"Hit the ground running." I always thought that anyone who used this phrase was probably exaggerating and overstating it a little bit. Until today that is. Today, I hit the ground running. Literally.
My day started at 4.55am. I set my alarm to wake me so I could pray for my sister who was going to be at an appointement at 10.00am UK time (which is 5.00am my time..argh!) After 15 minutes of prayer in bed (which is never a good idea) I decided I would snooze for five more minutes before I got up to go running. I'd fallen behind on my run schedule, and needed to do a longer run this morning. 10km.
I set my internal snooze ( which is also never a good idea) closed my eyes...and fell asleep!
I awoke again at 5.30am in a panic and jumped out of bed. I ran while I put on my running clothes and then ran out of the door. My 10km had now changed to 8km due to my impromptu lie in.
It was a tough run this morning. Running alone in the dark is no fun. And certainly not when it's -15 degrees with 3cms of snow on the ground, repeating the same monotonous loop for personal safety.
An hour later I'd finished my run and arrived home just in time to wake the children up for school. Then it was time to make breakfast for 4, lunches for 4, take a quick shower and then get the children out of the door for school which begins at 8.00am.
After school drop off, I had a few errands to run, then back home to throw in a load of laundry, fold a load of laundry, clean up the breakfast bomb site and start preparations for supper.
At 9.30am I had to drive back to school and pick up Elliot and take him to the school hockey game, stopping at the sports store first to buy a new mouth guard.
I stayed for the first two periods of the hockey game, then had to leave to go and work in the Kindergarten room.
After work, I picked up Ethan and took him to see Elliots' second hockey game (yay we won.) Then it was home to finish making supper and take Ethan to his after school hockey practice.
Once hockey was over, we came home, hubby came home, we ate supper, and then I left to go to the church for a drama rehearsal.
I finally came home just before 9pm and was able to put the children to bed and say goodnight to them Phew, what a day. Time to stop. Stop running and be still.
I didn't need to go and tackle all the jobs that I didn't get done today, I needed to relax. My stress level was high and my energy level was low, so I decided to take a bath. Now, I'm not one who normally takes a bath, but my feet were throbbing, and I wanted to soak them. And since I was going to take a bath, then hey, why not go all the way, and cross off item # 28 on my
to do list.
So the scene was set. Steaming hot bath, smelly bath products from Christmas, candles and the portable CD player.
I selected a CD of instrumental hymns.Tonight I didn't want words or noise, just peace and quiet. I pressed the play button and submerged myself below the fragrant foam. Ahhh...
As the familiar hymn music played, I sang along wordlessly. I felt as though the beautiful, God inspired lyrics were cleansing my inner being as the bath water was cleansing my body.
When track # 4 came on, I couldn't help but smile. "It Is Well With My Soul." How funny that now, since I've been blogging about my feet, that that's what I think about, when I hear the word soul. So I asked myself... "When peace like a river attendeth my way...When sorrows like sea billows roll...Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say...It is well, it is well, with my soul..."
Is it well? Yes, despite everything that awaits me, when the bath water grows cold...it IS well with my soul. God IS very present in my life every single day, through mountains and valleys, good and bad, ups and downs. He is my peace on the calm days and on days when I hit the ground running.
I also rubbed the bottom of my feet together. Very smooth. Yes, it is well with my soles.
