Treadmill Moments

One of the funniest things I have ever seen in person was a guy falling off of a treadmill. I was directly behind him on my own journey to nowhere when he missed a step and slid his way backwards face first into the floor. 

HILARIOUS!!

People tried to help him out. Me? I just laughed. What do you expect. He fell off a treadmill.
 
Truth is it was so funny because I had done it before. Yep, I too have kissed the floor after falling miserably from a treadmill. 

I hate treadmills. Not because I fell off of one before but because I am a runner who prefers the outdoors. When I go running I like to pretend I am on an adventure somewhere. It helps me forget that I am about to pass out and die. I like to hit the open road in my Vibram's and knock out 5 or 6 miles. On a treadmill I bust my tail on to never leave the spot I started in. I can never run more than three miles on a treadmill and I have ran 30 miles on pavement before. It just so mentally draining. Any runner will tell you that running is a very mental sport. For me, treadmill running is depressive. I run 3 miles only to have never moved. 

Life is like a treadmill sometimes.  It feels like we are working hard, praying, serving God, and being faithful but getting nowhere. It's depressing. We have all found ourselves there. Trying so hard in life only to feel stuck in one place. Raise kids, love your wife, work, serve at church, chase your dreams and never move. 

The funny thing about life and treadmills is that the second you lose focus on either is the moment you fall. You can't close you eyes on and treadmill and run because you will find yourself going backwards. You will eventually land on the floor crying with people asking you if you okay and a guy behind you laughing (that's me). I run best inns treadmill when I am looking straight ahead and focused. In life and serving God focus and perspective are key. I tend to forget that while on the treadmill I am burning calories and getting good exercise. I just don't keep that in mind because I am more focused on feeling like I'm not moving. What you and I have to keep in mind in the treadmill moments of life is feeling like your not moving and actually not moving are very different. It's during those treadmill moments when we are getting stronger and better capable of hitting the road. Don't despise the treadmill moments. Embrace those 3 miles of stationary movement.