Why I Run (and Pay to Run)

Note: I just found this post in my Drafts folder, and I think it was a couple of years old, certainly written before my two marathon experiences (see #2 below).  Anyway, enjoy!

A thoughtful friend flabbergastedly states the same thing every time I talk about running in an upcoming race: "I don't see why anyone would pay money to run on streets my tax dollars pay for" or something like that. It's a good question, and I've been thinking about why I run and why I actually pay money (half and full marathons are not cheap, by the way) to run in a race when I can run anywhere and anytime I want to for FREE. Here are some of my reasons mixed with some of my followup questions for those who can't understand why:

1. Signing up for a race (which includes paying money) keeps me accountable: I had better train since I paid for the race.
2. It's motivating: I want to finish the race strongly, not wheezing and crawling on my hands and knees.
3. Having a deadline helps me to train on a schedule in a focused way that not having a deadline cannot accomplish. If there's no deadline, no distance goal, no time goal, then what am I running for?
4. Running for purely health reasons isn't enough for me. I would probably quit running if there were no other reason to run. Entering and paying to race is another reason to stick with it.
5. Why pay money to go to a gym when you can exercise (including resistance training) for FREE? Because it's a place to meet other lifters. Because you gain access to experts in the field. Because it keeps you accountable. Because it is encouraging to you as a lifter. Because it is helpful to know that other people are interested in the same thing as you. Because it is invigorating to go to a place where others are cheering for you and are interested in you doing your best. Now, substitute "runner" for "lifter."
6. Anything that's worth anything in life will cost you something. Running is worth a lot: there are many health benefits, it has a calming effect on your mind and body (after the run, that is), it's a place to achieve more than you thought possible. It costs you time, money (shoes and stuff), sweat, occasional pain, energy, and commitment, but it pays you back in joy, sense of accomplishment, visible results (more muscular legs and a thinner waist for starters), measurable results, and a new component to your identity, that of "runner."
7. When else do police block off streets just for you?
8. Because of the pre-race expo, where you can find all things running and meet and speak with experts in shoes, apparel, nutrition, injury prevention and treatment, etc. You don't meet these people on the street.
9. Because always training and never showcasing is boring.
10. How can you criticize it if you've never done it?

I mean these points in all gentleness and respect to my friend and anyone else who don't see running like runners do. Like many things in life, to experience it is much better than to simply witness it. Pro football is much more exciting at the stadium than on TV (this is especially true for baseball). Either way, the same thing happens; it's the experiencing of it in person that makes the difference. When you walk into the stadium, you think Wow, this place is incredible. I can feel the energy. It's like that at a race: you feel an energy, a sense of awe at the magnitude of the event, and a little bit of fear about the race itself that you just don't get running sidewalks by yourself.

For me personally (as you can see from the reasons above) it boils down to the intangibles. Yes, the health benefits are the same whether you run by yourself at the park or run in a race, but the emotional and experiential benefits cannot even be touched by always running by yourself in training mode.

Rainbows, shirts, and resurrection of the dead

This evening, it rained, something we desperately needed.  The rain was short-lived, unfortunately, but the sudden breakthrough of sunshine created a beautiful, complete rainbow, the third I've seen since we moved here in March. Michael and I sat on the front step and talked about the rainbow, its meaning according to Scripture, and things related to VBS, which was Michael's first.

Today's VBS theme was "sad news, glad news," and the lesson taught about Jesus' death (sad news) and resurrection (glad news).  Michael mentioned the crown of thorns and how it was sad news.  He then asked why the "bad guys" took off Jesus' shirt and "put marks on him" and "died him on the cross."  [Can I just take this moment to say how amazed I am at how much Michael is learning and growing?  He's very observant and wants to know about everything.  It's so fun to watch!]  

I answered the question about them taking off Jesus' shirt by saying that the bad guys wanted to hurt Jesus and embarrass him; that's why they took off his shirt.  I asked him what the glad news was.  He thought for a second and said, "God put his shirt back on."  (In the illustrations of today's lesson, Jesus rises from the dead dressed in clean clothes.)  I love it; if the taking off of his shirt symbolized the "bad guys" trying to hurt and embarrass Jesus, God putting Jesus' shirt back on him symbolized God restoring Jesus' honor, and vindicating his death.  Not that Michael meant all that, but I'd like to think that if he had the words, that's what he meant.

I love those moments in life when you can hear your child say something about Jesus and you can say, "That's right."

Provocation for the day

"[People] don't deny objective truth when it comes to sticks and stones, only when it comes to morality.  And even in morality, they don't deny objective truth about good and evil when it comes to anything else but sex.  They don't defend rape or pillage or slavery or oppression or theft or nuclear war or embezzlement or racism – or even smoking!  But they defend divorce and fornication and masturbation and contraception and abortion and sodomy and bestiality and bisexuality and cross-dressing.  'Anything goes' is their morality if and only if it has anything to do with sex.

