Friday 12 March 2010

Training-in-Progress

One of the Swallow's young one will be running in some events for her school's annual Athletics Meet. When the young one was getting her stuff ready for the day's programme, she was undecided whether to wear her school shoes, or to wear her running shoes. So she checked with her mother, the Swallow, for advice.

The conversation went like this...

Young One (YO) : Mama, which pair of shoes should I wear for the Athletics Meet?
The Swallow (TS) : The pair you have been practicing your running with.
YO : But I have not been practicing my running.
TS : Then what have you been doing everytime you had your (sports) house practice?
 
Many times the Swallow has lost patience with her young ones, and has also been frustrated because she did not know what to do.  It is a good thing that she can rely on the One who is ever ready to sustain her.  After confessing her impatience to her Lord God, and asking His forgiveness, she is all ready to try again...and again...and again...

Like the Swallow's young one who started off the practice of running with just some rounds around the school field, then more rounds again around the school field; maybe followed by some mini-races with her schoolmates, some short-distanced, some long-distanced; then back again to more round-the-school-field running...

There were times when the young one came home to say that she couldn't understand why they were doing all that running...until the selection process was made, and the young one was chosen to run in the actual events.

Well, the Swallow knows why she is running this race of life that the Lord God has given to her.  She also understands the training that is involved.  She knows it will be difficult, exhausting, and challenging.  There will be tears, sweat and dirt.  However, she also knows that when she has reached the finishing line, there will be joy when she hears her Lord say "Well done, good and faithful servant".

The Swallow's mate once told her (not sure if it is his very own advice or gleaned from another wise person) that when one fails to learn his 'lesson', the same lesson will come again. However, when one succeeds in learning his 'lesson', the lesson may come again although on another level.

This then is the Swallow's training-in-progress...the Swallow will press on...she will not quit...she will  not give up!

The young one wore her school shoes to the Athletics Meet...

2 comments:

Jade Fern said...

And how did the YO do at the Athletics Meet?

jadeswallow said...

Hi Jade Fern, thanks for asking! The young one's haul for the meet is 1 Gold (Team event), 1 Silver (Team event) and 1 Bronze (Team Event). She had fun!