Jogging in the Fall

This is Portland in autumn--blessed, blessed Portland. I admit that it still takes a bit to get me out jogging 3-5 times per week, but how I love the sunshine and crisp air when I start out, breaking into a rhythm with my ipod as my feet almost magically spin in circles, carting my body onward, ever onward. I loved jogging in Botswana more than any other time in my life, including now, but this day brought me back to those blessed days, too.

Confession: I generally end my runs with David Archuletta's "Touch My Hand"--if you know the song, it's cheeseball, but one time my cousin Kayleen told me the song reminded her of me and T, and since then, I just picture scenes from our lives together as I do that last little push to the finish.

Today I decided to climb one more hill after David's song ended. "Joy to the World" started playing--I laughed to myself and thought I should just turn it off, Christmas is still two months away :) But I was jogging uphill--I didn't want to stop to fiddle with my ipod--and then the clear, forceful, redeeming words rested on me as I fought my good fight-- "and wonders of His love", repeating again and again. I stopped jogging and started dancing. I promise I've not lost all of my senses (yet) but I also promise that I must have been a dancer before this life--when I feel the greatest bouts of joy, I just dance. My sister Lacey might remember me jumping/dancing around our living room a time or two, but for the most part, this is a private affair, me praising the Lord with dance.

I hope I can keep this feeling in my heart today, my sometimes sad and sometimes lonely and sometimes selfish and sometimes hardened and self-pitying heart--the wonders of His love.