Diaper Derby

It was a gorgeous fall weekend.
The perfect weekend for the annual 5K Fun Run for Life.
It is held every year to support our local crisis pregnancy center.
This was a year for me to be with them in spirit.

My daughter and her two daughters signed up to run.
My oldest daughter joined them.
My son-in-love was the cheering section, along with their two sons.
God provided amazing fall weather: bright sun, blue sky, and a chill in the air.

My littlest grandson’s first birthday is this weekend.
My daughter sent a family text reminding us of the festivities this weekend.
She also let us know that the little birthday boy would be participating in the diaper derby.
I imagined it in my head: baby put down on ground to crawl towards his/her mother.

Minutes after she sent the text to all of us, she sent another one.
Actually we might need to scratch the diaper derby. He just did this, so he might be disqualified.
As if on que, this little one decided to begin walking.
My daughter sent a video showing us his toddling steps across the kitchen floor.

He smiled from ear to ear.
He held up his hand in the, so big, way and he was off.
I wasn’t sure what the Diaper Derby would hold for him.
She told us that he still crawls if he wants to get somewhere fast.

Literally, two days before his first birthday, he decided to walk.
He has been side stepping all over the place.
He has been cruising along the furniture.
Now, he was ready to let go; he was ready to venture out on his own.

That any of us learn to walk is a miracle.
It’s a big deal and leap of faith to let go of something solid to venture out into the unknown.
Though what is known, is that there is a hand to catch you if you fall.
There are people who love you and watch out for you as you begin this journey.

I was curious about the Diaper Derby.
It really could have gone either way.
My daughter sent the long awaited pictures.
The runners, the cheering section, and the diaper derby participant.

I laughed so hard.
There was my precious grandson at the starting line with his daddy behind him.
He had that open mouth, exasperating crying face.
How can you expect me to crawl; I’m a walker now!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12:1)

Isn’t that the way it is?
We’re on this journey, crawling from day to day.
It’s hard.
But then, one day, we take that step.

We have our hand above our head in that, I’m so big motion.
We don’t feel big.
We feel wobbly, unsure on our feet, as we travel this upright journey.
However, we have a cheering section spurring us on.

It matters.
You can do it, we hear, as we wobble and fall.
We see a hand extended in our direction.
Press on.

It’s just the encouragement we need.
We can’t do this alone.
We need those who have gone before us, who have toddled, and fell, and got up again.
We need to see it can be done.

The great cloud of witnesses is our cheering section.
We all need one.
This journey is hard.
We will one day be able to raise our hand in victory.

Christ, our Victor, has gone before us to show us the way.