Meaningful Misery ... Purposeful Pain

There I was ... wading out into a murky lake, on a chilly morning in the foothills of Virginia ... with 174 of my favorite friends, and I thought to myself ... this is it people, this is what we trained for. Soon I and my friends would begin to swim in the murky lake, some faster than others, all in the same direction, all with the same purpose - to finish the race. After the 3/4 mile swim we would head up a hill to where our mountain bikes awaited us, ready for the 11 mile ride through tight twisty trails. All this fun would be followed up by a 4 mile trail run, and then ... the finish. All who choose to enter such misery must understand the meaning ... the sweet purpose of pain. That day was a physical picture of a spiritual reality ... we are in a race, there is pain involved, but there is purpose in the pain (more on this, in part 2, coming soon). This is a strange paradigm to embrace in our convenience driven culture, but it was embraced that day ... by 175 crazy people who ran the Charlottesville Xterra Triathlon. Many of whom probably didn't realize the depth of the spiritual picture they were painting with their looks of exhaustion, stumbling steps, broken breaths ... as they pressed through the pain ... with one purpose - to finish the race.

Two of those 174 people were men I have history with ... fellow race buddies, Spencer and Andruis (respectively below). We've done an adventure race together, and now a triathlon, and we've really developed a cool bond in the context of purposeful pain. (note: in picture below, Andruis is taller than both me and Spencer ... but we're standing on my running boards ... I always seem to find my way onto some sort of step when I'm around tall people)

Andruis lives in Washington D.C. and is working on his PhD in biocellulochemicalogiconucleic theory (or something like that). Spencer lives next to us in Wake Forest with his wife Jana, who is friends with my sweet Joanna. They are great. For Andruis and Spencer this was their first triathlon; the second for me (so I shared my wealth of knowledge given my vast prior experience). It was a day we won't soon forget ... and we're already looking forward to the next one.

Here are some of the interesting highlights from the experience:

* Picked up two hitchhikers, one out of gas, one just walking b/c he got his license temporarily taken away ... he told us all about it ... he talked a mile a minute.
* Stayed at a tent camping site at the KOA; this was a first for each of us. Question - how can they charge us 34 dollars for that?! We brought the tent! No wake up call, no continental breakfast, no way that's worth 34 bucks. Anyway ... oh, yea, there was a picnic table at the site, it makes sense now. But, really, I'm not complaining ... it was fun to camp out ... besides, that led to my next highlight, though I feel strange calling it a highlight ...
* We met this nice couple at the site next to us. They were unmarried, but on vacation together, which broke my heart because I know that's not God's plan for a relationship between a man and a woman. But we enjoyed talking with them, shared our beliefs and visions for serving God and hopefully demonstrated that Christians don't have to be boring, stiff weirdos. But after we had left their site and were winding down getting ready for bed I noticed that they too were getting in their tent. I noticed this b/c they had a lantern on ... inside the tent ... casting a silhouette on the side of the tent ... the side near us. So, I'm thinking ... these are educated people, both with college degrees ... they'll turn the light off. Time passed, I got more nervous, light still on. Looked like fairly normal get-ready-for-bed type stuff at first, ya know, fluff the pillow, set the alarm clock ... then the movements became more rhythmic ... I'll stop now. But I did make a mental note to self if I ever find myself in their situation ... turn the lantern off.
* Spencer's financial issues ... background: The first time we hung out w/ Spencer and Jana we went to Golden Corral to eat ... and Spencer "forgot his wallet" ... convenient. So we get to the race registration table Saturday afternoon (race was Sunday morning) and they inform him that he can't pay w/ a debit card til the morning ... back in the morning ... misunderstanding - can't pay w/ a debit card at all, and the race starts in like 45 minutes. None of us has a check or enough cash ... I end up explaining to the race director and promising to go to an ATM and bring the money back right after the race. Spencer raced. Thank you race director Ed.
* Ya have to have fun at these things ... so as I neared the Gatorade station w/ the volunteers I thought a cartwheel was in order ... it must get so boring just to watch everyone run by ... the camera man happened to catch the beginning of it ... it was a big hit. (I kept the picture pretty small b/c I have spandex on and ... yea, anyway)

It was a great experience, one that I look forward to having again before too long. Because there's nothing like the feeling of finishing the race.

The Lord Is With You Mighty Warrior …

Right, that’s how I feel when I wake up in the morning … like a mighty warrior, ready for anything, with the strength to overcome … no, not really. Most days I wake up just feeling like me … and I know me … not a mighty warrior … more like a wimpy wiener. (can I say that?) But, regardless of how I feel, there’s more to me than me … there’s He … Him … the Lord who is with me. Let’s not forget the first part of that charge: “the Lord is with you.” The “mighty warrior” part only makes sense when combined with the “the Lord is with you” part.

So where does this fancy phrase come from? This was spoken to a young man named Gideon several thousand years ago. Gideon was an Israelite living in a time when his nation was under the oppression of another nation, the Midianites. The Midianites would come in to Israelite territory, ruin crops, steal camels, and ravage the land. And even though the Lord allowed this because the Israelites turned from Him, when they called out for deliverance, their God answered. He answered by calling a young man to wage war against the Midianites … enter Gideon. Now, you’re probably thinking, “wow, this Gideon must have been some B.A.” (and I’m not talking about his academic credentials) That’s not how we find him … the record of this encounter (found in the Old Testament of the Bible, Judges 6) tells us that Gideon was hiding out in a winepress trying to keep his wheat from being stolen by the enemy … doesn’t exactly sound brave. But it was in that context that the Lord himself came to Gideon and declared him to be a mighty warrior. I call it truth before proof. God tells Gideon what is true about him, before there is any proof that it is so. And Gideon responds in total faith, accepts his new identity and is ready to wage war … no, not really. Gideon says “but …” Why does it always seem easier to question God than believe Him? Then God throws in some more truth: “go in the strength you have.” “What strength?” says Gideon, “my family is weak and I’m weak.” Then God reemphasizes the very first thing He said to Gideon … “I will be with you.” And that makes all the difference.

Gideon spent too much time focusing on his puniness rather than on God’s presence. I spend too much time there as well. I have to understand that what God has declared to be true about me is true, regardless of how I feel. Gideon went on to lead an army of 300 against thousands and was victorious without losing a man. A mighty warrior … who was found hiding food from the enemy and was used by God to bring victory for His people. How ya feelin today? Doesn’t matter … go in the strength that you have, for the Lord is with you … Mighty Warrior.

Dedicated to my brother Matthew … a Mighty Warrior.