So here's a crossfit super machine- Heather Bergeron. Humbly, I set myself beside her in a comparison. But if I have to be measured against someone, she represents the elite - the high bar. She ranked 17th in the games this year. If I ever match even 1 of her records I would be beyond myself with astonishment and joy. I picked her from the other female athletes, because she is phenomenal, but also because she is roughly my size and age-ish so it's more of an apples to apples in structure perhaps.
Here's Heather & here's me
Elite Athlete goof off
Height: 5'5" 5'4"
Weight: 131 135
Fran: 2:57 6:48
Grace: 2:26 3:22 (78lbs)
Fight Gone Bad: 351 251
Clean & Jerk: 170 115
Snatch: 130 Never tested
Deadlift: 285 200
Back Squat: 230 181
Pull-ups: 41 28
Clean & Jerk: 170 115
Snatch: 130 Never tested
Deadlift: 285 200
Back Squat: 230 181
Pull-ups: 41 28
Lining it up gives a goal - I know my baseline and how far I have to go to be as good as she was this year. Could I do it? Holy Crap a 2:57 Fran... I don't think so. And how much would it take to get there if I could? What does it require, and is it worth it? But most importantly is elite athleticism what I was created for?... Those are the questions I've been asking these days.
I wish I could ask what fuels her, if she just loves the competition, Or if it was finding something that she was made to do. I love the fun, banterous competition around the box. I love crossfit. I love pushing limits and getting better. I love PLAYING! But I'm certainly no where near the best. I don't have a God given elite gift. But when I focus on what I'm NOT, it stops being fun, I don't want it any more. When I am faced with failure a little much, when it becomes more work and pain than fun and fellowship with the work and pain. When I am discouraged at how much I just don't measure up, i.e. when my heart just isnt' in it,... well that ruins it for me and instead of being fueled for growth - I am crushed and defeated.
This is where we need others. I love the community aspect of crossfit. I love the camaraderie. We sweat, suffer, bleed and even cry together, (or at least want to cry) but we also triumph together. There is a big part of the day-to-day crossfit that is not about the numbers, not about measuring up, but about breaking down walls and pushing when you want to quit. Redefining Limits. I love this!
Am I created for elite athleticism? Hmm, my sources say no, but I'll keep giving my best. Meanwhile I can say with certainty that I was created for holiness. Every one of us is created for union with God, really. (And He has EVERYTHING to give us!) So I'm going to present another high bar - another elite who rocked it and showed the world how it's done. St Theresa of Avila, what a woman!
I love St. Theresa, because she’s just so real. 1) She admits to growing up always afraid that no matter what she did she was going to do everything wrong. – I can relate to that!
2) As a teenager, she only cared about boys and clothes and flirting and rebelling -- oh yes, that is all too familiar… the only reason I went to church was for boys.
3) She prayed for 20 years never feeling like she was getting anywhere. She said she was too attached to God to take pleasure in the world, but too attached to the world to really take full pleasure in God. – I’ve had about 13 of those years, if it takes me another 7 then at least I am in good company.
4) She was a charmer. People liked her, and she liked being liked. It was a big trial for her to let go of flattery, vanity, gossip, and not to slip into a worldly life ignoring God. – I love to be liked and I have a habit of getting caught up and ignoring God.
All of this is true, yet in her life she became a spiritual giant. Now, 400 yrs later no one questions her greatness, but at the time she caught all sorts of trouble for just trying to lead her order to a life of true devotion. Many of the convents at the time were fueled by wealth and worldliness – she was denounced to the Inquisition more than once for shaking things up. She was a woman undaunted by trials and unafraid! Love it. I want to be that brave.
Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing; God never changes.
Patience obtains all things. He who possesses God lacks nothing: God alone suffices.
Patience obtains all things. He who possesses God lacks nothing: God alone suffices.
Thanks Mama T.
She has the best quotes! more to come...
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Awesome. Love you, dear.
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