Thanksgiving Run
Out of all the days to wake up depressed and upset Thanksgiving is not the day. I don't know maybe this is just a weakness of mine, but I feel Satan's temptations so acutely. Sometimes I would like to kick him, the big bully.
Anyway, I wasn't feeling too good this morning, so I decided to run. Best decision ever. I am so thankful for St. George weather and landscape. I just love St. George! While I was running I was trying to stomp out the negativism that Satan was trying to shove in my head. One of my favorite things about running is that it gives me a chance to get in a rhythm of breathing and stepping. That's when my thoughts flow easier. While I was getting myself in this rhythm I was reflecting on what the Lord taught me my first time training for the Half. There is a 4 mile run, we call it Dutchman's, that you run up Dutchman's hill, past Santa Clara Park, down Little League hill, and up Lava Cove drive. This street inclines slightly the whole way and at the end there is a small hill. One day two years ago I was running up that little hill feeling the burn and I could just feel the Lord cheering me on. I could hear him yelling my name telling me that I could do it. At that moment I knew that he was my greatest cheerleader. He wanted me to finish my training and run this Half. As I thought about that today I realized that the Lord isn't just my cheerleader in running or exercise He is my cheerleader in life. He is always there on the sidelines cheering me on and when I feel the burn and want to give up, he yells my name and cheers louder.
Today I ran a 4 mile route. I just went from my house up to Snow Canyon Parkway on the trail. This run is a there-and-back. So the whole time I was running to the box that marks the middle of the run, I was trying to stay positive and motivated. The whole time I felt encouragement from the Lord. When I got to the box I stretched and caught my breath and then started on my way back. I looked up, saw the sun, and felt so much love. I felt good running and felt good about my life. The trail I was running had landscape around it on both sides. As I looked ahead I thought of the straight and narrow path and how Satan is real. He is all along this straight and narrow path shouting at us and finding every way to bring us down. At this point a thought came to me, "Get your life in order." This hit me really hard. Earlier this week I was looking through my phone at the notes I had taken from the different devotionals I have attended this year and I found a scripture reference and by it I had written "give this some thought." The scripture is D&C 88:119.
I found this so applicable. Not only in what I am dealing with right now, but also in my quest to stay healthy. This amazing body that God has given to me is the house of my spirit. As I take care of these things for my spirit I will be so much healthier. After I thought about this, I thought about how God is so patient. He knows exactly how to handle me with all of my weaknesses and temptations. He spent the first half of my run building me up, trying to show me my potential and then once I was able to feel his love, he told me what to do and sent the spirit to burn within me, motivating me to do it! He is the master artist; taking raw materials and shaping them into a masterpiece. This is manifested to me in so many ways. On my phone I have an app that displays new quotes every few days. There has been some quotes from prophets and apostles on there, but it isn't an LDS app. It is pretty sweet. Anyway, I loved the quote that popped up this week.
I am thankful for an all-knowing, patient, merciful, and loving God.
I am thankful for running.
I am thankful for my body; my house.
I am thankful for my health.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Anyway, I wasn't feeling too good this morning, so I decided to run. Best decision ever. I am so thankful for St. George weather and landscape. I just love St. George! While I was running I was trying to stomp out the negativism that Satan was trying to shove in my head. One of my favorite things about running is that it gives me a chance to get in a rhythm of breathing and stepping. That's when my thoughts flow easier. While I was getting myself in this rhythm I was reflecting on what the Lord taught me my first time training for the Half. There is a 4 mile run, we call it Dutchman's, that you run up Dutchman's hill, past Santa Clara Park, down Little League hill, and up Lava Cove drive. This street inclines slightly the whole way and at the end there is a small hill. One day two years ago I was running up that little hill feeling the burn and I could just feel the Lord cheering me on. I could hear him yelling my name telling me that I could do it. At that moment I knew that he was my greatest cheerleader. He wanted me to finish my training and run this Half. As I thought about that today I realized that the Lord isn't just my cheerleader in running or exercise He is my cheerleader in life. He is always there on the sidelines cheering me on and when I feel the burn and want to give up, he yells my name and cheers louder.
Today I ran a 4 mile route. I just went from my house up to Snow Canyon Parkway on the trail. This run is a there-and-back. So the whole time I was running to the box that marks the middle of the run, I was trying to stay positive and motivated. The whole time I felt encouragement from the Lord. When I got to the box I stretched and caught my breath and then started on my way back. I looked up, saw the sun, and felt so much love. I felt good running and felt good about my life. The trail I was running had landscape around it on both sides. As I looked ahead I thought of the straight and narrow path and how Satan is real. He is all along this straight and narrow path shouting at us and finding every way to bring us down. At this point a thought came to me, "Get your life in order." This hit me really hard. Earlier this week I was looking through my phone at the notes I had taken from the different devotionals I have attended this year and I found a scripture reference and by it I had written "give this some thought." The scripture is D&C 88:119.
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."
I found this so applicable. Not only in what I am dealing with right now, but also in my quest to stay healthy. This amazing body that God has given to me is the house of my spirit. As I take care of these things for my spirit I will be so much healthier. After I thought about this, I thought about how God is so patient. He knows exactly how to handle me with all of my weaknesses and temptations. He spent the first half of my run building me up, trying to show me my potential and then once I was able to feel his love, he told me what to do and sent the spirit to burn within me, motivating me to do it! He is the master artist; taking raw materials and shaping them into a masterpiece. This is manifested to me in so many ways. On my phone I have an app that displays new quotes every few days. There has been some quotes from prophets and apostles on there, but it isn't an LDS app. It is pretty sweet. Anyway, I loved the quote that popped up this week.
"I am totally in the hands of the Lord." --Gordon B. HinckleyThis quote was brought to my mind and I just knew. My life, that seems to me, a disaster, will turn out to be one of God's masterpieces. He loves me. He loves you. He wants us to be happy and He will show us how.
I am thankful for an all-knowing, patient, merciful, and loving God.
I am thankful for running.
I am thankful for my body; my house.
I am thankful for my health.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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