Grateful to Run

When I was growing up in Arkansas, we had a great set of trails that went through the woods across the street from our home. When we took walks back there as a family, we would always stop at a pile of rocks affectionately called The Ebenezer. When we passed by, we would find a white rock- rocks that I thought must be very valuable crystals- and put them on the pile. For each rock we added, we had to tell God something we were thankful for.

Tonight I did my normal 6 mile loop for the first time in quite a while. I have run more than 6 miles at a few points in my recent training, but never my perfect 6 mile loop. I always walk the last third of a mile or so, and every time I do, I cannot help but be overcome by an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. I had forgotten how great that feels.

God is good to runners. I don't mean that God is good to runners because they run, but rather that a person wouldn't have the ability to run if God had not been good to her. I have shoes. I have a few hours of extra time. I have a place to run that's safe(ish) and enjoyable (when it's not 100 degrees). I have health. I have a good life that I don't mind prolonging with exercise.

I haven't defined an exact place that is my Ebenezer, but it's definitely somewhere between 5.67 and 6.0 miles. And tonight I thank God for running.