Run...For All Of Us Women Who "Run" All Day

I remember the day quite clearly, December 10th, about a month ago...I had to dig out my beloved running shoes from the back of the closet, I knew they were in there somewhere, surely I hadn't thrown them away, had I? Or donated them to the Goodwill box, maybe sold them in a garage sale? Oh, there they were! Right under the stack of clothing on the floor still waiting to be hung up, right beside the "memory box." Yes, that's fitting, "real" running, you know the kind that's on the streets or trails, had become more of a "memory" to me of what once was, than a present reality of life today. Most of my current running, which I tenderly call "REAL" running, involves "mom type" of running, many of you reading this know just what I mean...

What most of us think of first is the inevitable form of "errand" running, you know, running to the store, running to the bank, running to the post office, running to the school, running to the doctor, running kids around to a sheer variety & assortment of activities, parties, & sporting events, running here, running there, running everywhere! Whew, I'm weary just thinking about it, and about what all I have to do later today.

Then there's the "clean up" form of running, running around the house from room to room, up the stairs, down the stairs, arms full of laundry, lugging a vast assortment of toys, books, & other items left out by 3 children back to its original intended place in each room, because as we all know & say frequently, "everything has a place," picking up, cleaning up, turning off running faucets left on by a child before there's a flood running out & onto the floor, running to get them on the "potty" before it's too late, running to clean up the spill or mud from off the floor, or to catch a lizard, or pick up a bug, or any other "foreign" object brought it from the outside or left on the carpet by an ill-fitting diaper.

And, let's not forget the most important form of mom style running, the "almost emergency" form of running, you know the kind that stops you mid sentence while talking to a friend - to run & grab the toy, lightsaber, or any other item that's about to crash over another child's head, running to stop them from going into the street, running to see what in the world all the fussing is about, running to give aid & comfort from a fall, a bonk on the head, a skinned knee, running to get them OFF of the counter, OUT of the pantry, OUT of the snacks, OFF of the top of the fence where they are now "stuck," & AWAY from any other possible disaster or impending doom, running to prevent any mass assortment of what could be an "almost" definite & real emergency situation. And, I might add, you know you're a REAL runner, when the running takes place while holding a hefty child under each arm! I've even seen a mom run holding 3! Now, that's a runner!

And of course there's thankfully the "leadership" form of running, which I think just makes our world a better place. I mean, wow, we women can RUN things, hormones & all, even when pregnant, even when worn out from being up with a sick child all night, or exhausted from spending hours of finishing up some project that our child had due the next day at school. We can run things smoothly, efficiently, like a well oiled machine! (Well, at least most days, O.K., so we all have a bad day here & there, but we still keep running!) We run our households with the vastness of all that usually entails, we run businesses or corporations, we run PTA groups, school functions, classrooms & entire schools themselves, we lead out in ministry, in bible studies, in community events, we run preschools, nurseries, day cares, Mother's Day Out programs (so that other moms can stop running for a few brief hours), we run for government or political office, we run to the aid of friends who are hurting, to neighbors who need some help - or a babysitter, we run a dinner by someone's house we know could really use it, or some hand-me-down kids clothes, or furniture, the list could go on & on...the point is this - we run, we run, we run!

Yes, running...it's in our blood as moms, as women...we indeed are the BEST runners in this world. So I decided to once again take advantage of this one thing I seemed to know so much about, I had decided to pick up "running" & hit the trails once again. I'd even toyed with the idea of doing a half marathon in the next month, just to keep me motivated, to give me a goal to shoot for.

I knew I needed to get back into shape, come on, how hard could it be??? I mean, I "had" been a runner, a novice runner at that, but had managed to run a few 5K's & at least 1 marathon in my previous years. And don't these 7 years of motherhood account for at least a few more marathons?! I figured it would all come back to me rather quickly, you know, kind of like riding a bike or skiing, you never really forget once you've learned. Well, that had been a few years ago, actually, QUITE a few years ago, of which I was very quickly reminded.

