Running Your Race

September 1, 2009

I’ve been challenged for some time to “blog”, so welcome to my world. Your taking time to read this should not be a waste. Sure, I will weave in the stuff of my life but for me, at the core, my purpose is to journey about life and the matters that affect all of us. It’s a commentary about what is truly important. It will braid in my views about one’s destiny, one’s relationships, one’s authenticity and one’s heart. It will be propelled by my deep and personal desire to make my life count. After all, I only get one shot at this life. You too.

This week I will run another marathon, this time, only a half. And it will be fun. Running the Disneyland Marathon (that’s right the theme park…me and Mickey) with 4 other friends will be a blast especially when as part of it we get to cross home plate in Anaheim Stadium. The marathon on Sunday takes on another purpose beyond fun and fitness.

I had a surprise 180 in my career. At this transitional point of my vocational track, I had been challenged by a good friend to have something to focus on (running a marathon) so I don’t get too fried by inactivity (if you know me, you know I am a triple type A and sitting still is not a gift). Being “in between” places of work, I have lots of free time to evaluate what my life is all about. So I share with you the intersection of lessons from running my marathon to running the race of life.

You see, if all things run their normal course, I am about two thirds done my race. What am I doing with the final 10,000 days God could be giving me? There’s no doubt that my work is my destiny…at least a big part of it. It occupies a major percentage of my time. It defines me, shapes me, enriches me and motivates me. It empowers me, catapults me, invigorates me and gives me purpose and meaning.

But when it goes bad, the stress is significant; again because it occupies such a big part of your life. Then it controls me, depresses me, humbles me, and discourages me. It erodes me, blockades me, paralyzes me and humiliates me. Purpose and meaning are lost. Maybe you have been through a tough time in your vocation too.

But what if destiny is beyond, is far bigger than what I do, beyond my work? What if you are being asked to push through “the wall” in your marathon of life when it seems that taking the next step is not born out of strength but sheer will? You see, it is what you do when you get to the tough points of the race that define you. Why not join me in asking God to help you run your best race no matter what you find yourself doing?