Skip to main content

Splash Pads and Water Stations

It has gotten pretty warm here in the last couple of months. The humidity does not help. In fact, it makes it that much more unbearable. That doesn't stop us from our weekend runs though. We have learned to just get out there as early as we can to beat the heat.

Annie doesn't realize the impact of the heat until we get home and she tries to cool down. We have a great little park about two miles from the house that has a splash pad. When you step on the center button, several fountains pop up and water splashes around us. When we first took Annie to help her cool down, she wanted none of it. I was shocked, with her being a Labrador; I thought she would love it. So, I gently would nudge her into the water so it would at least hit her side. Then we walk over to the drinking fountain and she is able to drink from the short one, which she does not protest. I usually run it a bit before I drink after her. 

The last few times we have gone, she senses when we will get to those splash pads. Finally, she ran right in and stood over one of the spraying faucets so that it hit her belly. She bit at another one to take in some water and by the looks of it she was not only enjoying herself but being refreshed from the long hot run. I think she finally figured out how beneficial that water break is for her. Then she was able to finish the rest of our journey well. 

It made me think of how stubborn I can be sometimes. I remember when I was running marathons. I was so focused on my time and how fast I could cross that finish line that I would blow past those water stations thinking I didn't have time. Pridefully, telling myself I didn't need it. Then, no surprise I would end up dehydrated and sick. It’s sort of like running out of gas in your car or the battery on your phone dying. You have to refuel and you have to recharge to go the distance.

Recently, I read a quote from Whitney Capps, “If I am to finish well, I need to run well today.” I can't run well today if I don’t properly fuel up, which includes taking those little splash pad and  water station breaks to recharge and be refreshed.

Every morning I get up early to be refreshed and recharged by spending time with God in prayer and His Word. That is my “fuel” to start my day. But truthfully, some days I say a quick prayer, speed read some scripture and go about my day because I have a list of things I want to get done or I just want to run ahead with my day. Focusing on my time and that finish line rather than running well in the journey I am on with God. 

Pretty soon, I’m dragging and not running all too well. I get emotionally beat up, physically drained and spiritually down because I am still trying to do it all on my own strength. God is called the fountain of life and the spring of living water. Jesus tells us that He is the living water, that we can come to Him for that refreshment we need at anytime. He even promises that when we do, we will never thirst again. Meaning, He will fill us up with Himself and get us through whatever it is He has called us to do. Not only that, He will be with us for all eternity! Isn't that awesome! He is talking about our spiritual thirst. 

This water, this fountain of life; a life living and walking with our creator is ours for the taking. He will satisfy our spiritual thirst, the thirst our souls crave. But, we have to come to the water well and drink if we want to run well today. We have to run to the splash pad, let it pour over us, fill us up and refresh our souls.

~ Pressing On 

“ As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” Psalm 42:1-2


“But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14


“He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.” Revelation 21:6




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Season of Spring

  The mornings are so beautiful right now that I want to soak them in before the scorching heat is in its full glory. The sun comes up shortly after I do this time of year. My favorite thing to do is grab my bible, journal and a cup of coffee and sit out back with Annie while the sun rises. The birds are literally singing, the quail make more of a squawk like sound than a song but I love it.   Occasionally, I will hear an owl on a neighboring rooftop or the party of a pack of coyotes in the distance celebrating their recent conquest. I’m always surprised that these sounds don’t faze Annie one bit. Make no mistake, if the trash truck or other large vehicle drives past our dividing wall she goes absolutely K-9, as if she’s military, saving us from being attacked. Bless her heart.   Spring typically comes early in Phoenix and is somewhat short lived. I often think we go from Winter to Summer with seemingly little time to wear any of the light weight sweaters I have hangi...
2 comments
Read more

Woods and Deserts

  A dear friend of mine in Houston posted a photo of her daughter and friend walking either to or from school. At least that is what I assumed. It was a great picture of friendship shared between these two young teens. I recognized the path in the Woodlands. I’ve always loved the woods and that’s one of the many reasons why I loved living there. The massive trees, smell of bark, the rustling sound of fallen leaves and the warmth of the sun peeking through those shade covering trees. Nature is one of my favorite places to connect with God. I had many conversations with Him running on those paths.   I messaged my friend, “Ah. I miss those paths.” And she quickly replied with, “The paths miss you.” Haha. I think what she really meant was….. I am missed and it made my heart smile. I miss a lot about various places we have lived over the years. I am often asked, “Of all the places you have lived, where is your favorite?” My response is usually, “I have favorite things about eac...
2 comments
Read more

Minding My Own Tail

Have you ever heard of Happy Tail? Me either. At least not until our semi sweet chocolate lab came home from boarding with Happy Tail. They explained to me, it’s because Annie is so excited when anyone walks by her kennel; she wags her tail so fiercely that it beats up against the crate. This caused her to rub the fur off of a spot on the tip of her tail. Eventually, the skin broke open and it bled...... therefore she had been diagnosed with Happy Tail.  It cleared up until she had to spend a little more time in her kennel recently. At first I didn’t even notice. Only wondering where all the blood on my walls was coming from. Once I realized it was that Happy Tail again, I wrapped it with gauze and some first aid tape. That lasted only until the doorbell rang and a guest arrived. Several rapid wags and the wrap went flying like a severed finger and the bleeding was all over the walls along with our guest’s pants. So embarrassing! But also poor Annie. It had to hurt. I knew it ...
Post a Comment
Read more