We set out, here's the picture...one out of shape mom, tugging along one little out of shape dog, pushing along a double running stroller, with 2 chunky little toddlers, who together totaled about 75 lbs of extra weight for my first day of running, WHEW! We were quite a sight I'm sure. Most of the first part of the work out was about getting Noah & Gracie to keep their hands in their side of the stroller, "no swiping snacks, you both have your own, that's Gracie's juice Noah, give it back now, Gracie, stop pushing Noah, let go of his hair right now, etc.., etc..." You get the picture right?
A little ways down the road, the real "pain" began...I was reminded of the one sore knee I had messed up while training for that marathon back years ago...whew, that pain is STILL there? Never did go to the doctor for that, guess I should have. I was surprised that I had "new" pains too, pains I had never known up to this point...my foot had never hurt before, now what is up with that? My leg & lower back muscles seemed to be resisting every urge that I now had to run them back into shape. Ouch, that's my foot, oh my aching back, ugh, my knee, what I mess I was!
I found myself huffing & puffing while not very far along, how could this be? I seemed to keep leaning on the stroller for support with every step. I had thought I was more in shape than this! I'd probably not even gone a mile!
Noah asked from his little comfy seat, "Mommy, why are you breathing like that?"
I answered him the best I could, while gasping for air, "Well, honey, Mommy's running & well, sometimes it's hard just to get going again, I'm just tired out, that's all."
He then simply asked, "Mommy, why don't you just stop running?"
GOOD QUESTION! GREAT QUESTION! Why didn't I think of that??? Why don't I just STOP running?
I was tempted right then to do just that, to stop. I didn't need anything else in life to wear me out, wear me down, come on, don't I have enough to do??? Do I really need to start putting some type of grueling work out schedule on top of my already busy kind of day???
But I knew I couldn't stop. I was determined. I knew I needed to get back into shape & I didn't want yet another day of starting out & quitting all in one day. Ever been there? There had been so many feeble attempts already where I'd said I was going to start some type of work out & then never followed through. But I did have good intentions, doesn't that count? Uh,No.
I said to Noah & Gracie, "Because I CAN'T stop running hon, I've got to keep going, even when it hurts, just a little bit longer."

I can't stop running...we can't stop, we moms must run...even when we're weary, even when it hurts, even when we'd rather be sitting around on the couch, watching some mindless show, eating chocolates or something that sounds much better than the sheer effort of running...moms - women - run...it's what we seem to do best. Your "mothering" may come in different forms, some of you are moms or soon to be moms, some are grandmas, some are wives, some are aunts, or sisters, some teachers, mentors, & leaders in the workplace, all of us are daughters, all of us are friends to many, all of us "mother" in one way or another.

So, to all of you "marathon moms" out there, to all of you women who "run" all day, you may not be receiving some great medal of honor to award you today for your tireless efforts of running miles for your family & children, but know, your reward is there, it's waiting for you. Sometimes our rewards come in little ways & they're almost immediate, like a big bear hug from a 3 yr. old, a "'tank' you mommy, I wuv you" from the mouth of a 2 yr. old, or a "mom, you make the best food I've ever had, yum!" from a 7 yr. old, as he gulps down his mac & cheese & PB&J, washing it down with a big glass of chocolate milk. But other times I think our efforts, work & years of feeling some moments of "pain" in the running of mothering, will come in the days ahead, when our children have children, when they come back & say, "wow, now I see how much you did for us mom, you're the greatest," or "O.K., now I get it, I understand why you had to say no," or when they want to bring their friends home to meet "mom," & when they actually want to hear your counsel & whatever "wisdom" you might have to share for any number of situations. And, of course most of all, as you & I both know, our BIGGEST reward is in heaven. Our biggest rewards are those we will probably never see while here on earth, they are yet to come. When God says to you something like, "I gave you the responsibility of raising these precious little ones, My children, and YOU'VE DONE IT WELL!"

Keep running moms, don't give up, don't lose heart, don't let the pain of today stop you...RUN!

"...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..." Hebrews 12:1-2