A gift for my son

I am not going to fill this blog with running stories... but I just have to share this because it is humbling yet shows how awesome our God is.

Now I have shared many times how old I am only because it makes the stories more understandable... So yes I am 40 which puts me into another category in the running world. I am now a "Master" which basically means you're old and they want to give you a medal for still getting out their and attempting to run fast. Well, I have run 4 races this years and I have won only one, but all three of the other ones I won money... only because I am 40 and am now a "masters runner".

At one of the races and old coach friend of mine who helps put on a number of these races emailed me about a number of races where I might could win some "masters" money. So I have jumped in a few, and today was one of them. Today, though, was a serious race with women being flown in from all over the country coming to run this race. It was called the "Women's Only 5k" and was a fund raiser for breast cancer. The winner of this race won $1,250 and there was money up to 5th place. I knew I was not in the running for that, but there was also money for the top 3 masters runners ($750 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, and $250 for 3rd), and last year there was one great runner, but the next three runners were pretty slow.

So my sweet husband who loves to cheer me on when I run, helped get all our kids up and dressed by 6:30am, threw them in the car and drove me and our 4 kids for 1 &1/2 hours to get to this road race... knowing that he would have to chase kids for the next 2-3 hours.

Well, still recovering from a strange virus I got and then dehydration, I went out too fast and did not run a blazing time, but when all was said and done, I was the 3rd Masters runner across the line, which meant I won $250. I have never won that kind of money in a race. I knew there were at least two ladies who looked like masters runners in front of me, but when my husband went and checked the race results and saw that I did get 3rd and was in the money, I cried.

Even typing this it makes me cry... I'm not really sure why... I guess because I really am not running good times compared to last year, and the next two ladies across the line after me were masters runners... but more importantly my 6 year old's birthday is next week and we did not have any money to throw him a party or get him a present. I am still struggling to get back into running after being sick I could very easily not have been in the money... but God chose for me to be the 3rd masters. The only reason I went to this race was because I wanted to win some money for my son's birthday and I knew it was a gamble... I even had to pay $30 to enter the race.

There are children starving and sick and dying, and people dying and going to hell who have never heard the gospel, and my God cared about me wanting to bless my son with a party where he could invite his friends and buy him a gift.

I don't know why He cares about the little things... but He does...