Shake Yourself Loose

I have had the flu for almost a week. I have been well so long that I am a bit insulted that
a simple achy, sneezy, coughy flu bug could take me out.
It is not serious, just annoying.
I have mostly slept. One of the books I read is Have Heart by a couple who lost their son in a car wreck. It was encouraging and brought me back to one of my favorite scriptures:
Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us." NLT
Our races and weights may be different, but neither of us can do what God has set before us unless we lay down all of the weights that we have picked up over the years.
I can rattle off a dozen reasons why I couldn't be expected to a winner in the race of life. They could be as trivial as my weight or age or as devastating as being the victim of a violent crime. But those are just events. That is not who I am. I am finding my true identity in who God says I am.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well. Ps. 139:14
We have fun with the following song at our church. Listen to it a couple of times until you really get it. Then really, I mean seriously, just do it!
Shake yourself loose and go get what is yours and give God all of the glory.