Day 17-Perseverance

I distinctly remember the day I came home from high school and determined that I was going to West Point. I knew it would be an arduous and difficult path, requiring a great deal of hard work. The first step, aside from all the paperwork, academic requirements, exams and tests, was simple. Get into better shape. Sharpen my physical abilities. Increase my stamina. The best way to begin? Run.

So, I did. Every day.

I was never a natural runner. It was always difficult. And if I improved, I adjusted my goal. Run farther. Run faster. Run longer. It was never easy. Anyone who runs or has run should understand. The better you become, the more you push yourself. A race is as much about perseverance as it is about ability. It begins with a burst of energy, finding your stride, settling into a pace. But the middle can get rough. The middle is about finding the desire to continue putting one foot in front of the other. Staying on course. Persevering all the way until the end.

Maybe it's natural for some, but every run was work for me. The race to which Paul refers doesn't come naturally for me either. I woke this morning with no desire to make a "list," to offer thanks today. I just didn't want to do it. In the beginning this was easy. The first week the thanks-offerings flooded from my mouth and poured from my nimble and ready fingers. The middle, the middle is getting hard. It's not yet natural. Will it ever be? Maybe not. What then? Give up? The goal is to pursue thankfulness...so that God may be glorified and that I may become more Christ-like. Giving up is not an option.

And so I am reminded of Paul's words in Hebrews 12:1-3, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

When I consider what Jesus has done for me, how can I grow weary and lost heart? How can I not offer thanks?

401) the circus
402) the blessing of loving, adult siblings
403) the sound of my daughter singing Winnie the Pooh
404) the blessing of friends nearby for play-dates
405) the functional van heater on a cold, frosty day
406) the availability of quality dental care
407) the accessibility of information
408) the happy exchange of smiles
409) the salvaged tree house
410) the book, once lost, now found
411) the bubbly baby babbles
412) the baby bouncing
413) the sweet baby hiccups
414) the provision of adequate clothing
415) the flock of birds flying in graceful unison through the sky
416) the warm, red-plaid flannel sheets
417) the upside-down sunglasses on my daughter's smiling face
418) the tiny tufts of pigtails on her head
419) the organizational skills of my son
420) the invention of Play-Doh
421) the gift my husband has for explaining scientific phenomena
422) the hugs from my oldest son, who is almost up to my chin
423) the spices that season our food
424) the laughter from my children as they chase one another around the house
425) the voice of my husband, singing hymns to our children