Dreaming Big
I am a dreamer, a list maker and a goal setter.
It is not always a positive trait, just ask my sister (aka my business partner) or my husband (the finance of most of my dreams).
I just feel like I accomplish more when I have a goal in mind. And often I am thinking about the “what next” before I have completed the “right now”.
Often at this season of the year I am crazy busy with my kids and finishing up their school year so I don’t have a lot of time for dreaming and scheming. BUT, in the present state of quiet. . .I have a whole lot of quiet time for dreaming.
Throughout my adult life on numerous different occasions I have had the goal of being a runner. I was a track athlete in high school and a little in college and I have always wanted to love to run. I however, do not love to run, so, in order to be a runner I always have to have something I am training for to keep me lacing up my tennis shoes and running.
This winter I started training for a 15k. The running was actually easier than I thought it would be most days and I was feeling like I was really on track to run this race. Then Covid-19 hit, the race got cancelled, the gym was closed and South Dakota weather was less than favorable.
I was still running, but not following my original training plan. The farthest run I have done so far is 7 miles. Today I thought maybe I would try to go a little farther. Maybe even the whole 9.3 miles. It is a beautiful day to run.
So I started my run, blaring my worship music in my ears, I was mentally preparing myself for a long run. My body had a different idea. My knees were aching before I got out of my driveway. But, I kept running. I often run by my dad’s grave, it gives me a little motivation to keep moving. I spend a lot of time in prayer during my runs, asking God to make my feet light and carry me when I want to quit.
Oh I doubted that I could get through my run today, but no matter how far I run, my goal is always not to walk until my feet hit my driveway, so I kept running. I did not make it 9.3 miles today. I did make it 4.4 miles, which is still a lot farther than my mind told me I could go.
But, to be honest, I wasn’t ready to run much more than that. My training has not kept me on track to run 9.3 miles, even though I really wanted to do it.
Sometimes, my goals are a little out of my reach. However, I know that I can do it, and I will do it, when I am ready. The saying “Dreams don’t work unless you do”, rang true today. I am hopeful that our South Dakota weather will allow me to keep training until I meet my goal.
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
So for today, I am just going to keep on dreaming, setting bigger goals and keep my eye on the ultimate prize.
