Endurance

The professionals lining up to start their day.

Brian and I recently volunteered at the Ironman, Arizona event.  We flew out with a friend of his, Glen, from work who had completed an Ironman one year ago and was looking to sign up to do his second one.  The reason for our trip... basically the only way you can sign up to participate in this grueling event is to volunteer to serve at one because they sell out so quickly- volunteers get the first opportunity to sign their names on the dotted line.  There's the scene for this blog.....

Glen and his family have got to be some of the most incredible, giving, accepting and encouraging people I know.  No kidding- he and his wife have a way of making anyone feel comfortable and like they could do anything- which is why my husband signed his name on that dotted line:0)  Their children, who are attending college out of state, are the same way.  You can tell that there has been consistency in their lives- consistency with discipline, consistency with love, consistency with encouragement- you name it and their family has all of it.  "Good to the core"  kind of people.  The family was originally from Chicago but due to Glen's jobs they have lived in San Francisco, New York City and a couple different cities in Florida.  They have moved a lot!  Glen and his beautiful wife now live in the Tulsa area but they will tell you openly, it is not their home- it is where they work.

Brian and Glen have been participating and attending triathlons together for a while now.  If you are into these types of endurance sports you probably have realized that most of them fall on Sundays.  It makes sense because most of the people who compete in them travel long distances to get there and they need a full saturday to get their gear set up and allow their bodies that time to settle in and prepare for the next day's events.  There have been several times when Glen has asked Brian to attend or compete in these events with him but Brian, because of our "church stuff" (this is what Glen called it:) wasn't able to go.  Glen never asked any question or pressed the issue- it was just understood.

Glen stood by us as Brian and I witnessed the Ironman event.  Moments of cheering people on, moments of crying for joy and even heartbreak and moments of voiced prayer as first aid responders assisted one of the athletes.  He never asked questions but would always say "yea" after our prayer- which was usually just "Jesus, be with them."

As we sat with Glen at a beautiful little pizzaria in Scottsdale the day after the Ironman he asked a question.  We were talking about moments from the previous day that were memorable to us- the amputee finishing, the 78 year old man crossing the finish line with arms raised, the mother of 5 who stopped to kiss her children before crossing the finish line.  We also talked about the scary moments (and how I was going to need a Valium next year to make it through the day when Brian enters the 65 degree water).  We talked about the lady who had to be pulled from the water and treated for hypothermia, the man who fell off his bike on a turn and scraped up his arms and legs, the people who's muscles were so pushed beyond their limits that their bodies were seizing at the end of the day- some as they crossed the line.  Glen's question- now, this is really deep.......- "So, what's with the church stuff in Oklahoma?"

Yep, I knew it would eventually come up and I am glad it did.  Glen explained that he and his wife were never really brought up in church.  He was catholic by "heritage" but said he never experienced, gag, RELIGION like he has in Oklahoma.  This is a guy who has lived in some of the largest cities in North America and he is telling me that he hasn't seen RELIGION like he has in Oklahoma!  It was kind of punch in the gut- being someone who has worked (in some capacity) in "church stuff" most of my adult life I have learned to hate, HATE, the word religion and I make every attempt to not appear to be that religious person that people loathe....you know what I'm talking about.

He talked about how he was confused because, as an "outsider" he was always being invited to church by people.  Always being told about the various denominations and types of services and what the particular churches offer but no one- NO ONE- had ever talked to him about Jesus.  No one ever told him why they do what they do and why they don't do what they don't do.  No one ever told him about being in love with a savior who died for them. 

He asked us about our kids and how they felt about being at church all of the time.  He explained that his two kids, prior to going to college, attended a youth group on Wednesday nights and had a lot of fun but that was about the extent of it.  EEKS!

So, sitting in front of me, I had the very thing staring at me that I feared the most.  A prime example of a person confused by religion and clueless about the savior it is supposed to be based on...  And to make it worse, he asked about our kids and how they felt about being at church "all of the time" (because to Glen, it appeared that way:).

We sat there, eating pizza and talking about our faith and how we choose to live (which isn't as religious as you would think:).  We talked about how our faith is a lot like an ironman.  It's not always easy, sometimes you find yourself wanting to doubt whether you can make it to the end and questioning reasons and outcomes.  Sometimes when you hit an obstacle you need a teammate to turn to for encouragement- a teammate who has been through it before.  You read all that you can to learn more about this race you are in so that nothing catches you completely off guard.  Sometimes the hills are steep and the water is cold but when you cross that finish line and hear the cheers of the people and songs of praise you will know it was all worth it.  And, as for the prize, well that's strangely similar as well.  The ironman process is consuming and takes faith and determination that is in your heart to finish this incredible task. You will never enter in and cross that finish line if you don't pursue what only He has placed in your heart and allowed Him to take control of your life.  We also explained to Glen that, much like he views Tulsa, this is not our home...

As for the question about our children..... It's a choice.  We can choose to make this lifestyle of ours appear grueling.  We can choose to let them think it is all about "church" and rules.  We can choose to not listen to them when they say they are tired and just want to be with mommy or daddy on the couch.  Or, we can choose to listen to their spirits.  We can choose to educate them on our purpose in this world and why we do what we do.  We can choose to let them know that they come before our "religion" and before our "jobs".  It isn't easy sometimes-but it's a choice.

I challenge you, as a man, woman, mother, father, church worker, church attender or "outsider"- sit back today and truly consider why you do what you do.  What is driving you in the direction you are going?  If you are a parent, are you just dragging your kids along behind you or are you allowing them to be a part of this journey?  Are you showing them the joy of your faith or the torment of your "job" (paid or not paid).  Press on mommy.  Press on daddy.  Press on you beautiful child God- the prize is ahead.

Hebrews 12:1-3 The Message 

"Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!"