Incredible
Take a few minutes and be amazed. This is creativity at its best.
Rethinking Failure
I love to run. But it’s no secret: I’m not the best at it.
And it’s a good thing I know it.
This weekend, I went to Texas to visit one of my best friends, Trevor, and his amazing family. It was a chance to get away, rest, laugh and run a half marathon.
Three weeks ago, I hurt my back.
Two weeks ago, I had a sinus infection.
The week of the race, I pulled long hours, late nights, slurped a lot of coffee, and not much water.
Needless to say, all of that came back to bite me, at the worst possible time. I fell — collapsed, really — four steps from the finish line. My legs gave out. Cramps proved too much to manage. I learned a (painful) lesson about hydration and pacing.
And, of course, the local newspaper was right there to capture — and immortalize — my moment of finish-line failure:
I don’t know about you, but I normally hate to remember my failures. They remind me of my shortcomings, my insecurities, and all the things that are wrong.
But as I sat on those bricks in downtown Fort Worth, surrounded by strangers, I realized something: I had a choice.
Either I could look at this failure, as embarassed mortified as I was, and allow it to discourage me. Or I could laugh, learn, and move on.
I chose the latter. And that felt just about as good as the ice packs.
As much as I learned a lesson about my running this weekend, I learned something much more important about life: Failure isn’t really failure if you insist on learning something in the midst of it.
I’ll remember this one. And I’ll laugh about it.
I have friends, thankfully, who won’t let me react to it any other way.
POSTSCRIPT: I still managed a PR.
What about you? What’s one thing you don’t normally laugh about that you could/should?
Trust, Or Lack Thereof
Where to begin?
I was to pick what 2010 would look like, it wouldn’t have been this.
It’s like some huge light switch flipped at the start of the year. 2009 was so “up” — full of lessons of risk, reward, passion, pursuit and play. So far, 2010 has been all about trust and character.
That’s meant a lot of dark places.
Pain.
Doubt.
Confusion.
And, yes, at times, hopelessness.
And I can sense God nudging me, inviting me to more, but that’s not easy.
And that is frustrating.
I’m struggling to really ‘get’ trust.
According to the dictionary, trust is a ‘reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc. of a person or thing; confident expectation of something; hope’
And it seems to trust, I must experience and risk.
And that is problematic. I’ve grown painfully aware of my fear of failure and my over-appreciation for comfort. Both are way too familiar and way too appealing.
Yes, I desperately want more from this life. But if I’m honest, it’s usually on my terms and my schedule.
But that’s not how the Father operates.
And that’s frustrating for me, too.
On my way into the coffee shop, I happened to find the notes from church a few weeks ago. My friend and pastor preached a sermon called ‘In Fear, Have Faith’. The bottom line whispers truth to my tired heart this afternoon.
In fear, have faith.
When tempted to control, let go.
When allured by comfort, choose sacrifice.
There’s no doubt this sloppy season of my life is about discovering what that should looks like, for me, for now, and for tomorrow.
But that’s not easy.
And that’s why 2010 is off to a rough start.
How about you? What are you learning? Where do you sense this year heading?
Plan B
My friend and pastor, Pete Wilson, is preparing for the release of his first book, “Plan B”. Take a few minutes and see if this doesn’t get you thinking.
Yeah, me too.
Here’s to living a better story.
Powered By Hope
Big news!
I’ve signed up for this year’s Country Music Half-Marathon, and I’m partnering with some friends from my church to support a fantastic organization in Middle Tennessee.
To find out how you can support New Hope Academy, and make a difference in the lives of children, please click here: http://www.firstgiving.com/joshdevine
Thanks, in advance, for your support.
My Week In A Picture
I went to a state office building on a story today, checked in and got quite a laugh on my temporary ID. Really? Joushua?
But then, it got me thinking.
In a lot of ways, this mishap tells the story of my week.
A bit, well, off.
Nothing too major.
Just off.
And man, I’m glad it’s the weekend.
New Look
I migrated my blog from Blogger to WordPress today. Still working out a few kinks, but I should be back up and running shortly!
Thanks for your patience and for being a loyal reader!
26.2 & Then Some
Today’s a big day.
One year ago, with my running partner by my side and one of my greatest friends cheering me on, I finished my first marathon.
It was an absolute thrill. Those 26.2 miles, though brutal, taught me a lesson in perseverance I’ll keep with me the rest of my life. I remember the finish, lying on the ground in the Epcot parking lot — sweaty and sore — and simply enjoying the moment.
In between slurps of lukewarm Gatorade, and wrapped in a big piece of Mylar, I caught myself thinking: “If I could finish this, what else could I really do that I’ve convinced myself otherwise?”
It was liberating, to say the least.
Since then, I’ve dropped 40 pounds of flab and ditched a “I-can’t-do-that” attitude in favor of a “I’ll-try-anything-once” mindset. I’m healthier, more adventurous, more spontaneous and dare I say it, more alive.
Frankly, I think we all need those moments, those ‘mountains’ throughout life. They push us to try, to risk, to work hard and to redefine success. My time stunk, yes, but the fact I crossed that finished line — to me — meant I won.
31 Days, Part 11
May we be people of singular purpose and affection. The alternative, it seems, is ultimately destructive.
31 Days, Part 10
Sometimes, it’s about what we say and when we speak…
But it seems it’s also about how much we speak, and when we do so, as well…
