Happy Mother's Day

My mom is an inspiration. She is lovely, smart, gentle, quiet, athletic, and a devoted mother of five. I praise God that I am able to call her today and still hear her voice. It hasn't been an easy year for her, with a couple of nasty falls, hospital visits, broken hip and elbow, and recent move to Arizona.

When she was fifty, she ran a marathon. I had not trained, but ran with her since I was in my running duds anyway. I almost died and told her she must leave me at mile 23 because I was never going to get up again. She insisted she would not finish the race unless I finished with her.

Oh brother. Do I have to, Mom???

I dragged my sorry untrained carcass off the road and limped along till I was able to run again. We crossed the finish line together.

There is a more important finish line I hope we cross if not simultaneously, at least in the end, together. The Bible tells us that when we finish the race of our earthly walk with Jesus, we will receive the prize to which we have been running. Philippians 3: 13-14 encourages us with this admonition: Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

My prayer for my mother, and all mothers, is having fought the noble and glorious fight of raising the next generation, now keep pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. It is not so important how we run that race, but how we finish.

Happy Mother's Day Mom. I love you!

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Hebrews 12: 1-3

12 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 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.