The Red Truck

This morning I went running with my hubby, the track athlete who can run with ease. I felt like the biggest loser contestant going through their first workout. Yes I was totally vulnerable, tired, and hearing the ugly voice in my head. At one point I was crying wondering if I can ever beat the voice (hence the comparison to the biggest loser). I joked with him, "Didn't know you were running with a biggest loser contestant today did you?" He replied, "Don't worry, I'm your Bob!" I giggled and then of course teared up and said, "Good I don't think I could handle Jillian this morning!"

We ran and I found my give up point. A give a point is the point you stop at, no matter how you feel, you know that you stop there, and you do not push any further. My give up point was a Red Truck. I would like to say it was a dirty, old, beat up, nasty, truck but alas it was a new, clean, nice, one. But I hated seeing it all the same, because my mind would tell me to stop there. Luckily my husband after the first time, caught on. So the second time he told me I needed to go further. So I ran and he gave me my stopping point. The last time we ran, I wanted to stop before the red truck, give in, wave the white flag, surrender. I slowed for a minute, and then pushed again. I wasn't going to let the RED TRUCK beat me. With everything I had I pushed through, and went further than my hubby's designated stopping point.

And then the miracle happened. I knew I had pleased my Heavenly Father, and He rewarded me a miracle moment. Which led to more crying!

We all have our Red Trucks, our give in point, with the trials we face. We find our strength when we push past the Truck and keep fighting. And when we have given all that we have, the Savior swoops in and carries us the rest of the way. So fight a little harder, push a little longer, and beat that OLD RED TRUCK!

Love this Poem!

The Oak Tree
by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A mighty wind blew night and day,
It stole the oak tree's leaves away.
Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark
Until the oak was tired and stark.
But still the oak tree held its ground
While other trees fell all around....
The weary wind gave up and spoke,
"How can you still be standing, Oak?"
The oak tree said,
"I know that you can break each branch of mine in two,
carry every leaf away,
Shake my limbs, and make me sway.
But I have roots stretched in the earth,
Growing stronger since my birth.
You'll never touch them, for you see,
They are the deepest part of me.
Until today, I wasn't sure,
Of just how much I could endure.
But now I've found, with thanks to you,

I’m so much stronger than I ever knew.”