ALL 4+

If it seems like most of posts involve running in some way, that's because they do. Running is the time when I get to take a mental break from the business of life. Sometimes I run with other guys. We talk and joke and laugh and sweat. Sometimes I run alone with no distraction. I commune with nature. I pray. I listen. I think. And sometimes when I run alone I like to listen to music. Like many others, I have my favorite Playlists that I have created: Upbeat, Beatles, Funk, Pop 4+ (4+ = rating of 4/5 or 5/5...only the best).

I often use music to guide my quiet time while I run. My most frequently used Playlist is Christian & Gospel 4+. As I run I reflect on the messages in the songs. I have my own private worship time.

As I was stretching before a run the other day, I considered which Playlist best suited my mood. At first I turned to my old favorite, Christian & Gospel 4+, but I decided I was in a more generic frame of mind. So, instead, I selected ALL 4+, my top-rated songs from almost every genre. 

I began my run with a song from The Police. A good way to start a run. But then came a song from Chris Tomlin, a Christian praise & worship singer. "Hmm," I thought, "a good mix." Next was a Duran Duran song (yes, I am a child of the 80s). But then it was back to praise & worship with a song from Third Day. As the playlist moved on to the next pop song, I began to think (as I am wont to do). 

There are times when I allow myself to be very connected to God. I am open to his presence; I devote my full attention to him. I press play on Christian & Gospel 4+. But there are even more times when I am not completely connected (or not connected at all). I put God out of my mind; I put him back into his book or his playlist until I am ready for him again.

But I don't think God wants it that way. Sure, there are times when he wants us to be consumed by him, to give ourselves over to him completely pushing everything else out of our minds and hearts and lives. But it is difficult (at least, for me) to live like this all the time. I don't always just read my Bible; sometimes I read mysteries or classics. I don't always just listen to Christian & Gospel 4+; sometimes I listen to Folk Rock. I don't think God begrudges us these times. But what we cannot do is completely shut him out. We cannot "put him in a box" and only take him out when it suits us (e.g., Sunday morning). At the very least, we must conduct our lives to the playlist of ALL 4+ which includes God and incorporates him into our everyday experience. He must always be there. We should always reflect on him.

Eyes Down, Eyes Ahead.

I've been doing more trail running recently. Running through the forest along rocky trails lined with roots and stumps is definitely harder than running on paved roads. But the payoff is time spent in nature, sometimes alone, amidst God's creation. Sometimes, if your heart and mind are open, you may even get to encounter Him. There's something about removing the distraction of cars and other people to put you in a place where you can see things more clearly.

But you can't let your mind wander to far afield, or you risk stumbling, or often in my case, falling down. You have to be vigilant about where your next step will be to avoid the rocks and roots along the path. But you also cannot be so focused on your next step that you lose sight of the trail ahead. You need to be aware of the twists and turns. You need to know which path leads where. You need to know which trail leads you home and which leads you astray.

Our daily lives are much the same. We need to be careful on the path we take. We need to be on solid footing to avoid missteps and tumbles. There are rocks and roots in all of our ways. We need not let them cause us to stumble or -- even worse -- not to run the trail at all. But we must also not lose sight of where we are headed. We must know the way we are going and follow the correct path, or we will surely get lost.