Pushing Through

Brett and I are continuing to walk each morning and in the afternoons when we can.  For the most part I enjoy those mornings I really enjoy walking.

I enjoy the coolness of the morning, even in July it is cool.  I enjoy at 5:30 AM watching the world wake up.  We see all kinds of wildlife out at that time in the morning.  We have seen deer on many mornings.  We have seen two foxes a couple of mornings. We see lots of bunny rabbits.  One morning a family of skunks passed in the road in front of us.  Needless to say we gave them plenty of space.  

I love watching the sky light up with the colors of morning.  For someone who is a self proclaimed "not morning" person, I am really starting to enjoy that part of the day.  Probably has something to do with the age.  Maybe just another sign that I am getting older.  This morning we even got to walk in the rain for the last mile.  We thought we would beat it out but we didn't.  Even that was fun in the morning because I was going back to the house to shower anyway so what did it matter if we were wet?

As much as I enjoy these morning walks, some days are just easier than others.  There are days when the stride is just right.  Where the pace is right on target.  When the humidity is low and it is easy to breathe.  Days when my body just moves with no effort at all.

Then there are those other days.  Those days when my toes hurt. (Brett keeps telling me my shoes are too tight). I am not moving up a size, what is a blister here or there.  Those days when I feel like I am gasping to catch my breathe.  When I feel like it is all I can do to put one foot in front of the other for the next step.  Days when I feel like what are we doing out here again. Those days when it is all I can do to push through and make it back home.  But determination, and discipline (and my husband)  keep me getting up each morning.

As I was walking this morning I was thinking about that.  Sometimes as much as I hate to admit it my spiritual walk is the same way.  We would like it to always be one of those "good mornings", where the stride and pace are perfect.  Those days when nothing hurts, but it is not always that way.

There are days that I feel like my heart hurts, There are days when I feel like it is all I can do to keep my head above water while I gasp for air.  Days that I don't feel like picking up my bible, or praying. Days that I have questioned why is this what I am doing.

It is those days when my determination reminds me of what God did on the cross for me.  It is those days when my discipline reminds me to pick up my bible and pray anyway.

"Those" days, make the good days even better.

Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith."

Thank you Jesus that every day isn't a great day.  If they were they would become boring and I would take them for granted.  Thank you that determination and discipline help us put one foot in front of the other and finish the course.  Plain and simple Thank You Jesus!