Friday, March 11, 2011
LOVE STRONG {thoughts from a mom of quads}
I've been thinking about Dick Hoyt again lately. He and his son, as Team Hoyt, are among my favorite heroes on this earth. I had the great blessing of hearing Mr. Hoyt speak in Denver a couple of years ago. This is a man, who at the age of 37, began his journey as an athlete, along with Rick. Rick has experienced countless miles at the hands (and legs) of his father...all because after completing their first race together, he told his father “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” That was the start of something that is gut wrenchingly beautiful to me. To give his son that feeling over and over, Dick began to train with the fervor of an Olympic athlete, to prepare to enter more races, including multiple Ironman Triathlons (2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and a 26.2-mile run). Just counting their number of triathlons alone: 238! I am awed by this and by what they have done together with the lives they have been given...no whining, no excuses, and no quitting. The video footage of Dick swimming through ocean waves, pulling Rick behind him, just reaches into my soul and grips me like a vice. Is there anything more powerful and life changing than this kind of love?!
As I sat there, I wanted so much to ask him, "Where does love and strength like yours come from?" "Where did you learn it and can I learn it too?" I want that! I've never witnessed a love like so strong. A lot of us will only give up so much comfort to give joy to another soul, although any mom I know would take a bullet for her child! A love that would drive you to run, swim, and bike for miles on end, though, must be simply God given. This is love of heroic proportions and I believe it is truly supernatural and is a wonderful glimpse of Jesus'. Dick Hoyt becomes stronger every time he and Rick venture out to train or run another race. He is a living picture of how God must love us...and how He carries us in the times can no longer move forward.
I've wondered often about the ways we grow stronger in this life. It's sometimes like the tempering of steel. God isn't just toying with us, sending trial after trial to see how much we can survive. There is purpose in any heart ache. The process of tempering steel-making it as strong as possible-is a detailed, exact science and art. I am finally accepting that trials are a gift to my soul if I let them be. We can be strengthened by the heat of each trial we face. I think of how often I have just tried to jump out of the way to dodge a trial. I want to be the kind of girl who is willing to face the hard training so I can be stronger for the race. Sometimes it just feels too painful. Just when we think we cannot go on any longer, we are plunged into cool water, just like steel, and have a respite from the heat. We are never left in the heat too long even if it feels like forever! It takes a certain amount of time in the fire to burn off the unwanted elements that make steel weak and brittle. I know now that I must just endure the heat and trust in the process, knowing that God's eyes never leave me.
You can follow Jami's special brand of chaos on her blog "Moms Flight School", where she uses the written word as a cathartic process for trying to one day let go of her "babies". Having them become "mature", independant, and "cool" all at once has proven to be a bit traumatic at times. Her blog is documenting her kids' last 4 years at home. "Empty Nest" is a much dreaded milestone for Jami...her husband, on the other hand, gets a little bit giddy when he imagines it!
***EMM knows not all of our readers share the same spiritual beliefs, but we hope everyone can read this and appreciate the the message of love, hope and sacrifice.***
I've wondered often about the ways we grow stronger in this life. It's sometimes like the tempering of steel. God isn't just toying with us, sending trial after trial to see how much we can survive. There is purpose in any heart ache. The process of tempering steel-making it as strong as possible-is a detailed, exact science and art. I am finally accepting that trials are a gift to my soul if I let them be. We can be strengthened by the heat of each trial we face. I think of how often I have just tried to jump out of the way to dodge a trial. I want to be the kind of girl who is willing to face the hard training so I can be stronger for the race. Sometimes it just feels too painful. Just when we think we cannot go on any longer, we are plunged into cool water, just like steel, and have a respite from the heat. We are never left in the heat too long even if it feels like forever! It takes a certain amount of time in the fire to burn off the unwanted elements that make steel weak and brittle. I know now that I must just endure the heat and trust in the process, knowing that God's eyes never leave me.
{Have you ever gone through anything that you knew you couldn't get through in your own strength?? Who stepped in to help??}
***EMM knows not all of our readers share the same spiritual beliefs, but we hope everyone can read this and appreciate the the message of love, hope and sacrifice.***
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2 comments:
Beautifully written. Thank you for this today. ;)
Thanks Jami, for your encouraging words! "We are never left out in the heat too long ... " so true. You are a gifted writer, girl!
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