Hogsneck 5 Mile Race

I ran the Hogsneck 5 Mile Race today. My time was not too good, 44 minutes and 55 seconds. That figures out to be about 9 minute miles. I was disappointed with my time. I have had knee problems and been on rehabilitation for about a year. Gaining a little weight in the process I'm sure did not help. So I'm feeling blue about my run times but this Fall my wife and daughters have started running. I can see a big change in their fitness levels. They came and participated too. My brother-in-law came and ran we ran together. There was a lot of good things that happened but all I feel is my own disappointing time.

Sports was a big trial as a child. I did not understand all my problems. I'm right handed, but left eye dominate. It has to do with an injury at birth to my right eye. I could not catch, throw or do in regards to hand-eye coordination. I also was pretty out of shape. Read, too much TV. I had very little sports ability.

Joining the Army, I ran/jogged regularly and my fitness improved. I became adequate for the Army but not so much so in comparison to people with athletic talent. In a sense, my successes have been good for me, but insignificant in relative to others who actually have talent. Not only do I find my fitness something that I'm mediocre at, I find that if I don't work at it hard, I end up much worse off than the average person who does not work out. In other words, work hard and reap little. Well, I'm a one-talent sort of guy, and though my talents be few athleticly speaking, I intend to use them for the Lord.

The Parable of the Talents

14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 " 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'