On the way to Louisville on Friday (the day before the meet), at one point in the car, Joshua said, 'Mom, you gotta read this prayer.' His daily Bible reading had ended with a devotional and prayer focused around Romans 8:28-29:
'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.'
'Father, forgive me that so often my goals are diametrically opposed to Yours. help me bring my goals in line with Your goals. I shall need Your help to adjust. Whatever happens, keep me ever moving toward becoming more and more like Jesus. Amen.'
When I got done reading it, he said, 'Isn't that pretty cool to read the day before state?' I said it was...but I didn't really understand why this had stood out so significantly to him...
The next morning came quickly and I tried to remain calm. We had four of our own children running, one nephew, and a couple dozen of our friends' children. I tried to stay present in the moment--yet at the same time-- it was so overwhelming I found it hard to stay present in the moment. Can you relate?
In a blink of an eye, Joshua's race was upon us. I sighed. It felt so--big. I tried to gain perspective by saying over and over in my head, 'This is just a cross country meet. This is just a cross country meet.' Guess what? It didn't work. I wanted to run and hide my head in a hole. My mind went to the Olympic gymnast parents sitting in the audience watching their daughters. I understood their pain. And this was not even the Olympics!
Except it kind of was--in the mind of an eighth grader.
They lined up at the start line:
Our boy got a great start:
As they came up the hill from the front of the course, he and his two buddies, Michael and Nathan, were the front runners, far ahead, leading a pack of about 500 boys.
This picture was taken as they ran towards the back of the course and out of sight. An area of the race where you wait for them to re-emerge into view. Unfortunately, this would be the last picture ever taken of our boy at the Meet of Champions.
Because when they emerged, there were only two runners in the lead pack. Michael and Nathan, running neck and neck...Joshua--no where to be found.
The second pack of runners began to emerge...again, no Josh.
Right away I knew that he was not going to be coming.
But I didn't know why.
And those next several minutes of waiting were the hardest. My mama worry went out the roof. I began thinking the worst of all worst.
Finally, after ten or so minutes--that felt like ten hours--he emerged from that tree lined course. But not how we would have hoped.
He was riding in the medical cart, his head in his hands. His foot had hit a hole on the course, twisting. He had went down in pain, unable to get back up.
As he went down, down went his dream of winning....down went his dream of redeeming the prior year....down went his dream of finally beating and owning this insane horse park course.
The pain and disappointment was written all over his face. The face you think of when you hear, 'the agony of defeat.'
Eric went up to the cart and held him and told him he was sorry. Hugging him, I said all of those things we say at moments like this: 'It's going to be okay. It's just a race. That's all it is.'
And while all those words are indeed true, they tend to come up empty in the moment.
We followed the cart to the medical tent and it felt strangely like a replay from the year before.
And because I tend to be awkward in uncomfortable, difficult moments, I tried to say something funny and snapped a picture:
I know. It's still misplaced and awkward. What was I thinking? At least the driver found it amusing.
Anyway--back to the story.
The story--the story of the rest of this day was submerged in the beauty and character of Christ.
Two of the first people to arrive at the medical tent were Michael and Nathan Sheets, whom had placed first and second, respectively. Let me just tell you that they had run unbelievable, tremendous races and deserved those medals to the core! An amazing end to amazing seasons! We are so proud of them both. And let's not forget Logan Otter. He walked up a few minutes later, also checking on Josh. He had placed third and had earned that medal through and through. We were so proud of these young men. Especially, though, for their concern...right during the time they should have been glorying in their moment they were checking on their injured friend.
Priceless.
And it didn't end there.
All day long (because we were there for the long haul and couldn't leave until the last race was over), every time I walked up to our tent, I saw one of these Sheet boys hanging with Josh:
Here it is, the biggest day of their lives, the day they could be living it up, walking around the course, relishing in victory--and look where they are. Sitting under a tent away from the action, keeping their injured friend company. It made me think of two bible verses:
- 1 Cor. 9:24-27: 'Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
- 1 Tim. 4:8: For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
Yet, that wasn't all.
We watched our young man that day lose with humility and honor, displaying a quiet strength and dignity that I knew could have only been put there by the Lord. We couldn't have been any prouder of Joshua in these moments.
And then I remembered the prayer that had touched Joshua so, prayed hours before his race:
'Father, forgive me that so often my goals are diametrically opposed to Yours. Help me bring my goals in line with Your goals. I shall need Your help to adjust. Whatever happens, keep me ever moving toward becoming more and more like Jesus. Amen.'
Just hours later, that prayer had been answered one hundred fold. Oh, how He had been Joshua's helper, helping him adjust to adverse circumstances. Oh, how He had moved him a little closer to becoming more like Jesus, showing him that it's not always about winning on this side of heaven.
All of them, winners that day in Jesus' book...the only book that truly matters.
'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.' Romans 8:28-29
***Update***
We came back to Paducah and had Joshua's foot x-rayed, learning he has a severe bruise on the fifth metatarsal bone in his foot. He hopes after resting, icing and Aleving for several days that he might get to join his team at the high school state November 10. I love this verse he tweeted out yesterday (yes, he just set up a twitter account in all his newly found down time!):
Romans 12:12: 'Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.'
R 12:12 in 2012!
Brought tears. Love this and knew this post was coming, somehow. My first thought was about the beautiful, Christ-like way Josh and his family would handle this event. Special young men of God, all of them.
ReplyDeleteCourtney Dobbs