We woke this morning to another cloudy, drizzly day. It is supposed to be drying out around here, but that prediction has proven to be inaccurate for several days in a row now. I noticed on the Weather Channel App on my phone that tomorrow, previously hailed as a sunny day to be, is now predicted to be partly sunny. That means in reality it will be all clouds.
This morning we picked up Terry, a friend of ours, from Riverside Nursing Home to take him to church with us. We are still traveling our less than favorite route to the Carroll County Church because of some bridge and road work on the favorite route, which we like more because of the sheep and wildlife we often see travelling that way.
We did, however, see three deer cross the road in front of us on the way to church this morning. That was nice. Not only that, but the Bradford pears have started beautifully blooming. And along the way, Penny blurted out, "Those yellow flowers have bloomed since last week." Spring is here, and just like driving up to a burger joint pick up window, we want fries with that, we want our sun to go with the rest of spring.
Once at church, we had another treat. At Centerville Baptist, Sunday School is held in the fellowship hall, a slab-on-grade attached to the back of the wood frame sanctuary. All present quickly detected a strong odor of natural gas, so Gerald turned off the heater and opened the back door giving us an earful of God speaking softly through his ubiquitous radio. A mockingbird and jay were in a duet, or duel. for who could sing the sweetest. I think the mockingbird was the most melodious, but the jaybird was nice in his simplicity of sound.
During the class, Sheila, our teacher, asked,"What kind of power impresses you?" The lesson was from Mark 4, the chapter about Jesus asleep in the back of the boat in the Sea of Galilee when the storm arises that threatens to destroy them. You know the story, right? If not, read it for yourself.
Sister Beth, the pastors wife, responded to the query with her fascination of storms, how thunderstorms and tornadoes are awesome in their power and beauty. I get it. They impress me also. I didn't answer, not out loud, but for me it has always been endurance. OK, endurance does not equal power but close enough.
As long as I can remember, endurance has struck me as an admirable trait. Besides athletic endurance, longevity in all walks of life is something I esteem. People who stay married a long time, who work the same job for decades, who prodigiously produce literature or paintings or whatever.
Back to the text. A boat on the Sea of Galilee was the area of expertise for several of Jesus' disciples. They were fishermen by profession and the Sea of Galilee was their office. They knew how to handle a boat. This was not their first storm. In my mind's eye, I see them, smug in their self-confidence, as Jesus settles in for a nap. We can handle this, they may have said to themselves. But they couldn't, not in their hard won skill and experience. Jesus response, when awakened, was that they should have handled it by their faith.
After bragging in my own mind-- sometime back-- about the fact that I knew exactly how to train for and complete a marathon swim, specifically the Chicot Challenge, I have been swarmed with issues of weather, a hot Endless Pool, an aching hand, closed pools, missed workouts, a troubling shoulder, a painful wrist, and self doubts. It is past time to go to the back of the boat and wake Jesus.
Actually, I did that already. You can help. Pray for and with me.
Things are looking up, since my return to humility at the back of the boat. The shoulder is better, the water is warming, and I am praying daily, taking nothing for granted, not anymore. No Jesus sleeping in the back of the boat. I need Him. I need Him awake. I need Him rebuking the winds.
Last week with Jesus awake, I
swam 14,953 meters,
ran 18.2 miles,
lifted weights one time, and
walked 5.59 miles.
Not a banner week, but not a bad one either. Now the real training begins. Stay in the boat, Jesus. Don't go to sleep. I need you every day.
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