Glutton for Punishment?

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Several years ago, I had made fun of a friend of mine that, on our group ski trips would insist on going snowboarding even though for three consecutive years she would get injured.  From my recollection, the injuries were:

  • A foot broken in several places
  • An ACL tear
  • (and I can't remember what the third was, nor can I perfectly recall the order)
And this girl was a pretty good skiier, but she insisted on going boarding despite the ribbing and the, as I can imagine, frequent trips to the hospital.

Well, I can understand it now...

Guess what friends?  I've signed up for my next Half Marathon.

This is after, Silver Comet race - torn miniscus... surgery.  L.A. Rock and Roll - painful achilles tendonitis... finally able to run after 7 months and a lot of chiropractor and pediatrist visits.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can finish this year injury free?  

But am I a glutton for punishment?  

Maybe.  

But I get what my friend (who still boards, and has managed to stay out of the hospital now) got... when you love something you may consider the risks but they don't deter you.  You just pursue your passion as long as you can.  That's how I feel about running, it's in my blood.  So Savannah Rock-N-Roll here I come :-).  

If you love someone or something, you may account for the cost but it doesn't stop you.  I get that better now, and perhaps that explains one other thing...

How the message of Jesus got out of the 1st century.  

These people knew and loved Jesus, and couldn't stop talking about him, despite the fact that they were getting thrown into jail, mocked, beat the crap out of, and killed for it.  I don't know, but if there isn't something real to the reward of following Jesus, then why subject yourself to that?  And... if they were just making something up and they didn't actually see Jesus risen, then what kind of idiots were these guys?  

But apparently, and history proves it out.  They saw Him.  They were convinced.  No one could refute what they were witnesses to, and even though the powers that be tried to silence them they wouldn't shut up and people continued to put their trust in this crucified, risen carpenter who was the Son of God.  

And because of this love, the cost didn't matter so much... and we have benefited.  But they have too.

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