Parenting and Jogging - Progress

 

So about three months into my training, it all suddenly got easier. The pains in my legs dulled, my breathing become regular and easy and my recovery time was dramatically shortened.

 

My muscles firmed a little and my feet were now comfortable in proper running shoes and no longer ached afterwards. My times were gradually (very gradually) decreasing. I was meeting my goals to increase the kilometres ran each month and I was feeling strong.

 

This progress was incredibly motivating. I started to look forward to each run, and felt a little sad on the rest days as I was keen to have another chance to stretch the run and improve my times.

 

I was experiencing the tangible results of all the hard work.

 

It was finally fun!

 

Parenting is similar. In those early years there is so much hard work to do. Laying the foundation of self-control and obedience is the focus of those very long days. Each day seems very similar to the one before, and there are many tears and heartaches along the way.

 

Gradually however, buds of fruit emerge. Room play is no longer the huge battle it was. Outside play is calm and pleasant, bath time is without tears and bed time eases gently into sleep.

 

You reap what you have sown.

 

You reap slowly, bit by bit.

 

You reap in the next season.

 

It takes time.

 

Enjoy the fruit.   

 

 

 

 

 

Parenting and Jogging - Community

 

Our Christmas holiday house was right across the raod from a very long beach. Along the water each morning and evening there would be hundreds of people jogging and walking.

 

Most of the runners were super tanned and super fit. I would see more six packs in an hour than I see all year! One guy had such defined muscles all over his body that at first glance I thought he was wearing a plastic muscle suit!

 

It was so fun to run with other people who also enjoy it. Simply being on the same path gave me a sense of belonging and affirmation. There was a feeling of purpose and achievement that was quite pleasing.

 

Although we were each jogging at our own pace, for our own distance, for our own goal; collectively we were the same in terms of chosen exercise and the importance we placed on that.

 

I came away from that week inspired to keep running. Just knowing that there were others who were also doing their bit in their corner of the world was a motivation to keep moving.

 

Likewise in my parenting journey, I am motivated and inspired by gatherings of like-minded families. Spending a weekend with those who are also intentional in their parenting, who set goals for their children and who have a clear idea of what they would like the finish line to be characterised by is inspiring.

 

It is a privilege to learn from those who are walking ahead of me and to encourage those walking behind to keep going.

 

Monthly meetings with other mums can provide a lot of the practical how-to’s for everyday life. These meetings can also be enriching for the children as they play and grow together.

 

A community can keep you on the road during the hard times, and is a refreshing interlude along your parenting journey. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parenting and Jogging - Encouragement

 

 

 

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So, in those early weeks of running, the family dinner conversation would often turn to the plans Emily and I had set.

Emily would express her doubts.

“It’s such a long way to run.”

“We will be racing with people who have spent years running.”

“We will have to get up sooo early to race.”

“Maybe they will close the course before we finish, if our pace is too slow.”

Do you think a 10 km race would be more realistic to aim for?”
 

However, when we were actually running, she was a huge encourager.

“You are doing great, mum!”

“That’s it, just keep going.”

“You can do it!”

“We are almost there, just one more corner!’
 

When I was sitting in my lounge room, I felt supremely confident that I could accomplish my goal. I was excited and motivated and enjoyed planning out my program. The doubts of others were easily countered.
 

When I was actually running however, my confidence would wane. I was in pain, my muscles hurt, it was a struggle to breathe and I was barely finishing one lap (out of my final goal of 8 laps).

I needed the encouragement in the midst of the hard work.

 

In the midst of the struggle.

 

In the midst of the pain.

Likewise with my parenting. it is in the hard moments that encouragement and  friendship is most appreciated.

And needed.

 

 

Parenting and Jogging - Pain

 

 

Ouch!

 

Aargh!

 

Oohh!

 

Oh the pain!!

 

Those first few runs were painful.

 

Very painful.

 

Every step hurt. Every breath was laboured. Every muscled ached. I hurt in places I didn’t know even had muscles. It was not fun.

 

Did I think about giving up?

 

No.

 

When I make a decision I see it through. I knew pain was part of the process. Before the pain hit, I had determined to see it through.

 

It was worth it.

 

My goal was in front of me.

 

Were you expecting the pain of parenting?

 

Parenting with intent, with a goal in view, will involve pain. Your child will give you pain, others will give you pain, and you yourself will feel the pain of bad judgements or simply bad, grumpy, horrible, ugly days.

 

Do we give up?

 

No.

 

It will be worth it.

 

Keep your goal in front of you.

 

 

 

 

Parenting and Jogging - Observers

 

So I either run early in the morning or after 6 in the evening, when it has cooled down a little.

