Did I just finish the Boston Marathon?!

Monday, April 16, 2012, a day known as Patriot's Day in Boston, I find myself walking to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast at 5:00 a.m.  What's so special about today?  Why does it feel "not quite right"? I hear the crinkling of a paper number pinned to my jersey and try to grasp the reality that I am running the Boston Marathon today.  With a half eaten veggie flat bread sandwich I board one of the shuttle buses to Hopkinton, 26 plus miles outside of downtown Boston.  Arriving at "Athlete's Village" I look around to see approximately 27,000 of the fittest people in the world!  I have about two hours before I need to be at the start line and I wonder "what am I doing here'?  I look around trying to find someone that I can relate to.  Someone who is just a high school PE teacher, a mommy that loves Jesus and is in a place where she doesn't belong and doesn't deserve to be.  I don't see any.  All I see is lean, super fit, focused athletes,  excited to push their bodies beyond their limits and PR at the most amazing marathon in the county.  As I walk the mile to the start line, I listen to the nervous chatter.  Then I see it!  The start line...game face on...let's go.  Through the streets, up hills, down hills, sometimes I forget to look to the side and see the beautiful houses, but I never miss the eyes of the children.  Can you imagine as a child growing up and knowing once a year you see the top runners in the world run down the same street in front of your house that you play baseball and ride your bike?  Here, today and today only, you get to squirt them with water, hand them an orange or offer them a popsicle.  "God, please, set in the heart of each of those children to strive for something bigger than themselves", I pray.  "Inspire them to never settle for mediocrity and always believe that with God all things are possible." 

Mile 16, the reality hit that I was not gonna finish under 6 hours as I wanted and trained for.  The heat was unbearable, my body was not going to take nutrition joyfully and I felt the exhaustion of the 90 degree heat and beating of the sun as it blasted overhead.  Even this Florida girl with all of her training in similar conditions was not able to overcome the elements.  With a quick call to Avery, I told her I'd make it eventually, but I'd have to walk the last ten miles or an ambulance would be transporting me there instead.  Harder than IronMan?  Yep, it was.  "Lord, why all of this?  I know there is something in here you want me to see, learn or share.  I'm listening".   My prayer was that I didn't want to miss it.  Given the gift to do this marathon was just that, a gift.  I didn't earn it.  I didn't qualify like 20,000 plus runners did that day.  I didn't even raise money for charities like the other 5,000 runners did to "earn" a spot.  I was given an invitation. 

That's it!  I heard the still, quiet, voice of my loving Father and Savior.  "Tina, my precious, beautiful daughter.  You didn't earn the right to be here.  You don't qualify.  But I chose you.  Just like you didn't earn a place in my Kingdom.  You don't have the right to come to heaven, you don't qualify because you are a sinner.  You are not perfect but I chose you. "  Thank you Jesus, for your sacrifice for me.  Thank you for blessing me with things in this life and in the next that I don't deserve at all because...all because you chose me.  It is Your love that covers a multitude of sins.  Your love that NEVER fails. 

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  1 Peter 4:7-8

I did finish the Boston Marathon that day.  6:38:57 was my finishing time.  Miles 20-25 I had the joy of sharing with Avery.  She jumped into the race and ran/walked with me.  Then that IronMan zone, focus to finish and power of the Holy Spirit kept me running ahead of her as I finished running through downtown Boston.  Just you and me Jesus....it's always just You and me.  The last mile, I ran with hands raised in honor of my God.  It is He who gives me the strength under any and all circumstances to be victorious.  Because He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world.  We did it Jesus!  We did it again :)