I AM A RUNNER (and so are you)!

There are so many things that happen during the course of one day, that if we are not careful we will miss the many miracles and blessings it is to simply live out a 24hr period of time.   I haven't blogged in awhile and today in the silence of the old once school building we (Calvary Church Connections Campus) exist in I was brought to my soap and rain soaked knees to give praise to GOD for what I had experienced from 5a to 1p today.

In this blog I will attempt to journal my experience and reflections of that  window of time.  So please forgive me if it sounds as if I am rambling in parts.

So it began this morning with me springing out of bed before my alarm desiring to make sure that my family and I arrived on time to leave on time (6:30a) from the church to do something we had never done before; participate in a 5k as a family (minus 1, Bianca who I pray will join us on our next one, yes I SAID OUR NEXT ONE!) 

One of this mornings most unsung heroines was none other than my bride, my gym accomplice, the beautiful (only person I know to get truly made and dolled up for a 5K) Mrs. Washington!  I can't say enough positive about her today.  Beside waking up on time, arriving on time, having a crazily positive attitude throughout the event, and exuded joy & excitement even has the heavens opened up on us in the end and drenched every last one of us.  I am proud of her for sticking to her commitment rain or shine, and completing her first 5K!  WAY TO GO CHER BEAR!

As an aging ( I know....really Ray, but no seriously stay tuned) black father of some beautiful kids, who GOD has allowed them to take on a few of my positive traits, it's amazing to have shared this moment with 2 of our 3 kids.   To see them pumped, and to even have an opportunity to run 1/2 of the race with my son (which with his speed, athleticism, and youth may not happen to many more times) was really a moment I will treasure.   I took a risk with not asking but assigning them this task of entering

into this as a family, and they stepped up to the plate and killed it!  So proud of them.

You know it's going to be a great day when an Elder from you church, and his INCREDIBLE BRIDE Show up in stride encouraging you to kick it up a notch. CHERIE AND FELIPE Magueja, I hold you two responsible for helping me make this 5k my best timing ever under 45min.  Somehow we have to coordinate doing MORE LIFE together, because you all have been a blessing to me.   Maybe I can convince you all with smoked meats. 



In every person life you need two people that are far more crazier than anybody else you know.  Why you need them.....so that you never take yourself or life so serious that you fail to actually enjoy it. For this I am grateful for Barb Goodwin and her amped up version of herself sister Carie Coons-Regnier.  Beyond their joy of running/jogging/walking more than 60+ 5ks, 10ks, and half marathons....if your energy wouldn't kill Amanda...it would only make her stronger.   Thank you for how you love not just my youth...but all of our youth.   Carie....we need you on board, you know what I mean!

Next was is a slice of a group of people that are the very reason I am in this 5K.  Beginning with Amanda "RUNS TO #$%&-much Barry Brown.   Never have I met someone who gets so much enjoyment out of running that isn't a lifetime fugitive.  I believe even they get tired of running, but not you.   Thank you for inspiring me to at least try one, let alone now having 4 under my belt (yes I counted your birthday one which was my first).  Believe it or not, I have a wonderful team around me.  Lily S who has allowed me to be a blessing to her at church, and Planet Fitness when I began really getting serious about improving my fitness.   Vickie Sievers who not only has traveled to Africa with me, and is an uber positive and real soul she is a wonderful asset to my life.   The Duncan household has been and continues to be some of my best encouragers and bullhorns for our church.  Jennifer & Eve Teeple....oh my goodness can't say enough of how you've been a blessing to me, my family, and so many at Calvary Church.  Thanks for being a superstar volunteer.   To the Records....man...oh man......all because of Calvary Men's Basketball league two years ago......we haven't become like family, WE ARE FAMILY!

While this is a picture of the people mentioned above, there are others in my life that have made me richer in Christ because of the honesty of our relationships.  I'd be doing  a huge disservice to all that happened today if I failed to mentioned when some of us gathered to eat at Gingham's for a late breakfast.  While waiting for our table a lady (that had been eavesdropping) said, you have a church around here?  Like an actual church?  Puzzled, I said yes ma'am it's not far from here.  She said "sir, I'm so afraid to walk into one of those places for fear of not knowing anyone, and when I listen to preachers on the television I feel like they've been spying on my life."   I took an opportunity to introduce myself and my wife, and she graciously shook our hands, and she went on to tell me the heaviness she had in her heart and life over her husband leaving her many many years ago.  She even told me how she is having difficulty celebrating with her daughter who is VERY SOON to be married because of her bitterness over her marriage.  I told her about the people waiting with us for a table have all been a encouragement to one another, and we just participated in a 5k walk together.   I ran out to my truck, grabbed a card, a sermon CD, and simply said now you know at least two people, pay us a visit, and let us help move forward in your life.

Her name was Kris, and I am asking you to pray for her, because she intentionally stayed to greet & thank me as I finished eating with my family.  Now....to the reason for the title....I've fought and fought this label as a runner, but according to 1Cor. 9:25-27    All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

I realize I am an athlete (not a professional one) but one that is daily disciplining myself into better physical fitness.  I am training.....because I desire to age gracefully and in decent enough health to be a help to others along the way.   I am a runner because I have to run from sin, I have to run (walk) to complete the race that is set before me.  Not so that I am to beat the next person, but to simply beat the old me, that would rather lazily wait for Christ to return doing nothing, while shaming His finished work on the cross. See the truth is, we are all runners.  Some of us run from Christ.  Some of us run from commitment.  Some of us run from our pasts.  Some of us actually run to drugs, sex, food, and alcohol to avoid facing the truth about ourselves.   But at the end of the day we get to choose what type of runners we want to be.  If you've heard me say I'm not a runner, I apologize...because I too lied....as I was running from the reality that running is a part of life.  I am a runner.  I am not one to say I run for fun, but I run for and with purpose to lead my family, congregation and community to the life Christ promises and intended for us because I don't desire to be disqualified due to not practicing what I preach.    PRAY FOR ME....because running from things is far easier than running with purpose.