I have grown to appreciate life over the years and I intend to enjoy this life for a very long time. Chesterton once said that you need to be fond of heaven to enjoy earth, and so I have tried to heavenify earth by living well.
As a result, I have taken up running. Most of this stems from the encouragement of a few friends who have thoroughly enjoyed the results of it. Ultimately, running is glory. Since glory is the essence of life and since we are transformed as glory-creatures, running becomes a manifestation of that glory. Running is the exercise of dominion creatures. It strengthens us by forcing us to attain greater glory. Running, like all things, need to be done for the glory of God; and it is that glory we attain by building our bodies and being re-shaped physically, so the Spirit can re-shape our image; so the Spirit can cause us to run our race well.
My friend Todd Leonard summarized these ideas by stating what running accomplishes:
Running is a blessing of God. It is great for the body, and can, when done with the proper attitude, be a tremendous act of worship. It teaches valuable lessons, fosters community, and provides the family a unique opportunity to coalesce around an activity that is beneficial to all. In short, running is life! Why wait! Hit the roads, trails, highways, and byways and experience the unique joy that running provides.
