I’m tired.
I don’t feel well.
I’m going to bed early.
I’ll run tomorrow.

Those were my initial thoughts when I got home this evening. But as I tried to settle in, thoughts of my upcoming race started to nag at me. I’ve worked so hard…am I really going to get wimpy now? It’s less than two weeks away! So I dragged out my gear, pulled on my shoes and shuffled out the door.

I’ll make this quick, I said.

And the first mile was. But then I turned a corner and came to a complete stand-still. There, framing the entire skyline,  was an outrageously huge, bright and beautiful end-to-end rainbow.  You’ve GOT to be kidding me. Across the street, a little girl was jumping up and down in her yard hollering, “Daddy, DADDY! Come see the WAINBOW!!!” Other runners and walkers were gawking from the sidewalk. A few cars even came to a stop in the street. As the rainbow finally faded, I resumed my run, mind blown. What if I had stayed home and gone to bed? I would’ve missed all of this — the rainbow, the shared experience with people I didn’t know, the overwhelming gratitude for the blatant message of God’s love and grace. A reluctant run became one of the best gifts I’ve received in a long time.