I Remember When It Happened

What a Relief!

We bought a treadmill some years ago and gave it away last year. A friend needed one; frankly, ours, while still in good condition, collected dust in the shop.

It might be helpful to know that I am not a runner. That is, I don’t run for running’s sake. Put me on a basketball court. Running up and down the court serves a purpose - either defending or trying to score.

My knees won’t let me do that anymore. In fact, it has been a dozen years this month since I played a pickup game of basketball with the crew from Shartel Church of God.

I miss it.

My knees don’t.

Sean, one of the fellows who played, who is also my orthopedist, told me twelve years ago, after scoping both of my knees, that I either stop or risk accelerating double knee replacement surgery. I have passed the age when he said it would occur if I kept playing. The surgery still may be in the offing but I accepted Sean’s advice.

A couple of years later, Tommie hit me up.

“Dad, let’s do a Fit Camp.”

We would get up early, drive to Moore, OK, to an Industrial Park, and workout. I actually won an award for most pounds lost for my age group. We took up participating in serial fit camps. That lasted until COVID-19 shuttered the gym we worked out in. There was enough variety in our workout regimen that it did not feel like heading to the track and running. I felt better.

I miss it.

My knees and shoulders don’t.

All this came back to me while attending this year’s Mockingbird NYC conferfence. David Zahl, the Head Grace Dealer for Mockingbird Ministries, had a book release that coincided with the event. Dave gave the opening session talk, The Big Relief.

He neared the end of his talk and said,

I remember when it happened.

He tells the whole story in the Conclusion of The Big Relief: the urgency of grace for a worn-out world. He begins the story in the book,

I can pinpoint the moment that grace took hold of my heart. I remember where I was, what I was doing, and what prompted it.

Me too.