Train Anyway!

Cathy looked outside at storm clouds. It was early so she grabbed a cup of morning tea and some yogurt with nuts and berries. Over breakfast she thought about not going but decided that if our boys in Afghanistan and Iraq can handle the elements and the cops on the beat can weather the storm she can go for a little run. She laced up her Nike’s, pulled on a couple layers of clothes and opened the door. Today is a 7 mile jaunt. Bit its cold! Train anyway. It’s raining. Train anyway. It’s early. Train anyway. Just then a gust of wind came and blew down the Christmas decorations on the front porch. The Santa banner landed in the bushes, the poinsettia and garland was on the sidewalk and the lights came loose. Train anyway she thought. Some special forces guy is hiking up the side of a mountain in the snow. The rain started in earnest as Cathy ran southbound from the warmth of the house.

A mile into the run the winds picked up to gale force velocity. Cathy bore down and leaned into the invisible force of resistance. The rain was relentless stinging her face with needle like pricks, much from sticking your head out the car window at 50 MPH. A branch broke off a Maple tree blocking her path. She jumped to avoid a collision with the stronger object. Mile two should be an adventure. Rounding the corner and down the hill brought rain at biblical proportions. (Remember the 70’s song…It never rains in California, but girl let me warn you it pours, man it pours.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pyC7WnvLT4 Rare for SD in the southern part of the city a funnel cloud was caught on tape. I think it was a level F .3, didn’t even rate a one, but none the less rare for SD. Water flows down hill and Cathy found herself running in shin deep water at white water rapids speed. Mile three can only get better, maybe.

A small branch was torn loose from a tree by the Clews ranch horse stables on the 56 bike path. It exploded off of Cathy’s Von Zipper sun glasses (Yeah, I’m not sure why she was wearing sun glasses on a cloudy day). In slow motion she watched as her right lens flew through the air like a drunken flying saucer spinning in space. The run now became a sprint. The lens was worth $140. The small dark piece of glass landed in the white water rapids of rain run off floating toward the ocean. Chasing the glass like a cop in foot pursuit with a bank robber, she caught it a pinned it to the ground. She kept saying to herself if the Marines can do it so can I. An F-18A thundered overhead accelerating away from Naval Station Miramar where Top Gun was filmed, giving her a renewed strength and focus. She went on to finish the run, fighting the elements, learning a little bit more about self discipline along the way. It was cold, windy, wet and rainy but she trained anyway.

The Apostle Paul told young Timothy to “train for godliness.” What are the elements of training for godliness? Tim was told to set an example in “speech, life, love and faith and purity.” Thinking through the scriptures I can think of several example of this training process. I will miss some elements and feel free to add them, but consider working these into a robust training routine for godliness. Scripture reading and memorization, prayer and meditation, fasting and self denial, sacrifice for others through giving and serving others. (I timothy 4)

I realize its tough and each of us falls off of the bandwagon. We start and stop our training programs, physical and spiritual. The elements prevent us from being committed to training. Work, life and laziness get in the way of improvement. But training for godliness has “value in all things.” Train anyway. In order to see improvement part of the training process demands consistency, discipline, growth and pushing yourself harder and harder to achieve the next level.

I am committing the 7-8PM time frame for godliness training. There is not much on the tube and bejeweled can wait. If done by 8 I won’t miss American Idol which starts the new season in January. It might be cold but let’s train anyway!