April 11 – “70.3”

The first comment I heard after church Sunday?  “Wow.  I just sat through an entire sermon by someone named Vaughan and didn’t hear a single Spiderman reference.”  The fellow was visiting from Kel’s church up in League City.  I’m not sure if that was a complement or just an observation.  Either way, I guess I need to step up my game.  Maybe Chris and I should go see the Batman vs. Superman movie this week.  But then again, that whole concept is just ridiculous.  After all, he is SUPERman by definition.  I’m sure there are some sermon illustrations in there, though, so it will be a strictly research mission. 

Speaking of church, we were really wondering how many folks would be able to make it.  Galveston was hosting one of those half-triathalons (70.3 miles of agony).  The bicycle portion of the course runs right past the church – in both directions.  There were police officers and race volunteers and bike riders and cheerers everywhere.  The maze of traffic cones marking the course made it difficult to maneuver our way into the church parking lot, but we arrived early enough that we actually had little difficulty.  Others were not so lucky.  The ones coming from further west had to drive past the church and turn around way down near Pirate’s Beach.  There were even several fire department calls about cars that hit bicyclists.  Gotta be careful on these race weekends, folks.  The bikes/runners have the right of way … period. 

So maybe I should start now training for next year’s event?  Let’s see, I can swim the back stroke and maybe a little side stroke, so maybe I can make it through the swimming leg. That’s phase one. I have my tricked out bicycle (handlebar mounted cell phone holder and toot horn … one speed … as fast as my legs will turn.  Forward is go, backward is stop).  Phase two.  The last one is the 13.2 mile run.  I can get some new heel cushions for my tennies.  Say, they don’t do drug tests at these things, do they?  That would be kind of unfair to the rheumatoid arthritis genre.  I don’t think I could hide the Celebrex and Xeljanz in my system.  I read where you have eight and a half hours to complete this thing.  I think I might need a little longer. 

Mark 6:12-13 says, “They went out and preached that people should repent.  They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.”

Father, please heal the bodies of those bikers who had the run-in with the car yesterday.  Amen.