The Race of Life

There’s this race that we all run.  And we start out even, toeing the same old line everyone else stands behind.  On the day of our birth, the pistol fires, and we run.  At the beginning, the race is easy.  We are oblivious to finish lines, and who is going faster than who, and what obstacles might lie ahead.  We just run.  We think it will always be this way – an easy gait, an able body.  But the race goes on, and the sun begins to set on that day, that season.  The darkness sets in.  Obstacles we didn’t know we would face, and roads riddled with trial all in the black of night.  We search for the Light, hoping, praying, clinging to Him, begging to be delivered from the darkness and struggle.  And He does, but not in the way we imagined…..

On Friday, I will be joining 11 other team members and we will start running from Madison, WI at 7:30am, running all day, all night, and most of the day Saturday to finish in Chicago, IL.  My first section will be easy – enjoying the race, the sights, the event.  The difficulty might come in the black of night – running with headlamps, trying to find my way on roads and trails I have never traveled.  I wonder if I will get lost, if it will be cold, if I will be running alone, or if others will be on that part of the trail with me.  I hadn’t really thought about the darkness when I signed up for the race……

I think about this today, as I pack for the race.  I think about how she couldn’t have known this journey was ahead of her in life when she started her race. How she didn’t see that the darkness would set in, and she would be challenged to the core.

I remember how strong she was when she spoke about her beautiful baby boy on the day they laid him to rest.  I remember how she celebrated the 7 months she was given, how she chose to accept the gift of his life, even though she only held him for such a short time.  I remember how I came home from the service, acutely aware of the brevity of life, and the many unknowns – grasping at a way to slow the seconds.

And so we slow the seconds as best we can, and find a way to celebrate this little one’s life by investing in others.   Why are we running?  To help other families working through and suffering with epilepsy.  To help find treatments and cures and ways to love each other through those dark times.  To help others focus on the true Light in the midst of their trials, and to hold on to Him.

I know Mathias’ family would love for you to join them in the race for a cure.  Please consider a donation on behalf of Mathias, HERE.

 

“Your test will become your test-imony, your mess will become your mess-age.” ~Max Lucado

 

May we bring glory to the One who created us, and calls us His own.

 

Love in Christ,

Karen