The Last Lap

Its six o'clock in the morning. The air is still misty from the morning dew. I get in my car, put on K-love ,the windshield wipers and head to my sister's house to do my morning laps. It's already a balmy 78 degrees out. As I pull into her driveway, I know it won't be long before the morning sun burns through the film in the air. It's going to be a hot one today! I grab my water, put on my earbuds and get steppin'! Around I go, praying and walking, praying and walking. I pray for my family and friends. I pray for our country and our President. Lastly, I pray for myself. "Lord keep me faithful in times of testing." It has been my prayer for a while now. You see I'm a little like Gideon from the Bible. (Judges 6-8) In that I feel like the weakest in my clan. But I pray to learn endurance.

It has always been hard for me to endure in activities outside of work. I am ashamed to confess, even activities for the Lord! I do struggle with health issues from time to time, but so do a lot of people that work with Gates of Hope. I'm thinking about all this as I make lap two!

Roxanne comes with an oxygen tank in tow! Imagine if Priscilla , Sherry or Faith didn't "feel" like working on a given day. People would not have food! So they toil on day after day, picking up donations, sorting them out and packaging food to give away. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make this ministry possible. I am humbled by their commitment and faithfulness to it.

Sweat is now dripping from my brow into my eyes. I don't like sweat. It stings. as I wipe it away. Lap three is in progress. As I near the end of that lap I see I am almost at another cul de sac. My feet are hurting from Fibromyalgia. Do I by pass it and go to my car and call it a day? "No" the Lord whispers to my heart. "Do the last lap. You must learn to endure." Okay Lord, I reply as I head down that cul de sac and back. Here we go, lap four is on the horizon!