Race Number 19
This post is going to be different. It is not intended to be funny or clever. It is about a race that was run in which a father (me) reflects on and honors his two sons and prays for them nearly every step of the way, not caring much about his stride, his cadence or his breathing patterns. This race was a race about memories, pride and hope. My time was not great and my breathing was not smooth because my breathing was often interrupted by tears and choking back my personal joy as I pondered Cameron and Morgan's lives to this point.
Cameron graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law last weekend (the 113th commencement). He ranked in the top 15% of the class in a law school ranked 32nd in the nation and 7th in a twenty-eight state region including the Rockies, Mid-West and the South. He has already secured a clerkship with a Denver District Court Judge that may pave his way into any litigation firm or public defenders office he chooses to apply to in a year or two. Criminal law seems to be his direction at this moment. His intellect confounds me!
Morgan, at 24, is married to a beautiful woman, Amanda, and they have blessed themselves and our family with a gorgeous grand baby, Alexis Lily. Morgan’s compassion, kindness and care show everyday in his work (at JA), his nurturing of Alexis and his deep love to and for Amanda. I am positive we could all learn a lot just watching Morgan pour his life into both of his girls. I KNOW our Lord is also, very proud of him.
Through the race, I reflected back to their adoptions in Guatemala and California. I contemplated what would have become of them; where would they be?.... what would their lives have been like if we had not adopted them? Yet, what smacked me in the head at mile 5 was, “What would our lives have been like without them?” I could not consider that thought but a moment. It caused me deep emotional pain and really started messing up my race. Their adoptions were not about us “saving” them; it was about fulfilling God’s plan for their lives. We were willing stewards who were chosen, (for some reason), to make sure the plan stayed the course.
The race became nothing more than a setting to pray and be thankful for the boys. My time of 2:17:19 meant nothing to me as I ran in a cloud of memories and emotions. I understand there were about 3,000 runners in this race . I am not sure I noticed any of them (except my friend, Kelly Grable who ran with me a couple of miles, then darted into the blue). I was too high on a pride-induced euphoria. "Blessed" describes it all.
I am proud to say that I think Cameron and Morgan have learned that life is a gift from our creator. What they do with their lives is their gift back to our creator. They have done very, very well up to this point.
Next race: Maybe (or maybe not) Steamboat, Colorado on June 1st. About 8,500 feet but a slow decline to the finish.
Cameron graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law last weekend (the 113th commencement). He ranked in the top 15% of the class in a law school ranked 32nd in the nation and 7th in a twenty-eight state region including the Rockies, Mid-West and the South. He has already secured a clerkship with a Denver District Court Judge that may pave his way into any litigation firm or public defenders office he chooses to apply to in a year or two. Criminal law seems to be his direction at this moment. His intellect confounds me!
Morgan, at 24, is married to a beautiful woman, Amanda, and they have blessed themselves and our family with a gorgeous grand baby, Alexis Lily. Morgan’s compassion, kindness and care show everyday in his work (at JA), his nurturing of Alexis and his deep love to and for Amanda. I am positive we could all learn a lot just watching Morgan pour his life into both of his girls. I KNOW our Lord is also, very proud of him.
Through the race, I reflected back to their adoptions in Guatemala and California. I contemplated what would have become of them; where would they be?.... what would their lives have been like if we had not adopted them? Yet, what smacked me in the head at mile 5 was, “What would our lives have been like without them?” I could not consider that thought but a moment. It caused me deep emotional pain and really started messing up my race. Their adoptions were not about us “saving” them; it was about fulfilling God’s plan for their lives. We were willing stewards who were chosen, (for some reason), to make sure the plan stayed the course.
The race became nothing more than a setting to pray and be thankful for the boys. My time of 2:17:19 meant nothing to me as I ran in a cloud of memories and emotions. I understand there were about 3,000 runners in this race . I am not sure I noticed any of them (except my friend, Kelly Grable who ran with me a couple of miles, then darted into the blue). I was too high on a pride-induced euphoria. "Blessed" describes it all.
I am proud to say that I think Cameron and Morgan have learned that life is a gift from our creator. What they do with their lives is their gift back to our creator. They have done very, very well up to this point.
Next race: Maybe (or maybe not) Steamboat, Colorado on June 1st. About 8,500 feet but a slow decline to the finish.
BTW: I came in FIRST place in my age division at the Nike 5K race in Denver on May 4th. I ran it in honor of my dad who was born on the same date and passed in 1997.