            For instance, they don't defend murder, except murder in the name of sex.  That name is 'abortion,' of course.  If abortion had nothing to do with sex, we could never have sold it.  If storks brought babies, there would be no Planned Parenthood.  Abortion is backup birth control, of course, and birth control means the demand to have sex without having babies."

- Peter Kreeft, How to Win the Culture War, 75-76

     Understand a few things about Kreeft: 1) He is Catholic, so his stance on birth control is stronger than many other Christians', 2) The chapter from which this comes is a chapter written from the perspective of demons, and is presented tongue-in-cheek-but-serious-about-the-truth by Kreeft (which is why it speaks of "they" [humans] and "we" [demons]), and 3) though harsh, there is a lot of truth to his words.  Those who tend to be pro-choice tend to favor a hands-on approach from their government in nearly every area of their lives but their sexuality (think abortion and gay marriage), which makes certain attempts at ridiculing pro-life ethics ironic: they say, "no big government" when it comes to abortion.       

     Pro-lifers understand the "no big government" notion, but apply it to most other things some people want the government to do, which is laughed at by liberal politicians.  WHY don't they want "big government" when it comes to abortion?  "Because it's MY body; I should do what I want with it."  Substitute "taxes" for "abortion" and "money" for "body," and you've just summed up a conservative view on taxes.  

     What I'm saying is that pro-choicers are very conservative in their thinking on abortion...to a point.  Pro-choicers don't care what the human life inside the pro-choice woman would think about that logic.  In their thinking, it seems, because the baby can't speak up, s/he can be killed.

     Try to make it about women's health.  Try to make it about an alleged choice.  Try to make it about the pregnant lady.  Those aren't the real deciding factors.  Abortion will never cease to be about the baby.

Child-like Faith

Mark 10:13-15  13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.  14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

Tonight, Michael's tummy didn't feel good.  I think he might have a cold or the same bug I had last week: tiredness, congestion, and a little uneasy stomach.  As I rocked with him in the rocking chair, him laying across my lap, we said our bedtime prayers.  This time, I asked Michael if it was all right if I prayed for God to help his tummy feel better.  Michael nodded.  After I finished the prayer and said "amen," Michael said, "but my tummy still doesn't feel good."  He truly believed that Jesus was going to heal his tummy immediately.  Didn't you? you might ask. 

Well, yes . . . sort of.  Michael's theology is a little uninformed, but yet his faith is profound.  Jesus is our healer; however, he doesn't always heal everything every time we ask, no matter what.  That would make Jesus some sort of robot or vending machine, where every time we pull the lever or insert the "money" (read: prayer), Jesus automatically must do what we say.  I believe that Jesus will heal every disease, injury, deformity, wrinkle, etc.  The question is not, "will he?" but "when will he?"  Our answer is found in 1 Corinthians 15:

1 Corinthians 15:42-58  42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;  43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;  44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.  45 So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.  46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.  47 The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.  48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.  49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.  50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--  52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.  54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."  55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"  56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you.

Explain that to a three-year-old.  My answer to Michael's statement was, "well, buddy, sometimes it just takes time to heal."  God made our bodies to repair and maintain themselves pretty well most of the time.  So, indirectly, God does heal even trivial sickness, because He made us and our bodies in such a way that they heal themselves.

But I digress....  What I love about Michael's complaint was his belief that Jesus would heal him immediately.  Oh how I wish I had that kind of childlike, uncomplicated faith for every situation.

As I write this, I can hear Michael starting to cry in his bed.  I guess it's time for him to teach me some more. . . .

At Last

Tonight I perused older entries in my blog, and one recurring theme was my lack of satisfaction with regard to my employment.  Here's a recap of the jobs I've had since 2005: FedEx Ground (working in a warehouse), and Target Distribution Center (working in a warehouse).  Part of the angst came from the disparity between my education (both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in theology) and my employment.  Part of it came from a lack of clarity in God's leading in my life: should I pursue a PhD? move? enter ministry?  send resumes to Bible colleges? 

As it turns out, the only one of those questions I didn't answer "yes" to was the PhD.  After three years of sending out resumes to churches and getting very few replies, I am finally able to say that I am in the ministry!  Martelle Christian Church in Martelle, IA, is where I will be the Senior Minister starting this weekend.  Well, sort of.  I will start preaching there this Sunday, but will not be full-time until we move.  We won't move until the parsonage is ready and we have given (and fulfilled) our two weeks' notice to our employers.

I find the story of how we landed in Martelle fascinating.  My good friend (and ministry mentor) Tim Platt one day casually told me that the church in Martelle is in need of a Senior Minister.  They already have a great Youth Minister, but have been without a Senior Minister for the better part of six months (this was last fall).  I followed up with the contact he gave me, intending only to preach there a few times to help fill in.  After a couple of visits, however, I felt a peace about being there, a sense of at-homeness that was subtle, but noticeable.  A couple of members of the search team asked if I would give my resume, and the next time down, I did. 

