End Game

Six years ago Simms and I had a promise fulfilled. It was Friday, October 2, 2000 that we found out I was pregnant with our first son Jeter. This was a day of rejoicing but we didn't react the way you might expect. I wasn't jumping up and down, yelling, screaming, crazy, frantic - and that is almost disappointing. I remember looking at the test after the required two minute wait. A smile crossed my lips. I may have even whispered "yes". I walked downstairs - that's where Simms was - letting G outside to do her business (I told you we were oddly nonchalant about this whole event!). Simms looked at me and I said "you are going to be a Daddy" to which he replied "of course I am" and smiled. Then we hugged a confirming hug.

Now I have to admit the reaction was a little too peaceful for even what I thought it should be like. So when I went back upstairs to get ready for my day I must confess I called my lil' sis to tell her the news - and we got a little crazy about it together!!!

Some history to all of this...Simms and I waited until we were married five years before trying to have a baby. That was the easy part. Then we started to try...we thought we already had a lot of practice but for some reason, it just wasn't working for us. Ha ha. In all serious, I am one of those "small percentage of women" that actually knows the day she is ovulating - and it's not b/c I am taking my temp or any of that stuff - I can actually feel when the egg is moving through the fallopian tube (my apologies to any squeamish stomachs out there if this is TMI). We also then learned that Simms had a stricture in his urethra. Simms would tell me that if all we had was us, that was enough for him. He would say that children would simply be an added bonus. Thankfully, our lack of getting pregnant never overtook our marriage. It did not become our focus. We would joke that God wanted us to "practice" more. This doesn't mean that during those 22 months we didn't cry together and have moments of "I don't understand". It does mean that we allowed ourselves to have those times and then we refocused on Him - the one who brought us together in the first place. We were also blessed to be surrounded by A LOT of people supporting us in prayer - our small group, the entire music ministry team, family and close friends. I KNOW that it is because of these prayers that our faith and hope were never rocked - shaken but not stirred. You get the point...

I was just reminiscing about this with Jeter this weekend and wouldn't you know that Sunday's message was titled Finishing the Race. You may be thinking that this title has NOTHING to do with what you just read. Trust me read on...and no...I am not talking about the sperm racing to the egg! Back to the message: our pastor was supposed to speak today and it was going to be a continuation of last weeks message. However, due to illness, another pastor spoke instead. It was a powerful message - essentially the cry of his heart is that none of us would fall short but rather that ALL of us would finish the race. He provided us with an example - his friend, who was a runner, and what he did to prepare for and complete the Boston Marathon. Apparently at the end of the marathon is "Heartbreak Hill" which is so named because it is at this point where the runners are only about 3 miles from the finish line. So close to victory and yet so many give up during this climb and never finish the race! His friend had two strategies to help him succeed: 1. set his sights on an experienced runner - someone who KNOWS where the finish line is, and 2. strategically place his son on the hill with instructions to cheer his dad on and run with him from that point to the finish line.

Simms and I didn't know that we did this but in retrospect that is what happened. We set our sights on the ONE who has gone before us - Jesus - and we were surrounded by a company of people that encouraged us, prayed for us, held us up when we were weary...and we never gave up. Praise God - this promise was fulfilled with the conception and birth of our precious Jeter.

We each run a race in our lives - and I am not meaning like a frenzied rat race. I am referring to the paths that we choose as we go through our lives, leading us to the ultimate goal. Pastor referenced Paul, who being in a dungeon during the reign of Nero, wrote to Timothy "I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith" (I am paraphrasing a bit I'm sure). How could he do this? How could he "keep the faith" amidst the shipwrecks, imprisonment, etc? Didn't he grow weary?!? My thought is yes, he must have, he's human. BUT something inside him spurred him onward. Something prevented him from getting wrapped up in the circumstance. Something allowed him to never give up. He understood that "Faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1) He was focused on the "end game" - the ultimate promise of the Lord - that we will be with our Redeemer for all eternity. Sidenote: if you need to be encouraged in this, read II Timothy - you will find 4 power-packed chapters!

Simms and I have this promise. We know that our Redeemer lives and we will stand with Him for eternity. At the same time, we are currently living here and God has given us promises for this time - some have come through prophetic words, others have been through whispers of the Holy Spirit to our hearts. Some have already been fulfilled. Others seem like they are never going to happen. But we cannot lose faith. We have to keep running the race. So how do we do this? How do you do this? One phrase comes to mind: End Game. I know what mine is. Do you?