FLYING

Sister Sledge 'We Are Family'

This morning while rounding the bend of 3 miles in a 6 mile run, the song 'We Are Family' came on. I was at the same place mentally, physically, & emotionally I seem to always pass through on my way to some place better. Please tell me you know what this sounds like.
“Is that right?!?!” looking at the stats of my run, “I'm only half done!?? I don’t know, I can’t see, there is sweat in my eyes! Up my nose and yes, finding drainage into my mouth! I could blow a limb….. RIGHT OFF MY BODY!" BUT (and this is an amazing thing for me) I love the challenge! Not for the same old reason, to get skinny, but because (and I really had to think about this), it's because of the misery and then the joy the bitter and then the sweet, the good vs. evil of it all; (at least I think that's what it is). So, from somewhere, ANYWHERE! I’m looking for that “second wind”. Sometimes it comes relatively easy but THAT is the exception to the rule, and happily, the exception to the rule is what I so enjoyed this morning!
The lyrics go like this, "We are family, I got all my sisters with me." So naturally, I start to think about my sisters and sister in laws, and their amazingness (made-up word in solidarity with Melissa) and I thought about all the things I love about each of them.

Everyone knows Lindsey IS the nicest sister, need I say more? Yes, I must. She will laugh at your stupid jokes, love your stupid hair, and your big behind.......she won’t even notice in those way cute jeans. She is a girlfriend to every girl, even to my teenagers, (true of all my sisters). MaRea would give you the shirt off her back, even if she got an amazing deal on it. Her heart is as true as the day is long, making her a closet liberal. I love the way she loves! Angie can relate with old men and little kids without a noticeable gear change. She is bright in all the ways you can think to use that word. Melissa moves through her life like an Olympic speed skater, long, strong & purposeful strides, she really moves! (not just physically), I just love to watch. Nicole has an incredibly tender heart, finding that tenderness makes you the luckiest, because you will never find a more loyal and dear friend. Karen is just 18 month younger than me, but she has always been 2 step ahead of me and it has been a source of frustration all my life, up-n-till now! Not because I'm catching up, I'v given up that lost race. I think, it's because I'v stopped chasing and started watching, and wow what a view! She bounds through life with a butterfly net catching amazing things, how fun is that!!!! You know if you have spent any time with her! Shari, better known as Shar by the luckiest man in the family, has a gift for drawing into her arms anyone who will let her enjoy them, who can resist? not anyone I know. Tera, posted on her blog a beautiful tribute to her mom saying " She has always chosen patience over intolerance, calmness over sass, looks of praise over distance and consistency over swats" end quote. The amazing thing is, those are words I would choose to describe Tera. She has an amazing clarity about where she wants to live her life. Laura; I have a pair of running shoes on the floor in my bathroom, and every time I walk past them, I feel something a kin to how I feel about seeing my scriptures open with a recent OH YA!!!! still lingering there on the pages. I remember the joy of that mornings run, and a certain sister who helped me find the PERFECT running shoes and the attitude that has to go with them, in order to find the joy there in the soles! (This morning; 6 miles in under 60 minutes!!!!)

In my circle of sisters my mom is always there. She flows through all of us in ways I have no words for, and my daughters are turning up there, more and more often, and they are listening and learning from the best!

So, you know the rest of the story, as I start thinking about these amazing people and how blessed I am....... my chest and head rise, my pace picks up and the rhythm of my run changes. My heart wasn't beating just from the demands of my quads, but from something so much more inspired, I wanted so much for them, the best of what they wanted, I prayed with my whole soul for their righteous desires, and that at lest on that day, they would feel the love of God for them. I was working from my core! No....... IT WAS MORE LIKE FLYING!