I am the worst..
Well, maybe not, but I’m not doing very well at keeping up with my progress. I had signed up for a couple of the virtual marathons that were mentioned on social media. One was this month and I forget what the distance was for this one. I really just wanted the tank top because I liked what it said. Though the challenge was nice too. (Just looked it up. Its a 100 mile challenge that ends on my late husband’s birthday) I started out well, I have my distance recorded for days one and two on my calendar. Then nothing. I do have a couple more days jotted down on a scratch piece of paper……somewhere.
I’ve walked, some days much more than others. I’ll be honest, days that it was cold to me, I was huddled up here with my heated throw and coffee. I don’t do cold well.
Today though, was a one day challenge. It was for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Either climb 1311 stair steps, walk 3.2 miles or do 440 step ups. I had it wrong when I mentioned it in an earlier write. I really need to be wearing my contacts while reading. Still, today I walked 4.89 miles or 11,095 steps. I think I managed this challenge. I was determined as Leukemia is the demon that took one of my brothers.
There was an event today held by the Jeep group that I am a member. They participated in National Topless Day. This was a fundraising event for the charity the group supports. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my Jeep Compass, Star, can’t do topless. She may identify as a Wrangler, that doesn’t make her a Wrangler. While there were other Jeeps in the convoy who can’t do topless, I didn’t participate. I would have felt out of place among all those topless Wranglers. All in my head I know.
I wonder, how often we have big plans, big hopes, amazing goals, but simply can’t or don’t follow through. How many excuses are we able to conjure up to explain why we didn’t accomplish what we set out to do? How important is our relationship to the plan?
I used cold temperatures as my excuse not to be walking in the first challenge. I used the fact that my Jeep is not a Wrangler to not participate in today’s event.That, and the lingering fear of running out of gas somewhere and not being able to find any. I did however go above and beyond in the Leukemia challenge. Because it is something I feel strongly about.
I’m sitting here, in contemplation of excuses. How easy they are to make. How handy a way out of doing something that we should have done. Now, the things I haven’t done or didn’t do, won’t stop the world from turning. It caused no harm to others. I missed out but that’s all part of the results of excuses. There are things however, that we should not allow ourselves to make excuses to get out of doing. If you should be at work, be there, they need you or they wouldn’t have hired you. Follow the laws, even the speed laws, there is a reason they are what they are. If you promise family or friends that you will do something for them, follow through. There are things of importance, that if we say we’ll do them, we need to do them.
I do realize, because I’ve done it, we may make excuses out of fear. Fear of not fitting in, fear of failing, fear of the unknown. I’m learning, that when I stand up to that fear, and do things anyway, afterwards I feel much better about myself..
As a Christian, my prayer has been, “Use me Father, to bring glory to You. May I be a vessel in Your hands.” Now, if I am going to offer up that prayer, I need to follow through. I can’t feel lead to do something, but then start offering excuses. But, will get me nowhere. God, does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Jesus called fishermen to follow Him, He then taught them to be fishers of men. All through the Bible there are examples of ordinary people being called to do extraordinary things. I believe, that He still does that. We only need to listen, and set aside the excuses.
https://1timothy4-13.com/files/proverbs/excuses.html
Words from The Dirt Road 