One mile at a time

On our last day in Boston, I went on a run along the Charles River joined by people whizzing by in commemorative Boston marathon shirts. I slogged happily by sparkling water with college kids in long low boats rowing while a coach in a speed boat magaphoned ,"Stroke! Stroke!"
A stranger called out to me,"Enjoy your run!"
Ducks cavorted just offshore, and many healthy trim folks lapped by me. Since I was not in a race and thoroughly enjoying the sunny day and sparkling water, I didn't mind. I have always loved running but nowadays, calling it "recreational plodding" might be more accurate. I pushed the pause button and sat on a bench and did the little sketch in todays post. I noticed a beetle I had passed earlier scramble by me. Time to move on and chase the morning.
So as I cheerfully recreationally plodded, a runner zipped by but not so fast that I couldn't read the back of his shirt: "One mile at a time."

My folks celebrate their 57th anniversary today. There is only one way to make it this far- one day at a time.

When my brother was going through a very overwhelming situation and called my mom lamenting the troubling and impossible future he saw before him, my wise mom asked him if he knew what he needed to do for the next 5 minutes. He did.
"Then live the next 5 minutes - and then the next 5 minutes after that when you get there. "
And now many years later though there are always struggles, he has spectacularly strung thousands of 5 minutes together and crafted a remarkable life.

As I recreationally plodded along the Charles River with lady bugs leaving me in their wake, I thought of all the mountains of worries and woes left to climb before I finished my own life marathon. The finish line sometimes seems so impossibly distant and the path is rutted with booby traps and holes of wallowing despair that threaten to swallow me whole. Still , there is only one way to run it- one mile at a time.

Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. [2] Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.


Nothing is impossible with God.
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