The Amazing Race

written a few days ago....

The due date showing on the milk jug in our fridge is now showing a day past our departure date. And as the day draws nears, I attempt to smother a feeling of panic. How will we finish all the tasks ahead? How can we complete the list for the day? Can we handle the emotional upheaval of saying goodbye to all who are dear to us...again?

Recently I watched an episode of the Amazing Race Canada. I watched one of the participants nearly collapse under emotional and physical exhaustion. She was being pushed to do too many unfamiliar tasks in too little time.

I'll admit, I do a lot of multi tasking and sometimes I do it well. As I write, we are travelling home from another great visit and our kids are listening to another great episode of Adventures in Odyssey. My husband is behind the wheel, the little ones are asleep and I get to reflect.

I wonder. Am I pushing myself to complete too many tasks in too little time? Am I pushing my husband and my children to do too much in too little time? These tasks are familiar but they are not always comfortable. Particularly in close quarters, car seats jammed against tender shoulders. And when emotions rise and fights flare up, I know. I have pushed everyone too hard. The little things like a foot pressed against a seat back. I place the blame on myself because I am the one making the appointments.

And in the past couple of years, I have discovered something uncomfortable about myself. I find it difficult and at times impossible to say no. I cannot turn away the Gumuz person at my door who suffers. I cannot turn away a child who is hungry. And I cannot say no to an invitation unless the date is already booked. In fact, I will make every effort to find a way to say yes.

But too much of anything, good or bad, can ruin a person. And so the time has come to say, the calendar is full. And I need to face reality. I will NOT complete all the tasks that I would like to. We will not get to see everyone we hoped to. And I hope that you are okay with that. We wanted to call you. We wanted to have you over. We just ran out of time.

Tonight we will put our weary bodies to bed. Our hearts will be glad for dear friends to play with, pray with and love. We will thank God for the gift of friendship. We will thank God for this “Amazing race” that we have the privilege of sharing with you. This is not a race against time. It is a race to finish well. And our prayer is that we will finish it well at every stage of the race and that includes our upcoming goodbye.

It also means that when the race is officially over and we arrive at our Maker's feet, He will say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have raced well.”