Marathon Log.16.  Miles logged: 16 (+2) miles.

I'm Martha.  Clarification: that's Martha, sister of Mary of Bethany.  The Martha who busied herself rather than sitting at Jesus' feet.  The Martha who, unlike her sister, did not choose what was better. 

It took a total stranger to tell me that my attempted feat of 20 miles yesterday was absurd.  I was rather peeved when he approached me--after all, he looked to me a portly, middle-aged man.  Plus he didn't know me.  What right did he have to tell me that I should stop running?

I guessed I must have looked like crap at Mile 15 because he approached me and asked how I was doing (he was a runner in another pace group).  I responded that I was fine, and I guess that wasn't convincing enough because about a mile later he tactfully recommended that I stop.

Up to that point, I was feeling pretty good about myself--I mean not only was I back running with the group for the first time in over a month, but I also bested my longest distance of 12 miles.  I was beat, but I knew that my self-will and determination would carry me to 20 miles.  And my injury was hardly a problem at all.

I'm ultra defensive.  Oh sure, people often remark to me that I have a very gentle and quiet spirit, but boy--there's an ugly side, too.  I can be very focused but that focus gives way to short-sightedness, and even *sigh* stupidity.

Now, I didn't think that running 20 miles was absurd yesterday.  In my mind, if I set my heart to do it, I sure as heck was going to motor through.  

I'm the same way with other things in life.  I'll pile up responsibilities and be so concentrated on task that even in moments of quiet my mind wanders restlessly, compulsively mapping out the things I have to do.  And I'm a good little workerbee, too.  If left to my own devices, I'd clone myself or create more hours in a day.

So a rather tearful me trudged back into my house after my run.  I stumbled upon the book of Colossians and read it to myself.  The Apostle Paul wrote in order to combat some heretical teachings that had entered the church.  He placed emphasis on the supremacy of Christ, which had become lost to the Colossian believers.  Though it is not heresy that I battle, in a way it is.  The heresy of believing that I always need to "do" rather than just "be." Christ becomes lost to me as I busy myself in things. 

And almost too appropriately, the message today was on Mary and Martha. 

Yes, my name is Martha and I'm a workaholic.