"You will have significant experiences. I hope that you will write them down and keep a record of them, that you will read them from time to time and refresh your memory of those meaningful and significant things. Some may be funny. Some may be significant only to you. Some of them may be sacred and quietly beautiful. Some may build one upon another until they represent a lifetime of special experience." Gordon B. Hinckley, 2006

Monday, August 18, 2008

"We must lengthen our stride..." Spencer W. Kimball


I was so amazed on Saturday while watching the women's Olympic marathon. Constantina Tomescu from Romania just ran her little heart out. It gave me chills to watch. She's 38 years old, mother of one, and she had quite a lead for the whole race. There was no one even close to her, and yet she somehow found the strength and motivation inside of her to push herself faster and faster. It was almost like she was racing only against herself, oblivious to the other racers.
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After running for 2 hours, I'm positive it would be all I could do to keep on going. And yet she never seemed to slow down, if anything her mile splits seemed to be getting faster, and her stride widening. How is this possible?
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The hair was standing on end as I watched her sprint that final lap, cross the finish line, and win the gold medal. She deserved it! And then instead of collapsing in a heap at the end (which I'm sure I would have done), she continued running around the arena in a victory lap with a joyful smile on her face. It was glorious.
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I remember President Spencer W. Kimball, the prophet of my youth, encouraging us to lengthen our stride. He posed the question:
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“I wonder if we are doing all we can. … Are we prepared to lengthen our stride?” (“When the World Will Be Converted,” Ensign, Oct. 1974, p. 5).
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Am I doing all that I can? Some days, yes. But a lot of days, no. If I want that gold medal (that I know Heavenly Father yearns to give to all of us, if we'll just put in the work) I need to do more, and be more. When life gets tiring and difficult, which it does, that is not the time to lie down and give up. It's the time to lengthen my stride. Just do it. (Another one of Pres. Kimball's famous mottos.)
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I often feel so exhausted as a mother. I rarely get enough sleep, I spend every waking hour cooking and cleaning and washing for my children, usually several times in the same day. I feel sorry for my tired self.
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Enough already.
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Time to just do it. Lengthen my stride. Push through my weaknesses, and do what it takes to build up His kingdom.
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Life is short, and it is precious. I don't want to waste it. Lengthening my strides, starting now.

16 comments:

SuperCoolMom said...

I'll be cheering you on! Go Wendi!!!

Super Angie Супер Энджи said...

Very important message we all need to remember.

Did you notice how FAST she was going the whole race? HOLY SMOKES! She was on fire. Simply amazing.

Another great story is the American Girl who limped across the finish line. She didn't give up, even though I'm sure she wanted to. She has the title of the being the best runner in the world, and yet, because of Injury, she wasn't able to live up to that. She humbled herself and did the best she could under the circumstances. What an amazing example both woman were!

Maggs said...

I too was amazed by the runners in the marathon. I have run a 1/2 marathon and it took me about as long to run the 1/2 as she ran the full in. Wow! I liked how you used this example for our every day lives as well. Something to think about...thanks!

Bond Girl 007 said...

Oh Wendi, this is such a touching story. Thank you for posting it. I love the analogy and feel sometimes like I don't have a stride at all. I think I need to just lift my head up and have faith.

♥Shally said...

Wouldn't it help if we had a crowd cheering us on once in a while?? :)

♥Shally said...

Wouldn't it help if we had a crowd cheering us on once in a while?? :)

Alison Wills said...

Oooo, I love that...I too will be lengthening my stride! Great post, thank you for sharing!

donna said...

great post girl........
THANKS so much for sharing it....

donna said...

great post girl........
THANKS so much for sharing it....

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

Wonderful post. great reminder, I too need to lengthen my stride, thanks, my friend! You inspire.:)

Marcie said...

Sometimes on the weeks I am just worn out from the heavy labor of day to day chores I just take a day or two off. I feed and clean the kids, but I don't do laundry or extra jobs. Instead I find a great book and take a little mini vacation.....or take my kids on a fieldtrip instead. I think sometimes we need a little down time to ourselves and then have renewed energy to catch up and motivation to add a few new things as well.

Speaking of books. I think you probably should read them in order. I have Enna Burning here if you want me to send it with Jim to his Highland office on Wed. when he is there next. Let me know.

raising4boys said...

I was feeling sorry for myself this past weekend about this very thing. I felt like everyone was enjoying their weekend while I was cleaning. And kitchen duty never ends.

Your posts are always so uplifting. I will work on lengthening my stride and remembering how precious life is. It's easy to forget when we are so busy.

Kanabites said...

Thanks! Exactly what I need to be doing... so often I get on a poor me trip and sometimes I feel that they are very well deserved, but it's time to get over it and push on!

Cara @ Gardenview Cottage said...

I love that! It's so true!!! I will have to work on lengthening my stride! Thanks for the uplift!

My life said...

Your spiritual thougths are so good and i like your testimony a lot. It strengthen me often. Thanks for sharing it all with us.
Sandrine.

Lauren in GA said...

What a wonderful and inspiring post!!!!! Thank you for that inspiration. I need to lengthen my stride, too.