I don't want to miss it

I'm here because of obedience.  The Lord keeps whispering to my heart to get back on my blog.  I've been resistant.  I don't want to share.  I want to keep my thoughts and feelings safe.  To myself.  But-as I was running a couple of weeks ago and talking to God, as I often do when I run, I expressed my desire to be obedient to Him and his will for my life, so here I am.  During my last run—my last long run before the marathon— He spoke to my heart in a huge way.

It was at the end of a big storm.  Although it was not raining during my run, the ground was still wet, and earth was soggy from 3 days of heavy rain.  I skipped running on the dirt track because it was muddy.  I ran 6 miles on the road, which causes my legs and feet to get sore.  I had made up my mind after 3 miles that I was not going to run on the pier.  I was going to skip it.  I just didn't feel like doing it.  There was probably seagull poo, fishermen that I'm always afraid might hook me, and sometimes dead fish on the ground.  All good reasons to skip the pier.

When I got to the ocean next to the pier and noticed the huge waves and surf stirred up by the storm, my heart pressed on.  Once I got there, I was urged to run on the pier… so I went.  As soon as I turned left and headed in that direction, I couldn't believe what I almost missed.  There was man standing and playing his guitar to a person sitting in a chair.  I don't know what circumstances led them right there, right then, but I know there was a story behind it.  I wanted to stop and listen.  I kept going and there, perched up on the railing, was a huge crane.  It was breathtaking.  I had never seen one so close up before.  His big yellow eyes watched me as I ran by about 2 feet away.  Because of the storm, the waves were giant and were crashing violently over the jetty that protected the pier.  I cannot describe the power of the water, but I stopped in awe and just said "Wow."  I wanted to stop.  I wanted to stay and watch the waves and crane, wishing so badly that I ran with my phone (which I almost always do) so could have taken pictures.  But I had to keep running.  

After my run on the pier I was heading back in the direction from which I came.  The Lord clearly spoke to my heart, "I didn't want you to miss it."  Running on the pier yesterday was an act of obedience.  I can't believe what I would have missed.  What else have I missed because I chose not to be obedient?  Good things, I'm sure.  I want to keep being obedient, even if it is hard or  uncomfortable.  I want to trust more.  Not easy.  I especially want to trust God more.  Because I don't want to miss it anymore.