Time to Re-boot

Earlier this year, I had someone come to me with questions about the odd story of Balaam and his donkey (Numbers 22:22-35). In the story, Balaam’s donkey sees an angel of the Lord standing in the way with a sword drawn.  Balaam doesn’t see the angel, so when the donkey strays off the path in an effort to avoid the angel, Balaam gets frustrated and forces the donkey onward. Eventually, the donkey lies down in the middle of the road and refuses to go any further. Balaam’s anger is kindled even more, and he begins to give his donkey a thrashing. At that point, in perfectly fluent Hebrew, the donkey asks Balaam: “What have I done to deserve this treatment?” In that moment Balaam sees the angel, and receives a message from God. Weird, right?  That’s what I’ve always thought. Until yesterday.

Let me back up. In late March, while skiing with my son on one of the best powder days I’ve ever experienced, I had a freak accident in which I dislocated my shoulder. That accident prevented me from running for a month. During that period, I missed a half-marathon and worried about the training  time I was losing in preparation for another race in early June. When the sling came off my arm, and the doctor gave the all-clear, I picked up where I left off. Not a good idea. Because my body wasn’t ready to resume my normal training schedule, I developed some foot pain. 

When it comes to athletics, my formative years were in Junior High School when gym teachers in tight shorts with waist bands that nearly reached their armpits told us things like: “Play through the pain.” I have a nice scar on my shin from a gym class injury that should have received stitches, but didn’t.  I had a wrestling coach that didn’t let us drink water during practice because we “wouldn’t be able to drink during a match.” Perhaps it was those voices and experiences that told me to keep pressing on. And so I did. Until I couldn’t. And I was mad. 

 
Yesterday I received the word that I have a stress fracture in my foot. Apparently, the tendonitis changed my gait, which altered my footfall, which created the fracture. I’m now sporting a lovely boot that is definitely not designed for running. When I mentioned to my lovely wife that I might still be able to run the marathon in the Fall, she questioned my sanity (and probably our marriage). That’s what got me thinking about Balaam.

 

Over the years, I’ve become rather obsessed with training and racing. I worry about training plans and sticking to them.   I push myself to the point where I’m only concerned about the goal, rather than the journey.  My wife says I’m obsessed. I wouldn’t go that far, but I will acknowledge that my singular focus can sometimes get in the way of marital harmony (and apparently my physical well-being as well). So, my plan is to intentionally use this interim period to renew my body, mind, spirit, and relationships.  Don’t get me wrong, when the doctor gives me the all-clear, I’ll be back pounding pavement. But having listened to the voices of those around me, and my abused foot, I’ll being doing so at a more reasonable pace.  

Are there things in your life that prevent you from listening to God and/or others? Have you been forging ahead to your own detriment? How might you begin to re-boot?