Today truly is “Windsday”…

“Jarvis’ never give up.”  That’s been one of our family mottos from the time the kids were tiny. It’s what we’d say when they faced difficulty in school or sports or commitment to something.  And it’s funny, but that’s exactly what went through my mind this morning when I was running…

Before I even opened my eyes to welcome the new day, I could hear the wind howling outside my windows.  Everything in me wanted to stay under my cozy covers in my comfy bed.  Right where I would be safe from the wind and the cold and from exercise of any kind!  But duty called and I answered…through a moan and a grumble.

As I headed out, sweatshirt hood pulled tightly over my baseball cap, I could feel the wind blowing its threats at me.   To slow me down and make me head back home, defeated.  To keep me from moving forward in my goal of going further and faster.  To just irritate and frustrate me enough give up.  But, “Jarvis’ never give up.”  And so on I went.

Because I run a 1.1 mile loop in our neighborhood, I felt the wind from different angles.  When I began, I was running into the wind.  I could feel its pressure against me, telling me to turn back.  It was strong and loud.  But there was something inside of me that was a little stronger and a little louder, encouraging me to press into the wind, not run away from it.  My heart and my body could feel the extra effort needed to push forward against the wall of resistance.

As I rounded the first corner, I felt something I had never really experienced before.  The wind coming at me from the side.  It threatened to throw me off balance and push me off the sidewalk.  I didn’t see it coming and it threw me off a bit.  As I ran forward, it seemed to put a pressure on me that affected my equilibrium.  Running perpendicular to the wind, I fought to stay focused on the path right in front of me.

Fortunately, another curve was ahead, which again changed the direction of my course.  And now that same wind was at my back, virtually pushing me along my way.  Running felt almost effortless.  The wind and I seemed to be playing for the same team, suddenly.  It was invigorating and made me want to keep going.

But of course, around the next bend, my direction changed once again and the wind was no longer my partner, but my foe.  And so continued the pattern.  Times of running against the wind, of  running in spite of the side wind and running with the wind at my back.

Isn’t life like that?  There are times when the wind of life is coming straight at us, trying to defeat us and make us stop what we’re doing or turn back.  Those difficulties of life that seem to impede our progress and make us want to give up.  The effort to fight that “in your face” wind seems too great and requires too much strength and energy to move past.

And then there’s the side wind that seems to hit us out of nowhere.  Those unexpected, never before experienced, type things that throw us off because we didn’t see it coming.  We lose our balance a bit and have to make a concerted effort to stay on the course.

But there are also times when we feel the wind at our back.  Times when life is good and things are going our way, where it’s easy to keep going because we feel the momentum of the wind working with and not against us.  Where we experience the joy of the journey itself – where the path is clear and the way is unobstructed.

Life.  It is constantly changing.  Different seasons bring different winds.  From gentle breezes to stormy gales.  Sometimes against us, sometimes propelling us.  And as our direction changes within those seasonal and ever-changing winds, we experience the good, the bad and the ugly.  And each day we make the choice to run regardless of its direction or pattern.  To stay on course and move forward in spite of circumstances, difficulties or disappointments.

We are not running alone.  We are hand in hand with the One who once stopped the wind and calmed the storm for His friends.  He is bigger than any wind.  He can still tame the wind and change its direction.  When we must face the wind head on He will hold us through it and will be our strength against it.  And when, out of nowhere, it hits us from the side, He will squeeze our hand a little tighter to let us know He is still there and will help us keep our balance.

But when the wind is at our backs, He will sing with us on the path, and enjoy our sense of rejuvenation and inspiration and motivation to keep going.  A second wind.  A fresh perspective and renewed strength.

I don’t know what tomorrow’s run will look like.  I don’t know if there will be wind or which way it will be blowing.  But I will choose to run regardless.  “Jarvis’ never give up.”  And may I run at and with life the same way…

Mark 4:35-40 – As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.  Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”