Countdown to Triathlon – 205 Days, 29.28 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 48 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -  No thoughts today.  I think I might be brain-dead!

I did have a funny experience.  A man in a store today said "Hi" to me and introduced himself.  He asked me my name and was I single or married.  I said I have been married for almost 45 years.  He asked me if I needed a backup plan.  I told him, "No! I married the love of my life and that was working out just fine, thank you."

The Journey - Installment Forty-Eight
         On the second Saturday morning in Hawaii, Hollen and I determined that in order for me to be on schedule with my training, I needed to ride 35 miles that day. I called back to the mainland to a friend named Ann who attended our church.  I asked her to pray because I needed an attitude adjustment and I was dreading the ride that day.  I even cried on the phone when I told her how horrible the riding was in Hawaii because of the humidity and heat and the HILLS!  I told her I didn’t want to continue riding but now that so many people had been sending in donations to Focus on the Family in my name that I was trapped.  I couldn’t let them down.  Never mind that letting down the Lord was furthest from my mind. She replied to me over the phone, “You know Barbara, God wouldn’t have motivated all those people to donate if he didn’t know you would finish.” How prophetic that was and if I had been able to understand that comment fully and been able to latch on to that thought and hold it tightly, it would have alleviated a lot of worry and concern about my finishing the ride. “You will complete this! Ann said.”  Her words were a great encouragement to me at that moment.

        The next morning Hollen and I rode our usual route and then rode to Barber’s Point, a former U. S. naval air station. It was the Navy's last  naval air station in the Hawaiian Islands has been disestablished, closing out 57 years of service. NAS Barbers Point--the "Crossroads of the Pacific," carved out of brush and coral on the leeward side of Oahu early in World War II--has been turned over to the state of Hawaii. It was sad to see all the vacant building which have just been left to the elements.  A few buildings were still occupied but for the most part there was little going on there.  

           We rode around and around until we completed the mileage we had intended to ride that day.  The day was hot and humid and it felt like we had been riding forever. I was demoralized and felt as if I were truly riding in hell, not the paradise as advertised on the travel posters. We even passed a golf course but none of the golfers seemed concerned with the heat and humidity.  At the end of the ride I was relieved to get off of the bike and shower.  I was grateful to the Lord for getting that task accomplished and for putting up with my whining.  Calling Ann again, I told her how difficult the ride had been and to please continue to pray for my attitude but I was encouraged that we had done what we set out to do that day.   The following Monday night I slept soundly all night and awoke to realize that the feeling of anxiety was gone.  I cannot say that I was looking forward to the morning rides, but I could definitely feel the change in my spirit and the sense of dread was gone.  I thanked God for his grace and silently thanked Ann who was praying for me across the many miles back at home.  I could feel the prayers.