No Fear In Limitations

My house is a true test of my patience. As I was walking to the bus stop this morning I noticed the antenna on the roof is tangled in the tree branches that sway above the house. Now I know what has been making the creaking sounds all through the night. As I continued walking I thought to myself, "It's always something." The lawn needs a small miracle, the driveway needs a complete overhaul and don't even get me started on the interior decorating issue. The list goes on and on. My little gingerbread house is a constant work in progress. As much as it has the potential to frustrate me I decided to take a positive approach. I have always believed that if you're going to have something valuable then it's worth working for.

I learned a valuable lesson over the weekend while participating in the River Bank Run. I finished the 5K feeling strong and excited! After making my rounds through the snack tents (oooh the snacks!) and meeting up with friends I spent some time watching the 25Kers come in. I found myself getting so excited for them because of how close they were to the finish. Without knowing the course, most of the runners aren't aware of how far away or close the finish line is. From where I was, and being familiar with the route, I knew how close they were which compelled me to cheer them on even more. There is always a point in the race where you think about stopping; when your muscles are fatigued and your body craves more oxygen. The amazing thing that can happen is the overpowering of the mind over your condition. Observing the runners made me realize that so often in life we are so close to what we strive for. Whether it's leaving behind a bad habit, coming into a new level of maturity or gaining a new perspective on life; our desires are within our reach if we just keep going. Like the runners we may not see the finish and may be completely unfamiliar with the course life has us on but often times we are just a few steps away from reaching a very monumental goal. The key is to keep moving forward.

I think about all the small projects involved with my home improvements. It will only seem overwhelming if I let it. All I keep saying to myself is, "One step at a time." One task. One project. One step. This reality correlates with many other areas in my life as well. When I think about everything at once I get overwhelmed, fear sets in and I go into "vegetable mode"; lay like lettuce, chill like broccoli. Basically nothing gets done. But when I talk to God about it and make him a part of it it begins to break down into smaller steps. Fear is eliminated and things that were far away now become closer in view.

As it turns out my house is teaching me more and more each day. It will get where I want it to be in time. I just have to keep the visual of the finish line in the front of my mind and remember that I am so close.