{"id":2036,"date":"2016-11-03T20:11:44","date_gmt":"2016-11-03T20:11:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=2036"},"modified":"2016-11-03T20:11:53","modified_gmt":"2016-11-03T20:11:53","slug":"the-longest-mile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=2036","title":{"rendered":"The Longest Mile"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"images-3\"<\/a>I began running October 16, 1976.<\/p>\n

This is a blog my husband wrote this last month:<\/p>\n

I was reminded this morning as I awoke, that as of October 16, 2016, I have run most days for the last forty years. Despite the \u201chard to start\u201d nature of my memory on occasion, I can clearly recall that first run of exactly one mile in my twenty fourth year. It would have been inconceivable to me to imagine at the time that I would be glancing in my rearview mirror at age sixty four, separated from that first jog by sixty or seventy thousand miles. I was just as antsy to take off this morning as I was at the time, although my odometer is broken and I have a governor which limits my speed.<\/p>\n

I feel such a sense of gratitude about this specific indulgence that God has permitted me all these years. Nothing transports me like running does. The best part: I hear voices and there is no one there. Or no one that has appeared to me yet. I am still hopeful about that one.<\/p>\n

Yet the LORD says, \u201cDuring the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet.
\nDeuteronomy 29:5<\/p>\n

God has been so faithful to me and mine.<\/p>\n

Somewhere along the way, a problem developed however. Someone slipped an Energizer battery in my wilderness journey; it just keeps grinding on endlessly. I am hopeful my forty first year of running signals our escape from sandy vistas and dry places. I know there are giants in our new digs, but Holly and I are both ready for the change of scenery and besides; we have seen what happens to Goliath.<\/p>\n

I would like to believe we are being released for good behavior but I know that, at least in terms of me, that\u2019s not the case. It\u2019s probably just prison overcrowding. I do sense change is blowing in, not only for us but for everyone. A lot of older prisoners are about to be paroled.<\/p>\n

Though it cost you all you have-get understanding.
\nProverbs 4:17<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I began running October 16, 1976. This is a blog my husband wrote this last month: I was reminded this morning as I awoke, that as of October 16, 2016, I have run most days for the last forty years. Despite the \u201chard to start\u201d nature of my memory on occasion, I can clearly recall […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":254,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=254","url_meta":{"origin":2036,"position":0},"title":"Where Did the Time Go?","author":"hollysmith","date":"June 3, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Where did the time go? This week I met with a girl who thanked me for connecting her to a group that was blessing her. Without praying about it, I wondered aloud if I could sit in and be a part too. The group would consist of gifted, enthusiastic women,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Persevering Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Persevering Faith","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hollywsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/running-up-at-mtn2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2558,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=2558","url_meta":{"origin":2036,"position":1},"title":"Spencer’s Miracle","author":"hollysmith","date":"July 31, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The words kept echoing in my mind, \"Why do you honor your sons more than me?\" (I Sam. 2:29) This was a question the Lord was asking Eli, a priest, about not being firm enough with his sons who didn\u2019t honor God. 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When I got control of the car back, the windshield\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?cat=18"},"img":{"alt_text":"mtn road","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hollywsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/mtn-road-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1886,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=1886","url_meta":{"origin":2036,"position":4},"title":"Spencer’s Miracle","author":"hollysmith","date":"December 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The words kept echoing in my mind, \"Why do you honor your sons more than me?\" (I Sam. 2:29) I was listening to the lecture in Bible Study Fellowship\u00a0 about Eli and his sons taken from I Sam. 2. 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