It Looks Bad for the Home Team

My Dad had a saying: “It doesn’t look good for the home team.” He probably heard it on a radio broadcast of a baseball game. But, it seemed to fit some “in over our heads” situations that we sometimes got ourselves into. The old saying still brings a smile to my face, but it also aptly applies to my Ironman Texas effort.

http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/texas.aspx#axzz31yYyfXwh

After all this training for Ironman Texas and after all the nursing and stretching and strengthening that bad leg; after all of my best efforts, still my times over endurance don't seem fast enough for long enough time for me to make the cut off. Chances are I will have to face failure and “it doesn’t look good for the home team.”

But I have gone too far to go back. I’ve put myself through too much; put others through too much; prayed too much to give it up now. It is disheartening to think that I won’t be able to finish in time. But it has been a great journey; a great experience in self-revelation.

No, I am not turning around. This time I am taking it in. This time, I will be at the swim start; this time, like the song says, “you can face the future even if you fail.” Like I have written before: if I just make the starting line, it will be a victory. The bike cut-off will be difficult but if I make that, wow! Another victory. And if, just if, on an outside chance I make the midnight cut-off for the event, there will be no containing my joy. Tie a rope to my ankle that I don't fly away. (thank you Elizabeth Thompson for that concept)

I will do my best and, who knows. The ability doesn’t seem to be there, and I am fully cognizant that only God can push me through to the finish line within the cut off time. I am in over my own head. So, I will do my best and the rest is just up to Him. And there is a degree of peace in that. Perhaps that is the purpose of this marvelous journey to begin with: to get me to point where I could faithfully just do my best and leave the rest to Him. That can’t be all bad; win or lose.

"-for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.-----------------I can do all things through Christ who Strengthens me." Perhaps it doesn’t look that bad for the home team after all.