March 25 1989

1988

Engaged!

To Be Completed
Antidote to Self Pity:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.
Phil. 2:3-4

"Self" Pity

Sin of sins against Thee,
King of kings and Lord of lords;
Sin of discontent,
Slander of Thee,
Signal Shepherd,
Slain Savior.
Sin of wrong centeredness,
Sin of such choice
Silencing the Spirit's voice.
Sin's slough--
Cleanse me, Father God,
Clear my eyes of
So I focus
On rather than against Thee,
On rather than against Thy Christ,
On rather than against Thy Spirit.
Oh wretch that I ought to be--
Self directed rather than toward Thee!

Marathon



The Los Angeles Marathon was run recently. My husband likes to remember when a now mutual friend ran in the Chicago Marathon in 1977. While said friend no longer competes in that event, he is an example to us of how prepared we always need to be and to be becoming in the race of life.



The Marathon

The marathon of life is such we must always be in training,
Ready ourselves for pacing ourselves rather sun shines or it is raining,
Alert to our course, its length, obstacles, and wearying places,
We turn as we run to the one true God, asking humbly His graces.
The race can be grueling, exhilarating, with stumbles and falls,
Wounds and solitude, windless moments and crowds, all
Part of the course of the marathon, part of the course assigned,
And some run before and some beside and some behind,
But One runs at each side to encourage, to uphold, to cause to win the gold,
One our strength, One our wisdom, One for whom we run and uphold.

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us [ESV]