Revolution

I was reading about the American Revolution earlier this week. Here is some of the stuff I dug up:

• "Gentlemen may cry peace peace—but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" -Patrick Henry
• "I am well aware of the toll and blood and treasure it will cost us to maintain this declaration, and support and defend these states. Yet through all the gloom I see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is worth all the means. This is our day of deliverance." -John Adams
• "America is ready to fight fifty years to win." -Benjamin Franklin
• "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." -Nathan Hale
• "I have not yet begun to fight!" -John Paul Jones
• "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” -Thomas Paine

Easily some of the most powerful words ever written. It’s no wonder with people thinking like this that the British decided to hop in their boats and take their chances with a wooden boat, cloth sails, and the Atlantic Ocean. A few hundred years later the dream still exists.

A French historian named Alexis de Tocqueville described the challenges and opportunities of democracy, in general, and the United States, in particular. 175 years ago he wrote: “The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.”

Now consider your life. The early Americans wanted something better. And they were going to do whatever it took to improve their lives. I think our situation in life is much like the Revolutionaries.

We have faults. We want something better. Greatness comes when we repair our faults. For the last two weeks and in the next two weeks we are talking about personal revolution. We have been talking how to take our life from 211 degrees to 212 degrees. In the way that we think, in what we believe, and how we act. We can and will change the world one person at a time. Do something big today. If you aren’t able to do something big, then do something small. Dream a big dream. Take a risk. Help somebody. Open the Bible. Join a serving team. Say a prayer. Fail and get back up and try again until you succeed. Life is too short to settle for anything less.

Sunday morning I’m talking about faith. In the vernacular faith has come to mean something like believing in God. But in the Bible I think it means something a little different. Something like: Believing that God believes in me. God believes in you. Don’t settle for good when great is right around the corner!

Training update:

I had a YMCA Board of Directors meeting this morning. Christy was kind enough to delay our start until later than usual. We paid for it as it was getting warm and sunny out.

2 mile warm-up

3 x 2 miles at 6:15 per mile. We were pretty much right on the whole time. 800 meters jogging between reps.

3.25 mile cool-down which is probably more accurately described as a slow run back to our cars with pit stops at every water fountain. 12.25 miles total.

Benjamin is home sick today. I get to stay home and take care of him.