greater than all things

I am constantly amazed. Seriously.

Everything in my life is definitely a blessing and I am so thankful for everything from salvation, family, church family (-ies), friends, life, gifts, trials, lessons, talents, discernment, to the pure-simple joy in my heart.

On Saturday I was in Germantown, MD (a very small town indeed! However the county is apparently the wealthiest in the nation ~ Montgomery County ~ or so I was told). I parked in Germantown and was bussed out to Damascus where the marathon and 50k started. Wind froze the already chilly air and blasted all of us standing in line for the port-a-potty. I had forgotten my H2O bottle in the car (I really had to use the restroom and was in a rush!) and was praying that someone would have an extra at the start. I registered for the race and grabbed some honey wheat pretzels (another of God’s gifts to people) when something caught my eye. It was a plastic Dasani water bottle that was almost empty and had been left on the table by its careless owner. I looked around but everyone was already lining up at the start, normally I don’t just take things without asking but no one was around and it was almost empty and looked like garbage to someone strewn with the empty bags on the table. I thought of the story of the man who was in a flood sitting on his roof praying that God would save him – telling a boat, helicopter, and plane that God would save him and he didn’t need them ~ then when he got to heaven he asked God why He didn’t save him and God said “I sent you a boat, helicopter and plane!” I grabbed the bottle and trotted toward the line.

Down the asphalt road we clopped gamely along until .8 miles into the race where it became single-track trails. Easy on the joints and lovely, like music to one’s soul. There was a river that we had to cross on stepping-stones in several places and a woman was hit by a deer! Hazards abundant during the race, the runners did not heed them and continued on.

Around mile 9-10 I began running with an older gentleman named Wayne, he resided 4 miles from the starting line and mentioned another 50k trail race in Yellow Spring, West Virginia in May. Intriguing. A large-face watch adorned his wrist. GPS tracking, mileage, and pace/mile were recorded instantly and could be downloaded on a computer at home. He seemed like a seasoned ultra runner that I could hang with. After I was informed that the marathon was actually closer to 28 miles than 26.2 and the 50k was only 3.4-4 miles longer, I chose to run the 50k with my new friend Wayne and Rob – another friend we picked up around mile 13-14.

It was an adventure, trudging up and down the hills through the state park. The scene was beautiful, the weather was perfect, as it had rained the night before making the trails softer and the air fresh. I was muddy up to my knees and in desperate need of a shower by the time I finished (under 7 hours, which seems long to me but they said to add 2-3 minutes/mile on trails verses roads). It was my new PR for the new distance, I checked the results and I was the youngest female to do the 50k and/or run that day (first out of one for my division! Ha ha). There were 3 guys younger/same age as me (18, 19, 24) that ran the 50k. That amazes me. I think I’m in love with ultras. I want to still be doing them at 60-70+ like the crazy, splendid people I ran with on Saturday.

Post race I missed the shuttle because I was grabbing brownies (surprised? Didn’t think so.) Mark offered me a ride back to Lazarus (he said my car, in my head I thought Lazarus). It turns out he is involved in the sports medicine field (as I would like to be), I mentioned my internship and how I wanted to do sports nutrition when he asked what I was doing in Virginia (he resides in Maryland, close to the race location as well).

I was set to get back to Virginia; hopped in my car, called Hannah, and turned the key. Nothing. Silently praying I popped the hood, moved the cables that connected to the battery because that usually helped – to no avail this time. Another runner who was leaving attempted to help me jump my car – nothing. A couple that had also run had a wrench and they tried to help me tighten the cables – nothing. I called triple A and a volunteer stayed with me until they came and even lent me his extra jacket from his trunk and a blanket because I couldn’t get cell phone reception in my car and it was freezing outside.

The tow truck guy arrived around 5:50pm, well after I had attempted to start Lazarus the first time (around 3:20pm). By this time God and I had a whole conversation going. The tow truck guy had a special tool to tighten the cables on the battery and tightened them – nada. He tried jumping the car, but still nothing. After listening to the clicks emitting from the engine, he determined that the starter was bad and took me to NTB in town – the only auto shop still open on Saturday evening. The man at the desk informed us that their mechanics were gone but they could look at it tomorrow and there was a possibly they could fix it if they had the right part in stock. Wide-eyed I looked at the tow truck guy whom I had told I was living near Richmond. He attempted to start my car one more time and came back in down cast when he was unable to. Suddenly brightening he told me there was a hill nearby and took me to it. We started Lazarus on the hill and I pumped gas while my car was running for the first time in my life.

I drove home through Maryland traffic and arrived at KingsWay very late for the start of Resolved, but early for judging the chili cook-off (around 8:45-9pm). Afterwards Jason and Rob pushed my car around the parking lot until they were able to start it so I could follow Evan to the Dunnavants where he was going to change the starter for me – and by God’s grace they already had a starter for my car’s make/model. God works wonders and miracles all the time and I am never ceased to be amazed.

I fell asleep on the couch inside only to be woken 30 minutes later after he was done; I rolled off the couch and drove home – with one headlight (apparently it had been out for a while, I just hadn’t noticed until I was standing in front of my car with Rob, Evan, and Jason). I got home exhausted from a very intensely blessed-could have been stressful day. I was so thankful for all that had happened and in awe of how God provided and worked through my new friends from the race and friends at church.

I plopped onto my bed after brushing my teeth without a shower for the night and passed out. I am so glad God is in complete control of my life, without Him today I might have been lost. Everything worked for His glory (Rom 8:28). He gets all the credit, because I did nothing but trust He would take care of me through the race: the run and life. Praise God, You are greater than all things.