Alright, here we go!
How long has it been now? Way too long. I have felt strongly that I should start writing again, but kept making excuses;
- Don't have time
- Too late in the day to start
- Too far behind to catch up
- No one is reading anymore anyhow
- I am not much of a writer
...just to name a few.
None of these are truly good reasons for my long sabbatical and as I wait for dinner to finish cooking and I had nothing to do, I thought "Now, now is the time to do it, no catching up or thinking about what to write, just do it!" So here I am!
I will give a quick recap;
In the fall after making a tough decision I had all but told my coach I was packing up and going home. And after a very pointed sermon at church I was in tears but ready to do just that. But in that surrender God gave me new hope and an unexplained change of perspective to move forward onto our Canadian National regatta. I was still not 100% but I felt that I was getting the nudge forward. After some tough racing it came down to a time trial (not my forte). I had a good race but had conceeded before leaving the water that I was probably not first but at least the top 3. I was wrong and just barely snagged 1st! God is good. It was a clear reminder of what He can do when we let him take the reins.
Life is getting "easier" since my mom passed and although I miss her and still feel lost or angry I am more myself. The depression that took a hold for so long is on the back burner and the joy of life is returning.
Jump forward several months and I have to say it has been up and down but I am plugging away. As it stands right now I will not be traveling to the World Cup regattas. I was edged out by a worthy opponent for the 4x (quad) spot and now find myself working with a new 2x partner in hopes of making it to our main goal, World Championships in August. It was hard being beat but I have learned quite a bit in the process, and have a sense of the Holy Spirit giving me peace and joy despite the situation. No matter the outcome this summer I want to know that I did more than just row a boat. I want to know that I did my best to make a mark on the London area in big or small ways.
Well, time is up! Dinner is served. Lasagna and garlic bread. A perfect dinner after a long week with a 2k speed order in the morning. Send me prayers, fast thoughts and health :)
Thanks for sticking it out with me, I am blessed to have you join my journey.
