Grab It and Run

I don’t know how it happened. I’m actually still a little shocked by it.

I have become a runner. Not only that, I actually enjoy running and look forward to my runs. Like I said, big shocker.

Normally I run in the mornings while the kids are in school, or I get up early while everyone is sleeping-in or Saturday mornings. But Friday night we stayed up until nearly 11 pm watching movies, so there was no way I was dragging myself out of bed at 5:30 am to get in a morning run before breakfast.

So, I made a deal with the rest off the staff. I would make my wonderful chocolate-chip cookies, if they agree to watch the kids while I went for a run. Seriously, who’s going to turn that down?

The cookies were made and eaten, and the dishes were done. And right as I was pulling on my running clothes, it started to rain. REALLY?? I had completed my part of the deal, Ed and Miriam were willing to complete their part of the deal and now Mother Nature was making things difficult!

Since I had mentally prepared myself for a run, I decided to go for it. I mean, how bad can it be? I added a windbreaker to my ensemble and headed down to the gate. The walk to the front gate is about a kilometer, so I had a while to decided if I was going to talk myself out of the run or not.

But when I got to the front gate, the rain stopped. Thank you Lord! I hung up my jacket and started out on my run, which (might I add) was the best run I’ve had to date! 33 minutes later, I arrived back at the front gate, grabbed my jacket and headed back up the hill.

That’s when it started raining again. I arrived at the Villa absolutely drenched, but I had to laugh at the whole situation. Only God is able (and willing) to stop the rain for exactly 33 minutes so that I can have my run! Our God is good!

It made me think though about the decision I made. I knew it was raining and yet I decided to trust that the rain would let up. I made the decision that even if it continued to rain; I would follow through with my plans. And everything worked out for the best.

God is like that. He gives us little windows of opportunities. Little gaps of sunshine sandwiched between two rain-clouds. And He lets us decide if we are going to grab the opportunity or not. So often we are guilty of waiting. Waiting for the sky to clear, waiting for money to come in, waiting for a certain person, or circumstance.

Waiting, waiting, waiting.

But what if, instead of waiting, we acted?

What could God do in our lives, and the lives of those around us if we acted during the rainstorms, during the times of difficulty? Maybe we would see the sun come out a lot faster. Maybe He would use us to perform miracles!

So how about instead of waiting for the rain to pass, we grab the opportunities God gives us, and run with them!!