I should pause here and mention that the number one problem I had with getting into a ministry was lack of full-time, stateside experience.  I had lots of missions experience, and some part-time ministries while in college, but all of it added up paled in comparison to the experience of many people who sent resumes to Martelle and wherever else I sent mine.  More than once I was not even considered (or if I was, I never made it past the "first round" of the hiring process) because of my "lack" of experience.  My expectations of hearing back from anyone were low.

In early December 2011, I received a call from a guy named Paul from MCC, wanting to set up a phone interview, which took place the following Monday.  The week after that, Paul called me back to let me know that they wanted me and my family to come down for a weekend because I was their top candidate!  So we went down January 14-15, and the weekend went extremely well.  Both Heidi and I felt that the opportunities there were amazing and God gave us both a peace about being there, which in itself was a huge answer to prayer.   One week later, I found out that all votes were affirmative and we were on our way.

Through this process God has worked on our family to prepare us for this transition.  Why did I spend so much time not in ministry?  I don't know yet, but I know it has served to teach me patience and trust in God.  Five years ago, I never would have considered sending a resume to a church in a town of 245 people in a place I had never heard of, but going there and meeting people and seeing what is happening there changed all that. 

MCC is full of vibrant, kind people who love Jesus dearly, and I can't wait to get started joining them in their ministry to Martelle and surrounding areas.  I already like them: I have more blog readers from MCC than from anywhere else! :)  Beyond that, though, I have seen kindness and sincerity in them that I can immensely appreciate.

Let it begin soon.  Thank you, Jesus.

The Gimmicking of Christianity

Why is it that we always seem to need a "thing," a shtick of some sort to keep us talking about the Christian faith?  Here are a few recent gimmicks Christians have used to talk about their faith: Tim Tebow (and especially the superstition around his performance against Pittsburgh in the playoffs), the spoken word poem "Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus" (see it here), Rick Warren's The Purpose-Driven Life (a few years ago), fish car magnets, and many others.

Many of these things are good and helpful, but what bothers me is when these things become the Christian faith of many people.  Jesus has been replaced by the latest Jesus-related fad, and Bell, Warren, Osteen, and Chan have become "the author[s] and perfecter[s] of our faith." 

It's not just an average Joe problem, either.  I saw this in seminary all the time.  Love of the Bible was set aside for love of books about the Bible.  When asked, "who are you reading these days?", I wish my answer would have been, "God" rather than Alvin Plantinga or some Continental theologian.  I love my seminary education, but it took me about 18 months to "thaw out" spiritually from the whole experience.  My professors are not at fault in this; I chose not to stay plugged into my church enough, I chose not to pursue a ministry while in seminary, I chose to let my devotional life slide. 

My seminary classmates, I imagine, understand.  Some of them might scoff, thinking that I just couldn't handle it or something, or perhaps that I chose to take the easy road of not pursuing a PhD and leaning more on practical ministry than systematic theology and philosophy of religion to help the church.  There's probably truth to all of those ideas.  But for me it just boils down to Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

We are not called to study about him, as if he were just another quirky historical figure.  We are called to know Christ, to learn Christ, to remain in Christ.  Many people can destroy me in a debate about biblical scholarship, textual criticism, harmonizing the gospels, reformed theology vs. open theism, and lots of other fascinating discussions.  I don't really care.  What I want to know is this: are you fixing your eyes on Jesus?

Jesus Christ, not anyone or anything else, is the goal and substance of our faith, and if we get anything right in this life, let it be this: that we lived and died devoted to Jesus and His word, because nothing else really matters.

Not Tim Tebow and his magical 316 coincidences.

Not spoken word poems that are biblically and theologically off-base.

Just Jesus.  Philippians 3:8-11

Before They Shut Me Down

I thought I should post a blog before blogger thinks I've abandoned my blog and deletes it!  I always think I'm going to blog more than I actually do, and I constantly think of topics I'd like to blog about.  Here's a few things on my mind lately:

• We had a baby!  Lydia was born November 7th.  She is beautiful!  Heidi's labor was 1 hour and 55 minutes from water breaking until Lydia was out.  It's a good thing we live across the street from the hospital.  Heidi is an amazing woman; I don't know how women can do it.  Michael is doing very well as a big brother.  He is sweet and very gentle with her, and he often says, "I like Tiny Baby Sister" (her alternate name apparently).

• After running the marathon in May, I have run about 5 times, which is not good.  I've pretty much undone all the weight loss I achieved for the marathon.  But hey, if I did it once, I can do it again, right?
• I have been searching for a church in which to serve for over a year now, and I'm closer than ever to some real news.  Stay tuned.

That's all for now.