Grace Covers a lot of Miles

I'm not sure how many people, besides those who live locally and the running community, have heard about the runner, Meg Menzies, who was tragically hit and killed last Monday by a drunk driver. But it's a story that has really hit close to home around here. Partly, because we are a family of runners, and partly, for me at least, because I felt really close to the story since Meg was also a SAHM of three young kids, just out for her morning run. It was hard not to think the "it could have been me" thoughts. So often I head out the door to little voices yelling, "run hard, mommy! we love you!" and return to more yells...so glad I'm home. I couldn't stop thinking about how those babies' running mama never walked back in the door. I didn't even know her, but just couldn't stop feeling such a heartbreaking ache for her family left behind.

The running community really is like a big family...it's one of the things I love about runners. They are goofy, a little crazy, sometimes a little strange to the casual observer...but they do stick together and have a special bond. Runners all over the world, 90,000 runners I think was the last number I heard, all dedicated their Saturday miles to a member of our "family" as a way of celebrating her life and showing support to the ones she left behind. It was amazing to watch, also, how her faith was also splashed all over the media. She was a believer, who died doing what she loved and left a legacy of a joyfully lived life.

This joyful living of what is often just the tough everyday of life is synonymous with running for a lot of us that do it. It's tough, it sometimes seems like it's not worth it to those watching from the sidelines. It's easier to just sit on the couch, or not push through to tough stuff. But when you're out there...running OR living...you realize you're alive. You're not just getting by. When you're pushing up or hill, legs burning and lungs aching...you realize in the discomfort of the moment how blessed you are to be moving and breathing. When you're living your life, seeing grace in the hard stuff and the routine, you realize you're looking at gifts straight from God's hand, and can't imagine closing your hand to those gifts even though sometimes they hurt.

While this was a heartbreaking story, it's also worship stirring to see how grace covered so many miles through one girl who loved to run.