A true "Prize"

As mentioned in the previous post, Jordan ran a race this week. In preparation for it we visited the park a couple times to practice and get in better shape. What happened in those practices for me was far more important than the ribbon he earned on race day. I do not wish to diminish that success as it was a challenge overcome for him but there is more to the story I wish to share-
Last summer as we talked with friends it was mentioned that it is a different kind of "success" when a child is given something that is easy for him to do and receives praise or recognition for it than perhaps when the child is given something of a challenge, maybe even falters at times but in the end, overcomes triumphantly. The sense of accomplishment is quite different in those two experiences. I was reminded of that this week and last as I visited with teachers at school and was given a suggestion to give "hard" things for a kiddo to do. I had 6 kids with me at the park and we were going to run a mile. We ended up running and walking 3 miles. Needless-to-say there were some kids that would take off sprinting and get worn out sooner than the others.:) Haley was one that wanted to be first. However as the path grew longer and even steeper at places, she began to get discouraged and not try. At first I thought, why make a big deal of this? But then all those previous conversations came to my mind. I knew she could do it, but more importantly I felt like she needed to know she could do it. So I started my cheering. "You can do it...Don't quit now....We're almost there...just steady..." and with my mom experiences it did NOT become a perfect experience....she began to cry:( I tried to keep my voice upbeat and kept on cheering. Other parents started to pass me by and I know they thought I was a beasty mom just pushing my kid too hard. Again, it was tempting for me to just let her quit. I was not enjoying the "you can do this....positive thinking...I know you can...we're almost there...just around the bend...I see the playground ..c'mon!" And then came the moment I will never forget---Jordan and the two neighbors had long finished but had come back to the place they could see us on the last stretch and as I was saying "you can make it" I heard Jordan calling her name, clapping and cheering her on to the finish. And of course then the two older girls started cheering and clapping too. They didn't stop until she had made it all the way! I wanted to bawl my eyes out.:) You may laugh. But this was way more than a fun little run in the park. This was about acceptance and love and support and Jordan couldn't have become a bigger Hero or achieved a greater prize in my eyes doing anything else in the world today.
As I have thought a lot about this it hit me strongly that I got a glimpse of what Heavenly Father must feel at times. There have been many races in my life and many times as I have ran, instead of getting easier, the race has gotten more steep or my energy has been long depleted. However, I can see the cheerleaders that were placed along the way which only proves that a loving Heavenly Father never leaves us to ourselves. He wants us to succeed and He knows we can. Sometimes we forget that. So He may not let us quit no matter how much whining and crying we do. He may ask us to give more OR give longer than we think we can. And sometimes the cheerleaders are hard to hear or see, but I have absolutely no doubt that I (nor you) are never running alone.