Matt's Anthology

I decided back in October of 2010 that when I turned 40 years old, in January 2011 I would run a half-marathon. 13.1 miles.  I had this wild idea that since I was through half my life, I would try something I had never done before.  I already drive a sporty car and have a beautiful (Hot) wife so for my mid-life crisis, I didn’t think this was a bad choice and something I could do without being “stupid”.

It really set in one day when I was out on a run, on the Dam of Joe Pool Lake. I decided that day to run across the Dam and back. I didn’t know how far it was but I did know it was farther than I had ever run. Turns out it was over 10 miles. During that run, when I felt like turning around, I would encourage myself to go a little further and a little further. I completed the task I set out to do that day and it took me almost 2 hours. At that point, it was the longest distance I had ever run. That was the day when I felt like, I can do this if I set my mind to it.  I even thought maybe I could get someone to run it with me.

I trained, sort of, and even sustained a pretty major injury a month before the race but I was signed up, had paid my entry fee and even talked my 15-year-old nephew into joining me.  It would be a first for both of us.  So on January 29th, at the age of 40, I ran in and completed a Half-Marathon.  Again 13.1 miles, every one of them.   My nephew completed it as well.

Here are some things I learned from doing Half:

1. Don’t get sucked in to the excitement of others.  At the beginning of the race, when everyone is lined up to start, there is this incredible energy in the atmosphere.  When the gun went off everyone is rushing to get started.  Now I had set a pace goal in my mind of a 10 minute mile.  All I wanted to do for my first race is to complete the distance.  My first mile I ran in under 8 minutes.  When I looked down at my watch I thought, wow, I should really slow this down or I won’t be able to sustain the pace and complete the distance.

2.  Never do in the tests of life what you have not trained for, it can make you sick and cause doubt that you will be able to finish.  At one point, a sponsor gave out an energy drink.  It is supposed to enhance performance.  Now I had one before and didn’t like it, but thought it would give me what I needed to finish.  I took it and drank and almost got sick.  I had to drink water at the next 3 drink stations to dilute it and feel better.  For a while I doubted I would be able to finish.  As it turns out, to finish what I had set before me, I didn’t need anything else, only me.

3.  You can do anything if you set your mind to it.  I completed the race in a time of 2 hours 9 minutes and 20 seconds.  It was a time faster than my original pace goal.  I came in 293 place.  My nephew finished 193 (at a considerably faster time than me).  No one can tell me I didn’t win.  My finishing metal is a reminder of something great that I did.

4. Don’t compare yourself to others around you.  I didn’t win the overall race, but I won my race.  There are all sorts of people who run.  Some run faster.  Some run further.  Some don’t but I didn’t spend over 2 hours comparing myself to them.  I still don’t.  I only had one thing in mind during that race; Finish the distance I had set out to do.  I know only have one thing in mind; Finish the race set before me.

5.  Encouragement can carry you a long way and mile markers help.  During my training I had Emily to encourage me.  During the race people were lined up all over the course clapping and holding up signs.  The course had mile marker showing the distance.  It was those things that carried me through.

6. The pain is worth it.  I lost 4 pounds during the race (water weight) and it was hard to walk for a couple of days afterward but I am glad I did it.

7.  You can help others accomplish something they have never done before as well.  I paid my nephew’s entry fee and picked up his “race” packet.  It was my gift to him.  I didn’t won’t to go through this task alone.  I knew that if someone close to me was in the same race, it would keep me going.  A couple of weeks after the race, my nephew sent me a “Thank You” card.  In it he poured out his heart.  It made me cry (in a good way).  He said it was my time talking on the phone and my encouragement that helped him during training.  The truth is, it was he who encouraged me the most.

God used this experience in my life.  My life will never be the same.  No one can ever tell me I can’t do something if I set my mind to it.  And even though there is great pain in the tasks we have set before us, the accomplishing of those makes it all worth it.  At the end of this race I was reminded of the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7.  I am running the race of life and at the end hope to be able to quote the same words.  “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Posted in Biblical Lessons

Recently I was in church with my family.  It is the church I grew up in.  Part of the service is a quiet time of prayer.  It was during this time that an ovverwhelming since of greatfulness came over me and all I could say to the Lord is…
Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Thank you for Your grace, for Your mercy, for Your provision, for Your protection, for Your love, for Your blessings, for never giving up on me.  When there are no other words to say, tell the Lord thank you.

