My best friend and State Champs

A girl I was best friends with in school made it to State in track for the 100 meter dash.

That was great for her, but bad for me... being that I was in the same category and I was about one second slower.

I remember when that gun went off to start the race I had so much confidence. I wanted so bad to win because this girl was good at everything. Basketball, track, singing, had straight A's. The sin nature in me just wanted to have one up on her, if truth be told! I think she knew I wanted to win too, but being that she was extremely competitive, that wasn't going to come easy, even if I was her best friend! I knew I had never beat her before, so I have no idea what made me believe that would change when the gun went off that May afternoon!

I remember staring at her back and telling myself that I just need to pass her because I knew she was in first or second place. The more I stared at her back, I realized the further away she got. I wasn't even looking where I was going. I'm not sure what kept me from tripping over my own cleats as I sped down the track.

I didn't even finish in the top three. She got second place, if I remember right.

Point being, I lost focus.

I wanted so bad to beat my friend all because I felt I was entitled to win something that she didn't!

Well, she went home with a medal and I went home empty handed in that competition.

The same State competition, me and three other girls had made it to the final round of the 4x400. Each person has to run one time around the track. May sound easy, but it is one of the hardest races. Reason being, you sprint the first 100 to get your lead, the next 200 meters you slow it down slightly so you don't totally wear yourself out. The last 100, you give you all you have. Your legs literally feel like jelly. Me and these girls had trained all spring for this race. I was the third leg, which some say, that is the most important because if you're behind at all, they have the opportunity to catch up so the last person has a chance at winning the race for the whole team. Well, we were good. All four of us had that race down and we knew each girls' pattern of running well enough to know what to expect for our own pace.

The second leg was a twin, and the fourth leg was that girls' twin sister. When the first twin handed me the baton, I took off. That day, I couldn't remember all the team mates yelling and screaming encouraging cheers at me, I blocked them all out. I saw my coach yelling something, and I knew it was the same thing he yelled every time I ran, "pace yourself!!!" He knew I had a hard time doing that. I only heard my own heart beat and rapid breath. I didn't slow down for the middle 200, I sped up if anything. I was about to get to the other twin, the last leg of the race and I was nearly to pass out from exhaustion. She knew by looking at me that I was not able to catch her at her normal sprint so she had to slow down a little during our hand off.

She did the same thing I did. She sprinted the whole 400 meters. She passed a person who was a third leg on another team. I was crying at this point because I knew we had most definitely won a State Gold Medal. She finished strong and we all hugged as they announced that we set the new State record!

Now, our Christian walks are a WHOLE lot like those two races. One, we can be so caught up in everything around us. We have pride, jealousy, hatred, gossip, lying... you name it, keeping us distracted. We don't even see the finish line, just like how I didn't because I was staring at my team mates back!

We get thrown off course and can't even stay in the lines. We have the mind set in life that we have to have it better and newer and bigger than the other person. That is one of many reasons why I got rid of any form of social media. I felt like 99% of the people on there were comparing there "picture perfect" lives to others. And that's just not reality, people. Reality is the people inside the four walls who you live with every day. It's your grandparents you need to call. It's your spouse who is begging for your attention. It's your kids who want you to just sit and read a book to them.

Sin and just life sometimes has a way of getting us distracted.

What's distracting you? Are you afraid to even answer that question, in fear of that you may have to get rid of it to be closer to God?

Me and those three girls worked together. We trained together. We helped each other up when we would trip each other practicing our hand offs. We cheered each other on. We wanted the other one to succeed.

That's how it should be. I want friends in my life who want me to succeed. Don't you?? I want friends who care enough about me that they take time to pray for me and ask how I am. Not just talk to me when they need something or have something to say about somebody else. I want friends and I want to be the friend in which is trust worthy in every aspect. True friends will be there for you when it isn't convenient for them. Look at the hardest times in your life, and see who was there. Another good reminder, is if someone is always talking about others to you, trust me, they will talk about you as well. I say this from time to time, but I mean it. Be the type of friend that you want to have!

Stop trying to beat everyone in your life. That will leave you alone and empty. You'll never know true joy as a Christian if you are doing that. There will always be someone who is prettier, buffer, has a cooler car, bigger house and kids who are better behaved. So stop comparing. Or it'll never end and leave you bitter.

Instead, just love other people. Care about their hurts, trials and issues enough to stop and pray. To stop and send them a letter in the mail and remind them that you love them. To call them up and check on them instead of sending an easy text. Technology has made people so much less personable and their communication go down the drain. That's why I love sending cards. It is old fashioned these days, but it means so much more than a text in my opinion.

Stop staring at others and focus on the finish line and help those around you get across it, too.

This whole thing is almost over and you don't have time to do anything else but to be Christ-minded.