All is Well

Before me, even as behind, God is, and all is well ~ John Greenleaf Whittier

Straining…….

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Philippians 3:13-14

13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Tonight I was doing scripture work on these two verses.  These two verses are packed with significant words and thoughts, that my notes stretched into 5 pages long.

O, when verses seem so autobiographical.  They cut to the marrow like the two-sided sword says that it will.

I could copy out my entire work on these verses, but my time and your patience in reading are probably not long enough to do so.  Instead, I am going to focus on the word “Straining”.

Straining Forward.  Straining Forward.

But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.

I’ve studied these verses before, but I seem to have missed the significance of straining forward.  I’m so glad that Paul did not use the word “moving” forward; because that is not what it is like.  Pushing forward to what lies ahead comes closer to the heart of things, yet is off by just a bit.

No, it’s that word straining.  Because that is what it is like.  To keep pressing forward, I find myself straining.  Sometimes with gritted teeth.  And honestly, it’s not easy.  It’s not easy to keep straining to put one foot in front of the other each day, forgetting what lies behind.  Because, there is much to forget-there is much pain to forget, to fight for joy over.  But the forgetting allows me to strain forward.

Straining forward takes work.  Hard work.  It means fighting for sanity.  It means fighting to study scripture, the only path to settledness.  It means fighting to pray even when I do not sense God.

When I picture someone straining, they are doing so despite great difficulty, pain and exhaustion.  Take a look at the Ironman triathletes.  In Kona on the Big Island, I would occasionally go down to the finish line after work to see some of the runners cross the finish line.  This would usually be around 10 PM, so these runners coming in are among the last to cross that finish line.  But what is clear on each of their faces, is that they are straining forward.  Sure, it would be easier to quit, to lie down and remove the shoes and bloodied socks and quit.  But with raw determination, they strain toward the finish line, toward the prize.

I want that to be me.  Even though straining is hard, difficult, exhausted and I often consider giving up, I want to be that person who despite all, strains forward.

But for someone to strain forward,, there must be something that they are straining forward for.  For the triathlete, it’s crossing that finish line.  For me–for all believers–there is a goal.  The very best goal.  That  prize is the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. The upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  What is that Upward Call?  I am not sure.  I don’t know.  Though I fail often, I am learning to trust God; trust that He does have a call for me in Christ Jesus.  And I want that Upward call.  And ultimately, I want the Upward Call to go home.

Tomorrow I have to go back to work.  I don’t want to, but God has supplied this job for me at this time.  So I must go. I must provide for my family the best way that I can.

And so, I will wake up tomorrow morning and work hard at straining forward.  Forward toward the Upward Call of God.

 

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My Kids Leave Tomorrow for Hawaii

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Our day has been jam packed with last minute, procrastinated  tasks to prepare the three youngest to fly to Hawaii in the morning, to visit friends and family.  Of course, as such things go, travel snags have created much to do today.  But by being a machine I have completed all travel plans, including pick-up in Honolulu tomorrow evening, and have booked fairly decent fares for them late, late Wednesday night on Hawaiian Interisland,  on to Kona.  They fly direct from Atlanta, a crazy long flight.  Last time, they were granted First Class.  I’m not thinking they will be so blessed this time around.

They are flying out on return tickets purchased in the fall when they returned to VA.  At that time, it was cheaper to puchase a round trip ticket, and so we are taking advantage of the gift of the other half of the ticket, allowing them to return for a bit.

They are crazy excited.  Bags are packed, crammed into one suitcase to avoid excess baggage fees.  But it’s Hawaii, what more does a person really need then two t’shirts, two swim suits and rubber slippah’s from Long’s Drugs?  A couple of books to read on the flight and all is well.

They will spend one day and one night on Oahu, visiting friends, seeing their old home and school, church, their favorite beaches, Manoa Falls, Manoa Rainbows.  Then they will travel on to Oahu to be with their grandparents, but most importantly, to be with their bird Lily and their dog Kenahi.  And of course, attend the proverbial Vacation Bible School, Hawaiian Style.

I will miss them so much.  I wish I was accompanying them.  To see the sky.  To swim at Kua Bay.  To sit in the cove at Airport Beach.  To eat plate lunch, lau lau, kalua pig, spam musabi, teriyaki, and so much more.  To show my friends that I am good and strong.  But I will be a machine while they are away; I will continue to job search, continue to push forward.

I am not in the least bit worried for their safety–Delta Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines both provide the utmost in care and security for minors.  They will be treated like royalty.  They are glad that I am not traveling with them, it would spoil the possibiity for perks.

But I will miss them, and will long deeply, hugely so, that I could be with them, enjoying their laughter and the push back past the breakers to the calm part of the sea and float endlessly, snorkeling amongst the creatures that I cherish.  I will redeem the time while they are away, I will make them proud, I will continue to work hard.

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