The Amazing Race

I just got home from a youth event at our church called the Amazing Race. We sign up as teams (there were 8 of us on my team), get our first clue and the time begins. We run (literally) jump in the car and we're off to figure out the location of the next clue. Sometimes the clues are fairly simple while others, if not thought completely through, can lead you to nowhere ticking minutes off the clock. Each team tries to collect 10 clues and complete 10 tasks and race back to the church. The team who does this in the least amount of time wins. Each clue is printed on an envelope which is sealed. If you just can't figure out the answer, you can open the envelope to get the answer but an opened envelope will add 10 minutes to your time. All ten envelopes are turned in at finish. Oh, my team is made up 10th grade girls.

Our clues took us from Plano to Carrollton to Frisco & back to Plano. One clue read, "Go to a well known intersection in Plano where farm animals are kept, distuished men gather to read and the potter can be found." First of all, do you know how many "well known intersections" there are in Plano? There are quite a few actually! The answers to the clue were loudly debated ranging from a housing division with the word Ranch in it, to a library or bookstore. The answer: Barnes & Noble at Preston Rd and Park. Farm animals are kept in a barn (Barnes), distinuished (Noble) men would read in reading rooms, and the potter (Harry Potter) can be found (in the children's section). Once we got there, part of the team charged into Barnes & Noble to the children's area where an Amazing Race person was waiting, a task was given and completed, the next clue received then race back to the car where I was waiting with motor running, doors open, ready to race away. Some tasks were physical like kicking a football through the goal posts at a particular high school, singing a certain song or answering questions, etc. At a fire station, we ALL had to get out of the car and "Stop, Drop and Roll". I only had trouble on the "getting up part" after I rolled!

The race began at 1:00pm and we had to be back at the church by 3:00pm even if we had not found all the clues. We finished with all 10 clues completed at 2:48pm. We felt pretty good about that!! We won't know until next Sunday who the winner is. But no matter what place we finished, we were excited that we finished!

I am reminded of the spiritual application of a race and how we are in the most Amazing Race of all, the race of life. We are to finish the race strong, completing the tasks God has set for each of us. He has given us the clues to this race throughout His Word and He has equipped us to run. The clues tell us how to be prepared and how to run this race all the way to the finish line... the clues also tell us not just how to finish, but how to enjoy the race itself. And today as the girls worked together to figure out the clues, there was A LOT of discussion, but there was no arguing or fighting. They worked as a team with support and encouragement. They cheered each other on as tasks were attempted. They were one today. No one better than the other, all hurt feelings laid aside, no drama (now that's HUGE!), they were a team, they enjoyed every minute of the race-even when they got a clue wrong, and they finished strong together. Isn't that how we as Christians should be conducting ourselves during THE race? Working together, supporting, encouraging, cheering each other on? We could run harder and farther with the encouragement of each other, feel lifted up when discouraged, enjoy the race so much more and finish victoriously strong, together, cheering!