Running a blessing?

Well, I wouldn't go that far. I'm not like Eric Liddell (Chariots of Fire); I don't "feel God's pleasure" when I run. Are you kidding? When I run, I don't feel pleasure of ANY kind. ;)

(Note to SQ: icing the shins afterwards is helping, though. Thanks!)

But yesterday during my run at noon (10K, 63:35, outdoors) I couldn't help but think of that verse called "The Old Irish Blessing". You know the one:

May the road rise to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

The sun shine warm upon your face

The rain fall soft upon your fields

And until we meet again

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Um, I think God went halvsies with me on this. The rain stayed away during runs, but made Sunday and last night wet. The sun was warm on my face, but only on the way home when I was already hot. Instead, the wind was in my face at first (on the way out I had about a 20 mph headwind - nasty, but it became a nice tailwind later when I was tired!)  And ha, the road did rise to meet me, just about as often as I had to rise to meet IT.

On the last line, though, God was not stingy.

Palm of His hand? Oh, yeah. The whole time. :)