IT’S SPRING BREAK! WOO! I know it’s been a little over a week since my last post, and I know that’s quite out of character for me to do. But over the ending of this first half of the craziest semester of my entire life, everything went super crazy, and this is the first chance I’ve had to write where I wasn’t catchin’ up with friends or doing homework. So, thanks for being patient with me and loving me despite my many flaws.
Today, I went for a run. It’s been so nice to be able to do that this week. On a normal school week, I’m only able to run twice, max. So far since spring break has begun, I’ve gotten to run every single day. (Life is good). I laced up my purple shoes and grabbed the house key. I brought my iPod along, only to discover it was dead, so there’s that. I stood next to my magnolia tree that I always start at, and headed forward, itching to make the three miles before Mother Nature let her bottom fall out.
I think it was Lap Six of Nine. The wind was starting to pick up pretty good, but I wasn’t worried just yet. That’s when I saw it coming. It flew straight towards me, and, being in my running-mojo, there was nothing I could do. It slammed into my head. I briefly paused. OUCH! And then I just kept going. My head started throbbing immediately, and I was 98% sure it was bleeding a little, too. Reaching up to touch my scalp, I felt something wet and sticky, and when bringing my fingers before my face, I realized I was right. I’ve got to finish anyway.
A pine cone. A pine cone, carried by the ferocious wind, flew, almost as if on purpose, straight into my head. I really did start bleeding, FYI. But I’m okay. I finished the rest of my run regardless of the excruciating pain I was experiencing, and the rain barreled down on my head as soon as I started heading for the door, almost as if Mother Nature was apologizing. Sorry I threw a pine cone at you — I’ll wash it off!
My friends and family got a good kick out of the whole thing. Ha, ha.
Tbh, it is super funny. I can’t deny it. Read to the bottom of this post, and you’ll even see the included pictures of my busted head. You just can’t make this stuff up. In the middle of my race towards my destination, right smack dab during an incredible run towards my usual goal of three miles, I was temporarily knocked off course and mutilated. I briefly took my eyes off my original thought process, I’ve got to make it to the end!, and thought to myself instead, This really, really hurts.
Boy, does that sound like life, or what?!
So many times do I fix my eyes on the prize; I’ve got to survive this week. I’ve got to graduate nursing school. I’ve got to make it to that time in my life where I’m happily married with a big family. I’ve got to finish these three miles.
When suddenly, a theoretical pine cone slams into my hopes and dreams and leaves me spiraling into confusion, OUCH! This really, really hurts! We stop. We get off track. We briefly forget what we were doing in the first place because we are so focused on the pain we’re experiencing. “When will this end?” we ask God. “Why is this happening?” we whine. “Fix it!!” we demand.
Those He brings grief, He also shows compassion because of the greatness of His unfailing love.
Lamentations 3:32
Sometimes, life really does hurt. Trust me, been there, done that, got the t-shirt for it and the bloody scalp as proof. I whine and complain and lose sight of my path: my mission here on earth! I temporarily forget what I’m running towards: my Jesus! I stop and think about the pain I feel instead of letting God stitch up my head and shower His great, unfailing, compassionate love down on me. I like to sit in my pity. I don’t enjoy my hurt; I despise it. I can’t run another step towards finishing my miles; I’m in too much pain! I stop. I quit. I touch the blood oozing between my hair and I whine, Why is this happening?
Though He brings grief, He also showers compassion down on us like the never-ending rain of this week. He pours His great and unfailing love over us again and again. Let Me wash you off.
My advice? Let Him. Run in His grace and love towards your destination. Keep your eyes focused on our only prize and continue on the path He’s guiding you through. For He knows the plans He has for you, remember rhat promise? Plans to prosper you, not to harm you, as Jeremiah 29:11 states. Plans to give you a hope and a future. When you call to Him, when you come and pray, He says He will always listen.
Life may throw a million and sixty three pine cones at your face, but all you have to do is cry to the Maker of all things (even pesky pine cones) to come and clean you up. To steady your feet and send you on your way. To reach your destination in victory!
It’s up to you to take the first step. It’s up to you to keep going no matter what obstacle you might face. It’s up to you to run to Christ. He will take care of everything else.
With much love to my BloggerFam,
Allie
seekin' out the happiness in all life's crappiness 