Nothing Is Impossible... Including Unicorns

"Dad, how do you spell unicorn?"  The memory flashed as I happened upon a piece of yellowing paper in Mom's big stack of stuff she kept, but didn't organize.  On it was a list with a few things in my four year old handwriting.  I wanted a horse, or a unicorn, and a new Light Bright.

The room was dark and Dad was watching football.  I sat there making my Christmas list.  "There are no such thing as unicorns."  He said flatly.  My feelings were hurt, but he didn't answer my question.  "I know.  I asked 'how do you SPELL unicorn.'"  He rolled his eyes dramatically and spelled it out.

My cousin came over with my Great Uncle several days later and told me that unicorns might have been real, and then informed me that my Dad didn't know everything.  He said he hoped I did get a unicorn.  That was thirty years ago.

The thing about hope and faith is that it isn't in our time.  God isn't Santa Clause.  We sometimes get the miracles we need exactly when we need it, but for the most part, we have to just keep looking. 

We bury our parents, our brothers, and friends.  We wonder why God didn't heal them, or make things right before it was too late.  The Bible talks about no less than a half dozen people being raised from the dead.  Death isn't always the final say.

When Mom died, I felt heartsick.  The landscape of my life was littered with painful loss.  This seemed to be one more thing I would have to just work through.  But then something happened.

"I will restore everything that has been lost." I heard the voice in my head as I picked weeds last summer in my garden.  I thought it was odd timing, but continued the task at hand.  It is in my garden that I pray, talk to Mom (or the memory thereof), and cry.  That night, I read Job 42.  Job had lost everything, and his friends were simply numbskulls.  But they stuck around, so they were forgiven.  Job went from nothing in sack cloth and ashes to more than double what he had when the book started.  He had complete restoration.  That day, in the garden, I had no idea how God would do that, but I determined to keep getting up after every loss.  I determined to live like I was restored completely.

I started running because I believe that my body is a temple.  I wanted that structure fit, whole, and healed.  I wanted to have the ability to run the race the Bible talks about.  I wanted the prize of the high calling.  Even if that prize is simply a healthy life right now, that is more than enough.  My faith is enough.

Yesterday, I ran three very long, hard trail miles.  My legs are tight and sore.  But I am doing something I thought was completely impossible a year ago.  

The in-box yesterday had all manners of junk mail in it.  I deleted, deleted some more, and unsubscribed until I happened upon something that made me laugh, and believe that God not only has a sense of humor, but He is keeping his word.  "We want to send you at no charge a review of our new adult sized unicorn hopper." 

I bounded up the stairs with a smile and told my husband, "I GET A UNICORN!"  He started laughing, and told me it HAD to be a mistake.  But I got the shipping notice this morning.  My unicorn is on it's way.

Did I expect a unicorn?  Oh, my no. How do I feel?  More than less like this:

My kids have dared me to ride the unicorn over the finish line of the half marathon.  My oldest told me, "People are cool, but are they cross the finish line of a half marathon on a unicorn cool?"  He put the idea in my head.

Being a Christian doesn't mean that the road of life is ANY easier for me.  It may even be harder.  But my pastor's wife has the tag-line in her email that reads: "You are God's favorite."  It's true.  The Bible is clear that we ALL are blessed and HIGHLY favored.  God WANTS us.  He wants to show us how much more complete life is lived with him. 

(c) August 15, 2014 H.Jennings NOTICE: this is private content.  Scrapping content, borrowing, spinning or otherwise stealing my post material is copyright infringement.  Don't do it.  The United States of America has strict policies requiring those that want to reuse content to have WRITTEN consent of the author.  So if you want to use this in any way, just ask.