Hebrews 12:1
    herefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

 
     I was invited to be part of a group of spectators to an Ironman Marathon.

    What is an Ironman Marathon? 

    It's 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and over 26 miles of running...all in one day!  Over 1500 participants were involved including my step-son, Jason. What turned out to be a 96 degree, boiling-hot day in Boulder, Colorado this past June, Jason began this grueling race by entering the water at 6:20 am for the swim section.
     Meanwhile the five of us, making up the Berchek team, were on our own race around the periphery of the Ironman race.  We walked, drove, parked, walked, drove, parked, and walked some more so we could see him at various places along the route. Three times we were able to encourage him as he rode by and two times when he was in the running portion. Later he told us our cheering and encouragement meant a lot to him and kept him going. We became his crowd of witnesses.
     Jason also shared  what he called “come to Jesus” conversations. Here he could drop all his encumbrances and let Jesus carry him. Without Jesus' help, he may not have finished what turned out to be an over 14 hour feat.  Crossing the finish line at 8:30 pm, he readily admitted he walked a good share of the last section of running.  Irregardless, the marathon became a spiritual practice and tested his endurance to a superhuman level Jesus' strength supported.
     What race are we being called upon to complete?  The above scripture reminds us of the aspects of completing our race no matter what it is.  It may be getting a degree,  raising a family, or developing a closer bond with Jesus, to name a few.  No matter what it is, Jesus requires a cloud of witnesses for support, no encumbrances, and unending endurance. Without these requirements, the race is so much harder and in many instances not completed.
     I feel fortunate to have witnessed this marathon. And while I might not understand the motivation to accomplish an Ironman race, I am in awe of this commitment and endurance. May we all run our races with such enthusiasm!

   I have been enjoying a relatively more relaxed pace since scaling down to part-time employment at the Center this year. Some of that time off has been spent camping, birding and fishing; then there are always the home projects requiring attention, including a garden, lawn-mowing and so forth. Reading, study and a bit of activism on Facebook have also factored into my time as well.
   During the past month, I have begun working on a video series about the Holy Spirit. This is both a challenge to myself to do deeper study, and a teaching outreach as well — very Dominican of me, you might think. The research and reflection is most enjoyable, as is the technical work of piecing together the slides, narrations, music and images that comprise each teaching. I hope to have it done by the end of the year, but am trying to be careful about setting up a deadline that will contribute to time stress. As we know, the Spirit blows where it will . . . (Jn. 3:8).
   If you’d like to view a sneak preview of one of the presentations, click the link below:
https://youtu.be/jXOlR0QGP5I