Continued Sacrifice. 40 days ago I was determined to make a commitment to God and build my relationship with Him based on personal sacrifices. As with all sacrifices for God, there will always be positive rewards back to the person making the sacrifice. I knew this going into it and subsequently made tangible goals so that I could tell if I was staying true to my word. It is now one week until Easter, and I feel that I have been very successful thus far. I have exceeded my weight loss goal, spent more time enjoying my kids, been very productive at work, been more focused in church, and feel that I have been growing in my relationship with God.
This journey is not over. After the race yesterday, we had a lot of fun as a family. We enjoyed a Down Home Days festival with all kinds of good smelling / tasting food, fun activities, and a car show. This morning was a special Palm Sunday at church and they even had brownies in Sunday School. Then this afternoon was a wonderful time at our friend’s house. Our families have such a great time whenever we get together, but . . . it was a birthday party . . . with cake and ice cream. Oh the temptation was strong, and my weakness is ice cream. Many people were making excuses for me that it was Sunday and I have done so well up to now. Even my wife wanted to justify that it was ok for me to “cheat” today. After all, this is day 40 if I count Sundays, and if I don’t count them, then . . . I don’t expect people to understand and participate in my journey. This is why I know that Lent is a personal experience with God. I can stay strong in the face of adversity. I would even sit the bowl of candy right in front of me just to see how strong I could be.
Yesterday I ran the big race and had my best time ever. Then tonight I didn’t know exactly what to do. Because I was so hungry from all the temptation, I ate a big dinner consisting of three eggs, a can of spinach (with pepper sauce vinegar), and some dry Fruit Loops cereal. Then I changed clothes and went running. Ok, there are a lot of things I have learned through Lent; one includes spinach, eggs, cereal, and running. Unbelievably, I did not throw up. I also forgot to drink plenty of water today. I started running and immediately became very nauseous and thirsty, but I kept running. Just over the halfway point (2.75km) I had to walk some. I looked up and noticed the beautiful evening sky, the hawk flying by, and the fragrance of jasmine in the air. I kept pushing on, but at a slower pace so that I could enjoy the quiet time and all the beauty around me.
I finished tonight with a time of 32:40. That is almost 5 minutes slower than yesterday’s race. Somehow that did not bother me. I was strong this weekend in my commitment to God and dedicated to my sacrifices. I feel great.
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