Lent Day 33

New ideas, methods, and things.  If we never tried anything new in life then there would never be any advancement and life would be very boring.  Just because an old method worked in the past doesn’t mean that it is the best way of getting things done.  For a person to grow in any manner means there must be struggles; struggles from the implementation of new ideas, methods, and things.

When I told a few friends that I wanted to give up laziness they thought I was a bit crazy.  That’s how I knew I had a good idea.  It was going to be very difficult, it was creative, and people said I was setting myself up for failure.  When I attempted to give up laziness for New Years I didn’t implement it correctly, and I didn’t have the correct motivation.  From that bout of trial and failure, I learned how to better focus my energy and Lent gave me the reason.  I gained the determination and commitment to God so that I will not fail this time.  Giving up laziness physically, mentally, and spiritually was a new idea that I simply had to try until I succeeded at being a better man.

Today for lunch, Tyler wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and he said he was really hungry.  I know that sometimes when he says this and he has been playing hard, he might want a second sandwich.  I told him I had an idea, but I needed his help.  Presentation is everything to new ideas.  We got out the peanut butter, jelly, and three pieces of bread.  His eyes grew big as I gave him plenty of peanut butter on that first slice.  Then I gave him a plentiful amount of jelly on that second slice of bread.  At this point, he thought I was putting too much on for a sandwich.  Just then, I put the third piece of bread in the middle, cut it twice on diagonals, and viola, a triple-decker peanut butter and jelly sandwich in 4 triangles.  Oh what a delighted little boy I had.  If only I had not given up bread for Lent . . . it looked devine.

Christy and I purchased some new running shoes.  The shoes each of us had been wearing were several years old.  Neither of us really ever had a purpose to own running shoes.  I can’t even remember the last time we had to run somewhere.  If we had to run, then surely there was another form of transportation available.  Unfortunately, I had the hardest time finding wide shoes.  Finally, New Balance had some that felt great.  I wore them for a couple of hours today before I went running.  I plan to break them in this week before the official 5K next Saturday. 

When I went running tonight, like everyday, I want to do better than the day before.  I also decided that a different and new route is good.  I went north to the paved road and back.  When I got back by the house the first time, the BB app said I went 1.74 km.  Uh oh, over half way, now I have to do math.  I went running back, got to 2.5 km and realized, uh, this is half way.  I can’t do math: 5km not 5M.  To make up for my miscalculation, I got creative and took some of the cul-de-sacs off the main dirt road so that I could hit 5k by the time I got back to the house.  However, at this half way point, I noticed something really bad; my right big toe is killing me.  The new shoe is rubbing my big toe.  Scrunch it up and run.  Stretch it out and run.  Ignore the pain and keep running.  Whatever you do Ben, keep going.  The pain was getting unbearable, but I never stopped running until the final cool down.  What? 32:44 seconds!  Having that small part of my body in pain made over a 2 minute difference in my time.  When I went in the house and took off these painful new shoes, my sock was bloody.  I rubbed a hole in the top of my big toe.  Ouch. 

Many new ideas, methods, and things need adjustment or modification.  The important thing is that each new item made me learn and grow.  I will know how to overcome adverse challenges.  I will always be creative with new methods.  I will be mindful of new shoes, especially with a hike in the Appalachian Trail coming up.  When we are paying attention to the new things in life we will realize that new things will lead to progress.