She is love(31 days)

Morning comes. Eyes open slowly and as the sun barely hits the horizon she hits the water. Lap after lap, hour after hour, day after day.

It is truly a site to see such dedication at her young age.

For a sport that is exciting and decided by mere tenths of a second, it is also boring. I mean let's face it, swimming lap after lap staring at a black line on the bottom of a pool...come on. There has to be some rush. Some outpouring of accomplishment to keep her going 6 days a week forsaking play dates and sleep overs.

But I don't see it...I see humility in the midst of her talent and achievment rather than boasting and pride. I see joy and determination to swim harder and faster rather than complacency.

Oh sure, please understand, there are days when the practice is too much. Even days when pain supercedes the drive.

But there she is suited up and ready go. Ready to swim, yes. But more ready to stand at the end of a lane cheering for friends. Ready to refocus her attention from her race, her planning, her preparation to be an encourager to her teammates. Ready to reach out her hand for a congratulations to the lane that just beat her. Ready to stay humble in her victories rather than boast. Love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.
She stands and waits for the starter to announce her race. I watch her trademark moves. As she lowers her head I hear it among the cheers and shouts. She says to herself "give God your best and He will do the rest"

We can no more boast about the things we accomplish as we could try and boast about our salvation. It is by God's grace and for His glory that we have become anything in this life. We have nothing that will make Him any more God then He already is. And we do not add anything to Him when we come to Him. It is merely returning the gifts and talents he has bestowed upon us. Let us not forget we are loved. Let's boast about a God who chose to offer His crazy love to us.

I Corinthians 13:4-8a
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. I does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoings, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends...