Wave goodbye!

I have been all too aware of injuring myself during this long journey to the start line of this marathon I am supposedly running. I have heard horror stories of people training for months and then it comes to the last week and snap, break, tweak, something happens. People are either put out of the marathon all together or have to end up walking it.

Listen to me people....if this ends up happening to me please find me, pull me out of the hole I will have found and tell me to stop crying. But seriously, does that not sound horrible! You train for months, your feet look like aliens, your muscles have done things no human should ever do and then BAM, you're hurt. Oh gosh, pray I don't get hurt.

I am telling this weird story to tell you one little thing...I did not run this morning. I walked and lifted weights. I walked to make sure I am not "pushing it", whatever that means. Tomorrow I will go for a birthday run something small like 3 or 4 miles. Just enough to sweat. I love sweating!!!! I know I am weird.

I came across this picture of me today. This was right before I was to plunge myself into Lake Washington to start the swim of the Danskin Triathlon (I am the one with my hands folded like I was in a prayer...well because guess what? I was praying...praying the Lord would keep be ABOVE water!). Let me tell you a little secret, I am more nervous in that picture then I will be at the start of the marathon. I just know it. And yes I have done the Danskin for years. YEARS people and I am still shaking and crying at that start line. With the water touching my toes I look around for anyone to just say, "hey lets sneak you over to the bike." But no one does and I end up dog paddling the whole way. And no year has gone by without crying in the water with only about 100 yards left. That is when the mill weed starts to touch me and well an ALL FREAK OUT starts to ensue. This year I got new goggles that didn't fog up when I cried. Bless those goggles.

But this picture was right before the announcer announces "Look to your fellow triathletes behind you and wave goodbye!" You see there are waves to this triathlon because of the massive amounts of women that do this. So there are always women behind you waiting to start. As the clock ticks down for your turn to take the plunge you wave goodbye to your fellow triathletes. Its kind of a cool way to say "goodbye, but I will see you at the finish."

Wow! What a telling story in an eternal sense. This year when I was "waving goodbye" I got a bit short of breath. I started to think of my mom. I pictured her leaving this earth on the wings of Christ, waving goodbye to all of us. When we were crumbling she knew she was waving goodbye for now but she would see us at the finish.

Christ knew the same thing when he rose on Easter. He was waving goodbye shouting to keep fighting, to run hard towards the finish line of life. He wants us to be the hands and feet of Himself, to share the beautiful news of his death and resurrection. And what is so beautiful about His wave goodbye was it wasn't even really a wave goodbye. He is still living life with us, every moment of everyday giving us the strength to keep sharing His good news. So now we just have to do it!

Oh how I love JESUS!