Shoes Before Glory

Today I went on a run around a new part of my neighborhood. I love running and am often motivated by my desire to get outside and be inspired, to have an adventure*. But this doesn't happen automatically. It's rarely convenient to go running. The essence of exercise is pain, exerting oneself to make one stronger. It would be much easier if I just set a regular time or if I had someone to run with because then the "yes" would be made for me. I have an inner dilemma almost every time. What if I were to wait a little longer until things warm up? I'm too hungry to run, I'll eat first. I just ate, I'll wait a little longer. I just showered, so I don't want to have to shower again.

BRENDAN, just GO!

So this morning I just put on my shoes, got out the door and I loved it. The leaves on the sidewalk were damp with the morning fog.

I have never been great at doing my homework. I distinctly remember the first homework assignment I decided to not complete on purpose. It was The Odyssey in my freshman English class. From then on in all of my education, even through my master's degree, I rarely did my homework assignments. I am not proud of this. I do not recommend this. I think I thought I was beating the system, that I could
avoid homework and still do well in class, but the only person I was cheating was myself. In the end I walked away from my education having absorbed much less than I could have.

This week I left some things undone. I had papers I needed to file, I needed to handle some insurance things, I had a project lying around undone, among other things. I have a tendency to just walk by these tasks looking for more significant things to occupy my time. Laziness is what it is. And I hate that part of myself. It's the part that avoids doing hard and mundane things in favor of seeking more exciting things. It's the part of me that needs to die.

So tonight I just buckled down and got to work. I felt like I was saying yes to a long and laborious night. But you know, it only took me about thirty minutes, and I actually enjoyed it**. Ha! What was the big deal?! I feel foolish for how much despair it caused me. How loudly and painfully that voice of laziness complains about nothing. I hate it! It tempts me to chase "higher things" (significance and inspiration) and it tells me the daily chore is standing in my way. But no inspiration comes without a buy-in, no "higher thing" comes for free. My homework comes before my learning, my shoes go on before my glorious run, my hands get dirty before I am useful.  So instead of avoiding, I can enter into the tasks in front of me with joy knowing they are God-provided opportunities to learn humility, patience, and obedience.



*I owe much of the kindling of my adventurous spirit to my dad and to Jono. I have amazing stories of my family's trip through Europe, which was led by my dad's unique combination of planning awesome experiences and improvising. One time before cell phones, we all got on a train across Europe with our luggage and my dad got off to get donuts for us. The train left. Guess what happened.
Jono has been my best friend since I was a kid and he has always been an inspiration for adventure. He is the one who suggested running through new parts of my neighborhood, although that hardly scratches the surface of his adventurous potential. We share many crazy stories that I am sure will be included in this blog at some point or other.

**As I write this, I am reminded of how often my mom would tell me this as I whined about doing some chore. Now she is probably like, "Look who know's so much! That's what I've been trying to get in your head since you were a kid!"