The Next Race

This past Sunday, Liz and I competed in a 10K race in Bogota. Nike scheduled in many major cities a 10K race that would start at the same time and have over half a million people running. As a part of Liz's October birthday, I arranged for us to race, figuring that we had plenty of enough time to prepare. Liz ran this race last year, and I haven't ran competively for three years.

Nevertheless, we ran and enjoyed ourselves. It was truly amazing to see so many people running, walking, wheel-chairing (is that even a word?), and cheering. We met people from our church there as well as from our school. We talked with friends and met new people. It was a joyous occasion.

But, there was one thing that Liz and I both commented on after the race...how much fun it was to be with friends. This got us thinking about our friends back home whom we ran with and shared times with daily. We started thinking about our friends here, some will leave after this year and others will stay. In this big race, we were able to see the beauty of God and how we are all connected to each other in some way or another. We are a part of His plan, and that made us smile.

So today I write. My muscles ache as I walk up the mountain to my classroom. My wife wants to get out there and do it again, but this time faster. And, we both smile as we see a small part of God's grandeur.

Or, maybe I am on an Andes mountain high, or runner's high. Nevertheless, God is good.