Can I get a little Grace?

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

 Definitions of Grace : 

* Seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement, form, or proportion.

* A characteristic or quality pleasing for its charm or refinement.

* A sense of fitness or propriety.

* A disposition to be generous or helpful; goodwill.

* Mercy; clemency.

* A favor rendered by one who need not do so; indulgence.

* A temporary immunity or exemption; a reprieve.

* Divine love and protection bestowed freely on people.

* The state of being protected or sanctified by the favor of God.

* An excellence or power granted by God.

* A short prayer of blessing or thanksgiving said before or after a meal.

* A  CrossFit workout consisting of 30 clean and jerks for time.

 

Normally, I don't struggle to write my blog.  I just turn off my filter and spew my thoughts on random subjects.  But this one is different.  I'm not often humbled, although I should be.  And often.  Everyone should.

We ramble on through our lives.  We get frustrated by the most foolish things.  The video I want to watch is taking over 7 seconds to load on YouTube.  I ripped my hands doing pull-ups.  I'm sore from my squats.  I burnt my bacon.  The driver in front of me is going too slow.  Did I mention I burnt my bacon?  I'm guilty of all these things.  Including the merciless slaying of salted pork strips.  I've let these things ruin segments of my day.  I have complained about these subjects.  I have, in my mind, regaled others with the tales of my woe.  Woe is freaking me.  I am a fool.  You probably are too.

So foolish are we to complain about burning our bacon, when we have bacon to burn.  Gas for our cars.  Money for entertaining ourselves on the interweb. :)  The physical ability to do pull-ups.  Squats.  To get out of bed.  To have someone to regal with our stupid tales and friends good enough to feign interest in them.  These are gifts.  I often forget that.

Why so introspective, Nicole?  I like your filthy-mouthed little blog.  Well, thank you.  I do too!  But, I probably will not get the chance to share with you such an experience again.  So, anything less than the utmost respect for the subject would be...well...disrespectful to the experience. 

10 year old Tanner Lager is suffering from Ewing Sarcoma cancer. His condition is terminal. Tanner is currently being cared for by his 23 year old sister, Savanna. Their parents are not in the picture.  They battle this alone.  Tanner and Savanna travel to St. Louis weekly for experimental treatments that could prolong his life for a few years. But, without these treatments, Tanner has only a few short months. Tanner is a fighter, despite his condition. These experimental treatments and the weekly 7 hour round trip drive to St. Louis are financially devastating for Savanna and her little brother Tanner.  It is a situation that few of us could fathom.  We are blessed to be able to do what we do.  It makes not being able to PR a lift seem foolish, now doesn't it?  Now, do you see what I mean?  This smiling guy is Tanner:

So often, we take part in participating in Hero WODs.  We do these to honor the sacrifices of the fallen.  Human beings who have acted heroically and sacrificed their lives, so that others may live.  But when do we really have the opportunity to celebrate heroism and sacrifice while that person is still fighting the battle?  To help lesson the weight on that warrior's shoulders.  To lighten the load for the family left behind.  Can you imagine it?  The chance to help the Hero.  Does the thought leave you breathless?  Humbled?  Truly, it was an emotion that we couldn't put into words.  But, we had an idea, skills and talents.  We have the gift of good health.  And we saw an opportunity.   Hemingway said that "Courage is grace under pressure".  So, at CrossFit SoMO, we took  the chance to embrace this opportunity and celebrate the heroism of a young man who is currently fighting a battle with the tenacity of a warrior.  And, to help his sister, who is sacrificing her young life to do what is only right.  This opportunity was called 'Grace' for Tanner. 

And so, the news spread.  CrossFit SoMO was doing a benefit for a little boy with terminal brain cancer.  "I want to help."  "I need to help."  "What can we do?"  It was extraordinary. We are not a large Box.  We are located in a small town.  But, we are part of a large community via Facebook.   Affiliates who knew about the event sent athletes.  People who could not attend did Grace at their Box and collected money from their athletes.  Everyone wanted to help lift this boy and his sister up.  To give them grace.  Athletes from CrossFit Natural State, Crossfit Strength and Honor and CrossFit Springfield joined us at CrossFit SoMO for the event.  People who couldn't do barbell work, used a PVC pipe.  People who came to watch gave donations.  The entry fee was whatever you wanted to give.  $5,340.00 was raised in 2 hours. 

I only know one person in that picture who has ever met Tanner.  One.  And, it isn't me.

 CrossFit Springfield, CrossFit West Plains, CrossFit 417 and Dropping Plates CrossFit did Grace, took donations at their Box and sent the donations to us.  This added $1,360.00.  Well over $6,000.00 was raised that day.  More donations came later.  Plus video submissions of Grace for Tanner at other Boxes.  And prayers.  I am always proud to be part of this community.  But on that day, I was humbled to stand beside those athletes.  For all of our differences as human beings, when people come together for such a worthy cause it intrinsically binds you as one.  It is like no other community I have ever known.  And when you take something as magical as a large group of people from all walks of life that want success for others as much as they want it for themselves and THEN direct that power towards a child in need....well, pardon my long, rambling sentence, but there aren't many other things as powerful as that.   These talents we possess, our strength, our workload capacity, our health-it is a gift.  We cannot thank everyone enough for sharing that gift with us during Grace for Tanner.

If you ask a CrossFitter to define Grace, some would say it is 30 clean and jerks for time.  Or, 30 ground to shoulder to overhead.  And, I guess that would have been our answer before this event.  I feel confident that if you asked any one of us to define Grace now, you may get a different answer. 

As we approach the Open, take time to appreciate your gifts.  When you walk into the Box today, remind yourself that no matter what your time is, no matter the weight on the bar, you are one of the fortunate, for you have been given Grace.