How Is Your Race Going?

I am a fighter. Most of you know that by now. And there are times with pain and health issues that the battle is so hard and people will say…just stop…..just quit….don’t get up anymore if it makes the pain worse. They don’t understand that I can’t quit. I am in a race and while I may not win the race….I am determined to finish the race.

I came across this video and it said it all for me. I watched it with tears on my face for someone understood why I fight so hard. Quitting is not an option. That is why I will not give in to using a power chair all the time. I am determined to at least be able to stand and take a few steps.  A disabled person’s victories may be different from others…but believe me when I say…they are victories.

And I am blessed to have some loved ones that do like the man in this video. When I am fighting with all I have and they see the pain in my eyes or hear it in my voice, they are there in a flash. Yes, they have told me I don’t have to keep going, I can quit if I  want to but if I want to keep going..they will walk with me and hold me up til I get going again. One can never be more blessed than that. There was a time I did not have that…and I …with the Creator with me…kept going. But those loved ones who wanted me to know they felt my pain and were there…made it so much more bearable.

I walked in a Walk For Cancer once a few short years ago back east. I had just lost two dear people to cancer and I had promised them I would walk that lap for them. I was on these crutches and wasn’t sure how I would do it but I knew I would. My son here could not come as he was at work.  I started that lap thinking “Lord please just get me through this” when I felt a hand on my back and a tiny hand reach up and touch my other hand holding the crutch bar. I looked one way and saw my other son smiling at me. And touching my hand was my grand baby…my sweetpea. She was a little over two years old. She was going to walk with her Mimi…me.

As I struggled to go around that football field on these forearm crutches, I could feel my feet getting heavier and heavier. Suddenly I felt a hand on my back. It was my son beside me pushing gently to help me keep moving. And my sweetpea was walking beside me telling me “ou can do it Mimi…ou can do it” and swinging her little arms like she was marching. I could feel the tears on my face as the pain was searing my body but they encouraged me so much to keep going. And I did. I truly believe the Creator was carrying me the last half for I could not go any further. The closer we got, I could hear people in the bleachers cheering me on. By the time we crossed the finish line, I was collapsing and son helped me to a chair.

All the walkers were long gone from that walk. It took me thirty minutes to do what it took the others about 15 minutes. I might not have been with the other walkers…but I did finish the race. And no matter the race, I keep fighting to get across that finish line….I might be last but I am there crossing it. It took me three weeks to get over that walk but you know what…..I would do it again…and again…and again…because staying the course is more important than winning the race.

So…don’t give up when things are tough. You can do it. And let those that love you reach in and be there for you. Don’t let anyone stop you though….finish the race. We might start out at the top of our form but sickness or disability change that…but you can still finish the race…some way…some how. And know, when you think you are alone…the Creator of us all is right there holding you.

So, I close with this video and remind you that winning the race is not always the most important thing…but finishing the race always is. We may not walk the whole way, we may crawl part of the way, we may hop part of the way, we may roll part of the way and we may be carried part of the way…but staying the course and finishing the race is what matters.

video by walkbeatstalkdotcom