 

I get a variety of reactions from other people.

 

A few people smile and say hello.

 

They see what I am doing and see it as a worthwhile thing to be doing. These people are walking or running too.

 

A few people just stare or frown.

 

They think I am crazy to be running around and around the same streets three times a week. These people are sitting or standing on their front lawns.

 

Most people simply don’t know that I am running.

 

They are inside their homes eating or sleeping or relaxing. Or they are out and about working and doing their own things.

 

They don’t care that I am running or that I have a goal.

 

This is so true of parenting too.

 

A few other parents understand and are also parenting with intent. They too have a concrete goal for their precious wee ones.

 

A few other parents simply disapprove or don’t understand the way I parent. They evaluate and judge on the moment, rather than from the perspective of a long range goal.

 

Most other parents simply don’t know or care how I am parenting.

 

This realisation has been quite liberating. I enjoy journeying with those who are on the same path. I can listen but not be surprised when parents on a different journey comment or criticise, knowing they don’t have the big picture view.

 

Most of all, I accept that most others don’t ever see or know the labour of each day for each child, and that’s okay.

 

I parent for an audience of One.

 

 

 

Parenting and Jogging - The Destination

 

Well, I have caught the running bug.

 

I now run three times a week and just love it.

 

As I run, I have heaps of time to think and pray.

 

One of the topics I have been musing over is the parallels between running and parenting.

 

Both have a goal.

 

My running goal is to complete a half marathon sometime this year.

 

My parenting goal has been to raise responsible and morally responsive young adults.

 

Both require planning, hard work and commitment.

 

Neither of these goals will just happen.

 

Tears, sadness, pain and disappointment are evident along the journey.

 

Laughter, happiness, achievement and success are there too.

 

The weekly plan is part of a bigger picture. What I do this week is a step towards the destination.

 

I need to keep reminding myself ‘where’ am I heading so that I have a ‘why’ for my choices today.

 

I need to keep the destination in view.

 

 

The Inportance of Obedience

This post is from the www.girltalk.com/blog website.

 

It is one of my favourite blogs to read and learn from.

 

10

Jan

How Is Obedience a Gateway to Understanding the Gospel?

2013 at 8:20 am | by Carolyn Mahaney
Filed underMotherhood Young Children
One of the most powerful illustrations is from the relationship of Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller. You may know the story. Helen was a young girl who was born both deaf and blind. Her parents, at a loss as to how to help their suffering daughter, provided little restraint or discipline. So when Annie was hired to teach Helen, she made no progress at first, due to Helen’s wild and violent behavior. “It was useless to teach her language or anything else until she learned to obey me” Annie reasoned. So Annie began at the beginning. She insisted that Helen obey.

After an extended battle of wills, Annie won. Helen became calm and submissive, able to listen, and able to learn. And oh what she learned! This little girl, whose life was up until now a dark and lonely place, learned to communicate. She learned to “speak” and to “listen” through her hands. She learned to read. And so, Annie wisely concluded: “Obedience is the gateway for knowledge to enter the mind.”

So it is with our children. We have this all-precious gift to give to them—the good news of the gospel. We have much to teach them about God, who He is, what He has done, what His Word has to say about the world and about their lives. And yet to truly practice effective gospel-centered mothering we must first teach them to obey.

“Training must come before teaching” insisted Katherine Howard, Elisabeth Elliot’s mother. “[Teaching] is impossible unless the children cooperate. And they don’t cooperate unless they are disciplined from their earliest days. This discipline lays the groundwork for teaching.”

This is why Scripture equates a parents love with discipline and hatred with a lack of love (Prov. 13:24). Counterintuitive to the post-modern mind, but as true as ever. “Train up a child in the way he should go” Proverbs exhorts us, “even when he is old he will not depart from it” (22:6).
This is both an exhortation and encouragement to mothers. It is an exhortation to moms when we are tempted to neglect loving discipline and training—whether from laziness, busyness, fear of our children’s rejection, or biblical ignorance. We must not neglect this most important biblical mothering priority.

It is also an encouragement to moms who are “in the trenches.” You are faithfully—not perfectly, but consistently—training your young children to obey. You may see very little in the way of results so far. You may be worn out and discouraged. You may wonder if you are on the right track. You may worry because your mothering doesn’t “feel” very gospel-centered at the moment. But your child’s obedience isn’t opposed to the gospel. It is the gateway through which you can bring the gospel message.

So persevere. Be faithful. And I promise—better yet, God has promised!—that you will reap a harvest if you do not give up (Gal 6:9).