Day 275 The Great Race

Dear friends,

According to Smitty, the Mets are ahead of schedule with their end-of-the-season implosion. It's tough to start out strong and then collapse. (I will explore that theme momentarily). I was kind of hoping they would win the world series this year, just for Stephen, right there in the end of October, nearly a year from that horrific accident. Steve was saved from death, dismemberment, infection, and a host of other things. But the Mets in the series, now that would be a miracle!

It may be hard to believe, but many moons ago, when I was a resident of that grand metropolis about 150 miles south of here, I was a long distance runner. I was NOT fast. My best race, however, was a little doozy called the Trivera Twosome. In that race you teamed up with a partner, combined your times, and divided them by two. It was a 10 mile jaunt around Central Park. My partner was a fellow from Ireland, a bartender in a pub, who was long, lean and very fast. Hobbits are not fast. They plod. Well, I made my personal best minute-per-mile time in that race, for 2 reasons. One, I wanted to do well for the sake of my partner. Two, I ran with a woman who was a track coach for the Prospect Park Running Club in Brooklyn. That woman pushed me so hard for the last 4 miles of that event, I thought I would die. I mean, I was desperately sucking air into my lungs, thinking I would collapse at any moment. "You can go a little faster" she said. She kept saying that. She did not let up until I crossed the finish line, and looked with wonder at my time. Meanwhile, Runny Pants, my partner, did his worst ever time, sporting a tremendous hangover. (He still beat me by miles). So what's my point here?

The pilgrim road is described by the Apostle Paul as a race. The Trivera Twosome isn't worth a hill of beans, but the eternal race is worth everything. I picked up a few things during my running years. Here are some of them.

1 - Only the Great One knows when you're giving 100%. Someone else may look much better on the outside, but God sees the heart, and knows the true motives and efforts thereof.

2- You'll run better with a friend. This highway is not for travelling alone. We're talking a very long race, requiring endurance and perseverance. My "coach" not only helped me run a better race, she ran a better race by helping me.

3- Take the water provided at the rest stops. Our "water" is the words in the Great Book.

4- Pace yourself. It's no good to be gung ho for the first few miles, and then peeter out. Better to get your pace, steadily increase, and finish strong. Do not do what the NY Mets have done!

5- Stay on the road that is mapped out. I have run in many races and have seen people actually try to take a short cut by cutting through a patch of woods. This will disqualify you. Plus, I never could understand how a cheater could enjoy the finish line experience.

That's it for my sports analogy for tonite. I am the world's worst athlete. My father used to say to my athletically talented brother "you got the talent and she got the drive". Well, my brother has drive too, but he was right about the talent part. At this point in my life, I doubt I'll be crossing any more earthly finish lines. But there's one race I'm determined to finish strong. I don't trust myself at all to have the endurance, wisdom or talent to get there. But I've got the best Coach money can't buy. And if He says I'm making it to the end, then I'm making it to the end.

I love running with all of you. Many of you are running with limps, pains and sorrows I can't imagine. Endure friends! The Great One is vested in your breaking the tape.

And know that I will be running with you, and will remain...

Your friend on the pilgrim road,

Loriann

"Let us run with endurance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith, who for the JOY set before Him endured the cross, scorning the shame..."
Hebrews 12:2