Finishing Together

  

Update: A big "thank you!" to Mark and Keri from KLRC for featuring this post on the Morning Show. KLRC is an amazing Christian radio station that has won about a zillion awards. You can listen to them online at klrc.com or read the KLRC Morning Show blog.

Sunday morning we place our bikes on the back of the truck, head down the road, and set out to ride. The sky is brilliant blue, colors pop like fireworks as we whiz by, friendly joggers and fellow bikers wave hello.

This is how we start--fresh, easy, sure that it will always be this way.

Then miles pass, who knows how many? And my legs begin to ache just a little. Thirst comes and the sun, once cheerful, feels hot on my neck.

He is ahead on the trail, not feeling it as I do. I find all of a sudden that we are in different places, going at different paces.

Then I regain strength and pass him when he's not looking. He laughs, surprised. Out of my view, I only hear the whir of wheels behind me letting me know he is still there.

Now and then we catch up to each other and chat about what is happening in our lives. He encourages me up a long hill. I giggle as I try to zig-zag around him.

It is toward the end of the ride, finally, and the weariness hits me like a weight. He is ahead, pushing hard to the finish. All at once I feel a fear. I call his name. "Wait!"

He turns, concerned, and comes back to my side. "What's wrong?" he asks.

I tell him, "I just want us to finish together."

Then a kaleidoscope of almost ten years flashes through my mind—a wedding day, white dress, one-bedroom apartment, countless dinners with friends, our first house, our first dog, tears, laughter, kitchen table, warm bed, lost jobs, found jobs, church services, disagreements, making up, grad school, holidays, hopes for the future.

And I realize, as in today, that staying close to anyone in life—husband, family, friends—takes great effort no matter how much we love them. One speeds up, the other slows down. Then the pattern reverses. Sometimes we are together and other times in life's busyness we only hear the whir of wheels somewhere close to us.

Rounding a corner, my thoughts are interrupted as I glimpse our truck. I had not realized how near we were to the end. Do any of us?

We reach it side-by-side. That is all that matters now.

We said we would finish together.

We did.

And we will.

 

p.s. Jenni Saake is giving away a copy of my book, Rain on Me, on her blog www.HarvestingHope.blogspot.com. Friday is the last day to enter. She has an amazing heart for encouraging women so I hope you'll stop by!

Comments

[Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect]

What a beautiful post of marriage, Holley. I know it fits many relationships, but for me it speaks to my life with my husband. I'm thankful that after 10 years, we're still riding pretty close to side by side.

[Holley]

Sweet Mary, I'm so glad you stopped by and I can't wait to see you in person in just two days!!

[Maria Jones-Davidson]

Hi Holley, yes, your relationship with your husband is a wonderful one. To finish together with him is just the way to go. Fear may come at times, however, in knowing that he is there you know you can finish the task and fear disappears. This applies as well when we know that the Lord is out there, we know we can finish together with our Lord God and fear disappears.