FINISH

I ran a 5K this morning...okay...I jogged...slowly...I think within the world of runners, my jogging is slow enough to barely qualify to use the term, but never mind all that! The process all points to a very large sign with the word FINISH emblazened across it, and in this case, with pictures of Red Balloons all over it...The Red Balloon 5K for Children's Medical Center in Dallas.

Allow me to be transparent about one of my besetting character flaws...impatience...I arrived at the race site in plenty of time this morning...I thought...but I readily admit that I made a crucial mistake upon arrival...I turned 1 street too soon to enter the area for parking (even though I had a map), and the result of my mistake was being caught in an area where I could neither park, nor easily get back to the correct parking lot. The streets were blocked off, and there was not, in my impatient opinion, good signage. So...I got irritated....very irritated...I turned down at least 3 streets that had already been blocked off, and with every u-turn to try again, I got more irritated. Mind you, I knew that this debacle was the result of my own mistake...nevertheless, I did not manage my emotions well.

I finally made my way back to the correct parking lot, only to find an enormously L-O-N-G line awaited me for packet pick-up...I'm telling you, I was a mess...completely lost my cool...it's embarrassing to me now, but I suppose I'll never grow out of this bad habit unless I look at it honestly. As I stood there in line, fuming...I concluded that there wasn't a single competent person in the entire Children's Medical Center organization...and then this happened...

A woman walked by me with a large button on her shirt, and on the button was the picture of a child who had been treated for and ultimately died from a cancer-related illness...

What can I say? I felt about the size of slug, and like I had the character of a slug too...

But there was still a 5K to run/jog/walk...and the end of this story is better than the beginning!

By the staff's estimation, approximately 3,000 people participated in the event...I don't know about that, but it sure was crowded in the starting area! The start was announced with the release of thousands of red balloons...which was really cool!

Off we went, like a herd of turtles!!!!

The absolute best part of this experience for me was the Finish Line. As I ran toward the huge banner that read "FINISH", I kept thinking about the larger life application...regardless of what happens along the way, my failures in the race of life will all be evaluated in the bigger context of how I FINISH...I show up, I mess up, but I can't give up.

I must keep plodding along...

Maybe someday I'll be faster than a turtle, or maybe I won't, but it doesn't really matter in the end...what matters at the 5K...and in this gift we call "life," is finishing...and hopefully, by the grace of God, finishing well.

So whatever happens along your way, keep going...whatever mistakes you make, whatever character flaws bedevil you...don't quit...just keep going, because the view from the FINISH LINE really is sweet, and it makes the race worthwhile!