much as I can, and when it starts to hurt, I'll stop." I didn't really think I was going to make it through the 4.5 mile run I had scheduled for today. I put a band aid over it, and hoped for the best.

I began to circle the track, and surprisingly enough, I felt no pain. In fact, I felt nothing really for the duration of my run, and though I ran a little slower than I had hoped (as I had no way to monitor how I was doing other than a stopwatch my hubby was holding as he supervised the kids playing on the playground), I still managed to keep under the 10 minute / mile mark with a minute to spare.

Now here's the rub.

As soon as I completed my 18 laps around the track, and started to walk back to the house, my pinky toe immediately started to hurt. It was a little odd considering it didn't bother me AT ALL during my run. Honestly, I think it has to do with my focus and determination. There's something about running in the presence of others. For me, it makes me want to concentrate on giving it everything that I have and pushing through any barrier in my way.

That's what I did. And you know what? Despite my soreness, blisters, and bumps and bruises, tonight was the first night that I actually felt like an athlete.  And I like that.