30 Days of Thankful

Isn’t it funny how we forget?  Isn’t it funny how we take things for granted?

This morning I went for a run.  It was bad from the get go.  I’ve been struggling with possible exercise induced asthma among other things.  But I’ve been pushing through.  I know if I let one thing stop me I’ll just stop completely.

So, this morning I headed out for a quick 3 mile run.  My heart was ready to knock it out and PR it this morning.  My body was not.

Right off the bat my body was not cooperating.  I don’t know if it’s still tired from Saturday’s run of a little over 10 miles, or what.  But from the start my legs were heavy and sore.  I kept going.  I reasoned it was just a quick 3 miles.

About 2 minutes in (yes 2 freaking minutes) I started wheezing.  UGH!  I reasoned I would just do 3/1 intervals, but still make it work….

About a mile in my left knee started to hurt a little.  I thought ok maybe I’ll just run home and not do intervals for the way home….  It will still be 1 1/2 ish…

Then my hip flexor started to hurt, so I continued the intervals….  I cut the run short and headed home with intervals.  I was a little frustrated, especially after my high on Saturday of such a great run, but tried to remind myself that a bad run makes the good runs that much sweeter….  But seriously, 1.75 miles in 25 minutes!!!  SHEESH!  When I was starting out running this was great, but I’M TRAINING FOR A 1/2 MARATHON IN LESS THAN A MONTH!!!! 

So, I hobbled home trying not to feel too sorry for myself…..

Sat at the computer with a nice cup of coffee and some oatmeal….

November is a month that often people say something they’re thankful for every day…  I’ve been doing it this month, so I was thinking of some things I could post about it….

I was reading another page called Running 4 HIM and she was talking about God’s healing power….  And it hit me…..

I RAN 1.75 MILES TODAY.

I’M TRAINING FOR MY SECOND 1/2 MARATHON.

I RAN ALMOST 20 MILES LAST WEEK.

Why is this such a big deal?  Because, that handicap placard at the top of the post is mine.  From 2006.  I was diagnosed in 1986 with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.  By the time 2006 rolled around I was in bad shape.  I was barely able to walk, I was on several medications, including some used for chemotherapy, and my doctor had recently told me that I better get prepared because the medication treatments were failing and I’d be in a wheelchair within the year.

But God…

But God…

Here’s what I wrote in July of 2006:

“I have always believed that healings happen, but that I am not worthy and there are others who need to be healed more than myself. I have always had a very hard time praying for myself. Well, you know that my Rheumatoid Arthritis has been progressing significantly lately. I have been in an incredible amount of pain and have had to go through a round of steroids just to get by. I have been taking 3 800 mg Ibuprofen every single day in addition to the supplements that I take from Melaleuca. This is barely taking the edge off, and on more than one occasion I have had to hang that annoying handicap placard to go into the store. I have not been able to fully close my hands in at least 3 months. My ankles catch and I have a hard time walking. I was sitting in church the other day and my pastor felt led to talk about healing and the story he chose that day (a day in which I was in an incredible amount of pain and feeling particularly defeated) was the story of how his wife had been healed from Acute Rheumatoid Arthritis. She was wheelchair bound. And after she had been healed her doctor who was not a Christian told her that her God had healed her. When it was time for the peace he came over to me and asked if I was ok. I told him I had Rheumatoid Arthritis and was in a lot of pain. During announcements he told us that they had decided to have a healing service. (Episcopalians don't do this often). He encouraged me to come.
So, over the next few weeks my pain continued to build. My friend Michelle said she thought it was so that I would know when I had been healed. I began receiving emails from people about healings that had taken place. Weird, because this hadn't happened before. Everything was pointing to the healing service. Fr. Desmond called the prayer teams to the altar. There were probably 15 or so teams that went up there. I didn't recognize most of them. Then he called those of us who wished to be healed to the altar. I got in line and followed everyone up there. Imagine how I felt when the person I ended up standing in front of was Fr. Desmond's wife! I told her what to pray for (we haven't met before) and she began to cry. We prayed and I felt a hand on my back. It was my oldest son laying hands on me and praying for me. (I have not taught him to do this, in fact I instructed him to stay in the pew, he was led by the Lord to do so). I went back to my pew and prayed for others I knew who were in need of healing and prayed in Thanksgiving for whatever was God's will for my life. Then the congregation prayed together. As I knelt there I literally felt warmth around my hands. I can't describe it, but it was literally hot around my hands and knuckles.
The next two days I slept a LOT. I am usually up around 6am every day. I didn't get up until about 8 and took a nap both days from 2-4! Guess what?! I have not taken ANY pain medication at ALL since Wednesday. My left ankle has had a catch a couple of times, but my hands have no pain. Where my index finger knuckle was so tender the last time I went to the doctor that he wanted to give me a cortisone shot there is no tenderness. And... I can completely close my hands!! I mowed the grass Friday night and I felt fine afterward. Last time I mowed the grass I was in such pain by the end of it I literally cried for an hour and could barely walk for several days afterward.”

So, today I had a bad run.  OH WELL!!!  Praise God that I was out there running! 

How quickly we forget how blessed we are….

Oh, and my month of thankful…..  It really reminds you of what’s important…  You know I’m on day 27 and I have yet to be thankful for any ITEM I have?  It’s all about relationship…..  Remember that

This just makes my RUN STREAK that much more important to me