Be extra

Good morning crushers,

I'm sure you've all heard about the horrific bombings near the Boston Marathon's finish line. Just yesterday I shared how I excited I was that my friend Cam was running the race. FYI - he finished in 2hr 33min, which is about the same time that it takes me to run a half marathon. Fortunately, I can report that he and his wife are safe. They were well away from the finish when the explosions happened. Hopefully, he can still celebrate a little for his excellent race. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about all the people who were injured or killed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected by this senseless act of hate.

Whenever there is tragedy like this, I'm reminded of two things: first, one of my favorite Bible passages:

Isaiah 40:31: [Those] who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. 

We've all had the feeling that we are so tired/weary/pooped that you just can't do one more thing or take one more step. It seems like there's so much bad news lately, that you mentally might not want to move forward either. However, we can't just throw our hands up and say, "This sucks. I'm done." We have to remember that there is good. There is hope. We can move forward with God's strength.

Second, I'm reminded of Mr. Rogers. Like most caring adults, he always believed that children were meant to grow to be the best versions of themselves and he encouraged that in everything he did. Also, there are a ton of Internet memes going around right now showing him reminding individuals to "look for the helpers" in any tragic situation. He knew that not only could you be extraordinary, but that there were people out there who were willing to be extraordinary in the face of danger and destruction.

Let's all take today to do something extra. Maybe you take an extra minute to listen to a child's day or an elderly person's wisdom. Maybe you decide that today would be a great day to go give blood. Maybe you hug someone extra long. Maybe you think twice about being annoyed at someone. Maybe you say extra prayers. Maybe you make a extra meal for someone. Maybe you lace up your shoes and run or walk an extra mile today. Whatever you do, thank you for taking the time and effort to be extra.