"I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one."
~Mark Twain
Today I struggled with whether or not to run. A small, seemingly insignificant choice on the surface, but with several underlying effects. See, I haven’t run in several days, and the more times I miss a run, the more likely I’ll miss tomorrow’s run as well. Not to mention, I knew the next several days would be busy and I probably wouldn’t have time to get a good one in. On the other hand, I already missed the early morning hours of bearable, cool weather. Now it was hot, sunny, and 90 degrees. All things considered, I decided to suck it up and go for it. I ran through 4 towns; Lodi, Hasbrouck Heights, Wood-ridge, and Carlstadt (in northern New Jersey lingo, that amounts to about 4½ miles). And wouldn’t you know it? The moment I finished, out of breath and light-headed from the humidity and sun, I walked up the cement stairs to my front door and…rain.
A trivial coincidence to most, but to me, it was a daily reminder of what opportunities we can choose to take, or not take. I like that movie, “Yes Man,” with Jim Carey. Not just because it’s hilarious and they go to a Husker football game, but because it focuses on that very subject. We can look back and say I should have tried that, or we can look back and say I did try that.
God has so many opportunities and blessings waiting for us and gives us the free will to choose them, but sometimes fear, pride, or laziness holds us back. I’m thankful for my reminder today, and maybe tomorrow will be an even longer run, or some other unplanned blessing, should I choose to accept it.
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