Today marks the beginning of the holiest of days ahead.  It is Holy Thursday, a day christians reflect on the things Christ did as he prepared for his death on the cross.  It is a solemn day in the christian community.  Or it should be.  I say this as I pack my family for a vacation that involves heading to the beach.  I have filled my days with busy-ness this week... laundry, errands, cleaning.  I have tried to reflect on the meaning of Lenten season, but have had a really hard time focusing on the significance of it all.  I have spent the past two weeks fighting feelings of anxiety over not being able to run the miles needed as I wrap up training for the Pig.  That has become the constant thought in the back (ok, fine... front) of my mind.  Not the anxiety of Jesus as he was well aware of what was waiting for him.   My morning prayers usually consist of asking for complete release of this tight and cramped up muscle in my right leg, rather than asking for patience and complete trust that things will work out the way they are meant to.  I need to be reminded that they always do, whether I see it or not.   As I entered Lent, the focus of my prayers was Christ and the humble gratitude I felt for what he did.  As Lent wraps up, the shift has gone to Kate and the fact that she is not running like she wants to be.   It is not something I'm proud of myself for, but it is something I recognize and that recognition is by no means coincidence.  In a flurry of days where my prayers stemmed from frustration, there was the awareness that I was not focusing on the right things.  At one point, I quieted my mind and asked God to help change that.  I was sincere and unhurried and totally present during that time.  What a timely morning for God to answer me.

May you focus on the importance of the season.   Run with gratitude.  Run with humility.

Have a blessed Easter.