People are important. Family, friends it seems obvious; it seems like there should be a more elegant way to say it, but bottom line is we need people around us. People to pick us up when things don’t roll our way, people to help us see the bigger picture, add perspective, and get back on our feet when we fall flat on our back.
This weekend I had the amazing opportunity to compete in the West Region cross country championships, in Eugene Oregon. There really isn’t words to describe this meet. Until you witness the insanity, you really cannot understand. The first major sign you see when leaving the Eugene airport reads, “Welcome to Track Town USA” and it truly is. The cross country course is held on a small portion of the Springfield golf course, being such a tiny venue it is extremely intimate. Fans line nearly the entire course 4 to 5 people deep, all screaming at the top of their lungs, or beating some loud inanimate object. It was all so much. I cant put my finger on exactly what it was, but it knocked me off my feet and I hit the ground hard. After training for 22 weeks, running 2,500 miles this summer, and changing my lifestyle in many ways all for this very weekend, to run terrible was extremely frustrating and defeating. When so much is invested it is hard to get back on your feet, sometimes laying in defeat seems easier.
I was down, really down, when I called my dad. He wasn’t though, he had a different perspective, he saw things to salvage, he saw good, in what I thought was all just terrible. My dad had words to frame the day and put everything in perspective. My mom was there, with a warm, “It’s okay”, I needed to hear that. It was not only my parents, but other people around me, who truly lifted me back up. Mrs. Hall had story after story when it didn’t roll her son’s ways; Mr. Hall taught me so many things from what I thought was nothing. When I was down I needed all of their perspectives, I needed their hands to help pull me up, and help me get back on my feet. We all need those people, family, friends; we need people around us, don’t ever take this for granted, don’t ever think you can just do it alone.
“I turned my head and saw yet another wisp of smoke on its way to nothingness: a solitary person, completely alone—no children, no family, no friends—yet working obsessively late into the night, compulsively greedy for more and more, never bothering to ask, "Why am I working like a dog, never having any fun? And who cares?" More smoke. A bad business.”
-Ecclesiastes 7-8
Monday morning I headed out the door on another run gearing up for Indoor Track season, not defeated but excited for what was next; a perspective those around me help me come to.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Patrick Paegel
I find it interesting, how moments of inspiration often come at the most inopportune moments. I have spent many hour the last month muling over ideas in my mind trying to discover something to write about, yet my muse has been silent until now. Unfortunately, right now is the evening before my Anthropology mid term , which I am by no means prepared for, interesting.
I was flipping through my itunes recently and stubbled upon an artist who’s story has illustrated a principle I have always heard spoken, but not as often lived out. This summer while I was in Mammoth with the cross country team I had the opportunity to meet some very inspiring people; athletes, coaches, and runners who I learned so much from, by simply having the opportunity to get to be around. Being apart of this God-fearing hard charging community for even just a little was an amazing privilege but the person I left wanting to model my life after the most was the express checker at vons. His name is Patrick Paegel and along with being an express lane checker, is an anointed worship leader and aspiring Christian artist. His goal is to make it in the “industry” however it is not easy, his music video for his semi-hit single “Find Me Pure”, has less then 5,000 views, he often travels between L.A. and mammoth in order to be apart of the two communities he is rooted in, home and his music. I had the opportunity to meet him as he donned his vons apron, yet he was all smiles, extremely grateful for the job he had,even though it was not the one he truly wanted. I was told he would almost always cover shifts, work the tough shifts no-one wanted and was a model employee. Patrick believes God has called him to be a worship leader, and to the music industry and there he was checking me out with a smile so genuine it truly cheered me up.
I don't think I could do it. I don’t know if I have the patience, the faith, the trust, in short anything to truly wait on God like that. God has a plan for everyone of our lives, but God’s plan is usually not the smoothest or the simplest. There Patrick was ringing up costumer after costumer and patiently waiting on the Lord, knowing he is doing what God has called him to do at the moment. I want to be like Patrick someday, patiently waiting on the Lord, even if that means ringing-up groceries.
I spent just as long as it took me to write this blog, trying to embed the video but for the life of me it wont work! Please take the time to watch the video.
I was flipping through my itunes recently and stubbled upon an artist who’s story has illustrated a principle I have always heard spoken, but not as often lived out. This summer while I was in Mammoth with the cross country team I had the opportunity to meet some very inspiring people; athletes, coaches, and runners who I learned so much from, by simply having the opportunity to get to be around. Being apart of this God-fearing hard charging community for even just a little was an amazing privilege but the person I left wanting to model my life after the most was the express checker at vons. His name is Patrick Paegel and along with being an express lane checker, is an anointed worship leader and aspiring Christian artist. His goal is to make it in the “industry” however it is not easy, his music video for his semi-hit single “Find Me Pure”, has less then 5,000 views, he often travels between L.A. and mammoth in order to be apart of the two communities he is rooted in, home and his music. I had the opportunity to meet him as he donned his vons apron, yet he was all smiles, extremely grateful for the job he had,even though it was not the one he truly wanted. I was told he would almost always cover shifts, work the tough shifts no-one wanted and was a model employee. Patrick believes God has called him to be a worship leader, and to the music industry and there he was checking me out with a smile so genuine it truly cheered me up.
I don't think I could do it. I don’t know if I have the patience, the faith, the trust, in short anything to truly wait on God like that. God has a plan for everyone of our lives, but God’s plan is usually not the smoothest or the simplest. There Patrick was ringing up costumer after costumer and patiently waiting on the Lord, knowing he is doing what God has called him to do at the moment. I want to be like Patrick someday, patiently waiting on the Lord, even if that means ringing-up groceries.
I spent just as long as it took me to write this blog, trying to embed the video but for the life of me it wont work! Please take the time to watch the video.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)