Finding a Way Forward

A couple of things from my life as a below-average fitness person this week.  First, today's run was really tough.  Humidity is always hard to run in for me.  You just feel like you're gasping for air the whole time.  Still, I was able to run 2/3 of my 3-mile run at my goal pace.  And then I just hit a wall.  So I quickly changed strategies and walked for a couple of 45-second breaks during that last mile.  It made me fail to meet my overall pace goal.  But it allowed me to keep moving forward.  It allowed me to put in the miles.  And for the most part, when I was running, I was able to keep my desired pace.

In other news, I'm swimming again.  In my back yard, even.  I set up our 16' pool, primarily for my kids who would otherwise get bored this summer.  And when I looked at the pool, I thought, "I bet there's a tether I can buy that'll let me simulate lap swimming."  Sure enough!  I bought it and have done a couple of 30 minute swim sessions.  It's a great way to cool down on a hot day and it lets me rediscover a beloved fitness activity.

Sometimes in life, you have to be creative to figure out the best way forward.

Our world is in crisis.  Coronavirus, certainly.  But right now, I am more concerned and find myself more often in prayer over the cries of the marginalized for justice -- along with the echoes of those cries from people like me who desire justice for the marginalized, too.  How will we find a way forward from these contentious times?  Not by hoping and praying for life to go back to the way it was.  Not for people to be content with how things are.  But by finding creative ways to share power and decision-making.  Finding new ways to help police officers better do their jobs -- maybe even taking a lot of the stuff we've unfairly asked police officers to do and sharing that work with people better qualified and trained to do it.  Finding new ways to listen deeply to one another.

May God forever bless the memory of George Floyd.  May his family and friends receive justice.  And may we find a better way forward.  We can get there.  But not by giving up.

May God strengthen us for this journey ... together.

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