Running the race

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NIV)
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.

Do you all know what today is???

Besides May 2nd...and besides Saturday...

since it's the first Saturday in May....it's the day for....

The Kentucky Derby!!!

Now...I don't know when this started, or even why it happened...but....

I LOVE THE KENTUCKY DERBY!!!

I have never bet on any of the horses....I just love to watch them run that short race to the finish line. Maybe that's part of why I like it...it doesn't last long, so with my very short attention span...or my old age (ha! ha!)...it keeps my attention for the duration!!! I love looking at all the beautiful hats the ladies wear...I enjoy watching the horses walk to the stalls (whatever you call that contraption they're in until they're let loose) and the interviews with the jockeys and the excitement when the race is over and the jockey is always so happy...and the red roses...oh, those huge garlands of roses!!! I enjoy hearing the stories of how so many of the jockeys started out so poorly and how they become super rich if the horse they're riding is the winner!!!

Of course, I'm sure there's a lot of things behind the scenes that I would rather not know about. It was terrible last year when Eight Belles broke both of her front ankles and had to be euthanized.

But, I do love the race and all the things that I get to see from just watching it on TV....and I would love to go see it "in person" one of these days!!!

The race today got me to thinking about the "race" of life. We run here and there and most of us stay busy....but sometimes...seem to never get anything done. That's been me....I've been "retired" for going on 3 years and there are still some things that I had on my "to do" list that haven't even been touched!!!

We hurry, hurry, hurry...but where are we hurrying to, or toward...or even from!!!

In the verse of scripture I started off with, Paul is talking to the Corinthians and he likens the life that we live as a Christian to the life of an athlete running to win...to receive the prize, be it money, or a trophy, or a material thing. He states that everyone who competes goes into strict training, so that they can receive that prize. This brings to mind all the training that each of the horses running in today's race have gone thru...the hours that the trainers and the jockeys have spent getting this horse into shape...getting it used to a particular jockey riding on its back.

How do we train to "win the prize" in this race that we're in?

As Christians, we train by praying. We spend time in prayer asking our precious Savior to help us each day...to give us wisdom and discernment and guidance. We pray for others, whatever their need may be. We even pray for our "enemies"....those who don't want to listen to our testimonies, those who turn deaf ears when we bring up the subject of Jesus. We study our Bibles...we learn scripture that we can use to help others for whatever situation they're in...but, to not only help others, to help ourselves. We ask God to bring to mind those things that we've read so that we can use them at just the right time. We also train by attending church. We attend Sunday school classes and listen to the teacher who has studied and prayed over the lesson so that we can learn and apply it to our own lives. The same thing goes with the worship service. We listen to music written by a God-inspired writer that touches our hearts. We pay attention when the one who "brings the message" gets up to speak....listen closely to what he has to say...take notes if we need to help us remember better....apply what we hear to our own lives, because we are in that place...at that certain time...for a reason!!!

Life isn't easy....we all have days that we just wonder why in the world we're having to endure whatever the problem may be....but, I feel that's part of striving on to reach the prize. Everything that happens to us serves to strengthen us in some way.....and helps us to be better equipped to help others!!!

Hope each of you make your way to the church of your choice in the morning!!!

In His Most Precious Love...and with mine!!!

P.S...if I were a betting person.....

know which horse I would pick?!?!?!

"Chocolate Candy", of course!!!

But....are you at all surprised?!?!?