From my Blog Post, February 21, 2012:
February
1 at 1:57 p.m. I received a text from my sister's husband, Ed. It read
"Boston Marathon--interested?? :)". Thinking he was yanking my chain,
knowing that I could never qualify, I played along. Back and forth for
awhile before I discovered he was serious. He could get me in the
Boston Marathon! If you didn't know the Boston Marathon is the world's
oldest marathon which started in 1897 with over 26,000 registered
participants last year. The fastest marathon time EVER was run at
Boston by a Kenyan (no surprise) in 2:03:02. You have to qualify to run
this race. For my gender and age I would have to have done a
qualifying race of 3:50. Ha! In my dreams. I did the marathon portion
of the IM in 6:30. I know, i know, I had to swim and bike before but
even alone, I can't do faster than 11 min miles. That's still a 5 hour
marathon. Put it this way, there is NO WAY I could ever qualify to run
Boston. So how did I get in? Jesus of course. Apparently my
brother-in-law was talking to a guy who had "connections". The marathon
reserves about 5,000 charity, sponsors, vendors etc. spots. I guess
that's how I got in. But honestly, I will tell you it was Jesus. Here
was my brother-in-law in Indiana (he lives in Atlanta) talking to a guy
that lives in Connecticut about me, his sister-in-law that just did IM
Florida and he asks if I would be interested in running Boston. How
does that happen? You guessed it...JESUS! ..... This was a chance
of a lifetime. It all clicked when I went to the post office to get the
application that was sent overnight. I'm standing there in the post
office, ripping it open when I noticed on the front it says
"Invitational Entry". I heard God say "You have been invited". I began
to cry. Remembering 1 Peter 2:9 "...you are a chosen people, a royal
priesthood...God's special possession...that you may declare the praises
of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" This
was a blessing from God.
From my Blog Post, April 19, 2012:
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'? ..... "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
With the recent bombing at the Boston Marathon last Monday and time to reflect, I am led back to just one year earlier. As I watched the news reports last night, the trauma, loss of life, and tragic memories of that day, God spoke to my heart. He reminded me of the "invitation" He gave me for last years' race. Looking back, I remember the temperature. Yes, the temperature. It was 90 plus degrees on race day which is unseasonably hot for that time of year. They were allowing anyone who chose, to defer their race entry to next year (this year) as a safety precaution. I remember considering that offer. Thinking, it's hot, I am not fully recovered from IronMan, my heel really hurts, maybe next year would be a better option. But then I remembered...I was invited. Even months following the race, I would ask God "What was Boston all about"? Maybe now it makes sense. I almost missed the gift. The blessing God was giving me I almost postponed. He invited me to run Boston in 2012 not 2013. What if I would've deferred my spot for 2013? No matter what my finish time would have been it still would have been tragic. The Boston Marathon of 2013 was tragic for everyone. Spectators, runners, those that got their PR, and those who were not able to finish. I almost not only missed the blessing but would have been a part of a tragedy by postponing it. So...my question to myself and one for all of us to consider "What invitation from God have we rejected? or postponed?"
Just this morning I woke up 15 minutes before my alarm clock. God invited me to spend time with him and I fell back to sleep. I missed the invitation to spend time with my Savior. How about you? Have you heard His invitation for eternal life? You have been invited. Have you accepted that invitation or postponed it? If you have accepted His invitation and you belong to Him, have you accepted His invitation for a relationship with Him. Or, like me this morning, have fallen back to sleep.
The last memory I have of my husband here on Earth is when he left the house on his way to work. He would not make it to his station that morning because he was hit and killed by a drunk driver. I can still see him in my mind, my last image of him. Standing in the doorway of our bathroom with his helmet on, he held the door open slightly, the light shinning into our dark bedroom. He said "Honey, are you awake?" He didn't want me to miss my morning run. The biggest question still stands. God is saying "Honey, are you awake? I have invited you to heaven. Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). He wants to be in relationship with us. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. (Romans 5:11)
In a dark time for Boston, for our Nation, remember You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one
who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4).
Don't miss the invitation
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