Posted in Biblical Lessons

Anyone who knows me knows I am a little ADD so in the middle of a conversation or doing something my attention can be drawn to something else rather easily.  Sometimes I even joke with people and while talking will say, “Hey look at the birds!”  I also at times worry.  Worry about finances, work, life, family, circumstances etc. I know that worrying doesn’t help or add a minute to our life but that is just my sometimes reality.

So one rainy day, in one of my worrying states as I am leaving the house, my attention was drawn to this large bird in the grass beside the sidewalk. The bird is just standing there in the rain. Now I don’t know if birds have expressions but this one kinda had this look about it that said, no need to worry.  Here is this bird in circumstances that look like they should be a good reason to worry and yet he  does not look concerned at all.

As I saw the bird the Lord spoke to me from Matthew 6:25-26 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not worth much more than they?”

The next time you worry, look around at all the things in nature that are not.  It is a gentle reminder from the Lord that He is concerned for us, that He loves us, that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  So in my need to hear confirmation from the Lord that everything is going to be alright, He says “Hey, look at the Birds!”

Posted in Biblical Lessons

I had to attend a Military funeral for one of the Soldiers in our unit recently.  He was young and died in a tragic accident.  There was a big group of us there to show support for his family and to let them know he had other family as well.  So as we line the walls of the funeral home, the Chaplin for our unit speaks.  Then some close friends of the deceased.  Then our Commander.  And again the Chaplin.  Now everything was as normal until the Chaplin called up our Command Sergeant Major.  He is the highest ranking enlisted person in the room.  He calls us all to attention and then proceeds to do role call.  He calls out individuals, they answer present.  He calls out our individual companies and we respond with our mottos.  He calls out the name of the deceased and there is no answer.  He again calls the full name of the deceased.  Only silence.  Then TAPS is played.  That was the saddest part of the funeral service.

One day there will be a final role call.  Jesus will open the Lambs Book of Life and read from it the names of those who have been added.  Having your name called will allow you access for all eternity into Heaven.  Will your name be called?  Will you be present at the final role call?

Posted in Biblical Lessons

In 2009 I wanted to add a dog to the one cat household.  So I went down to the Animal Shelter/pound to start looking.  If you have been to a pound you know they are all about the same. The have small cages, like prison cells, for the animals to live in.  Once you go to one you know animals were not meant to live this way.  This is how Dixie came into the household. She came from the pound. Dixie belonged to someone else,  so she had a previous life, albeit not a good one, and it landed her into this prison, so to speak, which is where we found her.

Dixie is a Lab mix and has beautiful brown eyes.  And like most Labs knows how to use them to express her needs or wants.  She likes long walks and loves to swim.  She still hasn’t quite figured out Mocha (the cat).  The other day I went to put Dixie’s collar on her for one of her daily walks and she lowered her head.  Now she didn’t lower her head in a way as to assist me with the collar, she lowered it in a timid or shameful way. She wasn’t in trouble and I didn’t do anything to indicate she was being punished.  All I wanted to do was to spend time with her and enjoy a walk together.  As I saw her in that state I gently reached down under her chin and lifted her head to look at me.    I did that to reassure her that in her new life I don’t pay attention to what happened in her former life.   It means nothing in this new place for her and I don’t concern myself with it.  It was really strange but it lead me to this passage in Psalms 3:3 “But You, O Lord are a shield about me.  My glory and the One who lifts my head”.

You see, we like Dixie, before coming to the Lord had a previous life.  It was not a good life and it lead us to the pound/prison.  God in His mercy and desire to bring us into His family came to the pound and rescued us.  In rescuing us, He wants to fill all our needs and spend enjoyable time with us but sometimes we remember our previous life and look down on ourselves.  The Lord, in our new life with Him, doesn’t pay attention to our former life, it means nothing in this new place and He doesn’t concern Himself with it.  Notice from the passage we don’t lift our head, God does.  He simply reaches down, puts His hand under our chin and gently lifts our head to look at Him.

Mama used to tell me, “Son keep your chin up.”  She said that to encourage me.  It’s hard to look down when your chin is lifted.  So remember, The Lord is a shield about you.  He is your protector and covers all around you.  He is your glory, a special cause for pride, respect or delight.  He is the One who lifts your head.

Posted in Biblical Lessons