On any given day there are tons of things that can be used for an excuse to not run. These excuses can range from very mild to real excuses, like my leg just fell off! And there are legitimate times when runners really do need to take a day, or even a week, off. When there is a serious injury or a family emergency it just isn't always using good judgment to try to get that run in. And of course, if it is actually thundering and lightening it is unsafe to take a run! Actually, so far lightning is the only reason I have seen a race postponed! So this morning after the bulk of the storm passed I headed out in the rain for a good solid run. I figured rain really could be a legit excuse; but as I found out at the half marathon - you never know what you might get on race day so it could be a great training exercise. And boy was it! First, I had trouble with my glasses during the half marathon as the rain kept getting on them and I couldn't see well. So today presented a perfect...

I must admit that I am just learning about running. Although I've been at it for just over two years I consider myself pretty much a beginner. One thing I am learning though is that there really is a balancing act to be done to make the body all work. For me, it's a body,soul and spirit thing and they all have to come into balance to make me into a decent runner - which I am determined to become! My body does all the physical part, of course. But then I have learned how stress, emotions and situations can really slow me down and affect my performance. That was amazing when I started seeing that one! But the time I run is my time; it's when I do a lot of my praying and sorting things out. So I think it's easy to say that my whole being is involved in my running adventure! What if we could (or would) engage our whole being into serving Him? What if we literally threw our entire being, body, soul and spirit into His service? It's too easy to divide it out - our spi...

Yesterday I was doing a teaching broadcast. As a closer I was referencing Hebrews 12: 1-2. Of course the phrasing about running the race with endurance caught my attention. So I camped there a bit and talked about endurance and running the race well. I mentioned that a lot of people can run - but they are not running well. By running well, I mean giving it the best you can for that moment. We cannot or will not all cross the finish line at the same pace or time. But we can each one run the very best for the moment. You really cannot run anymore than the moment you are in anyway! And for each moment we must reach out there and grab it and do the very best with what we have right now. I also cannot run two races at the same time. I can really only be in this moment. And to run well, I really need to be in this moment.   Sometimes it can be helpful to think that we only have to endure the moment.   And seriously, we do not know what a day may bring. Each moment we do have we ...

Yeah, that's right I was on my run, minding my own business, actually tackling a huge hill when I saw movement to my right. And there he was...Templeton! (remember the rat from Charlott e's Web?) He was huge!! And he was trying desperately to get back into a fence that was keeping him out of a very nice neighborhood. I assured him that I would not come close to him or bother him in any way! Seriously, I have not seen a rat that big in all my life! Well, I saw a dead one once that was almost that big. He splashed his stinky guts up on my favorite orange dress when I threw a brick on him though. (at my cousin's strong urging...) But this one was huge and alive! And he really wanted back in his old 'hood! I thought it was kind of funny that I was in a really nice area of town - well-to-do for, sure and there the rat was.. not over by the ghetto where I used to live! How funny! But then my mind went to a proverb. Solomon said that the spider (KJV) or the lizard (NAS) ca...

Well, I didn't plan on 5 miles, nor did I make 5 miles! I planned on an easy 2 or 3 really. But the morning was so beautiful and I was so excited to be out running again when I got to the corner I was supposed to turn on to head back - I went straight instead. Well, after the huge hill and about 3.5 miles my knee did its thing again... not a happy camper. I had to walk all the way home and maybe I should say "hobble"... So I had lots of time to think, and that I did. I was frustrated because I was hurting in an area I thought was okay. I gave it some time to heal after all. I wondered how many times in life we get hurt in some way and just keep trying to push it...especially in church matters. There is nothing that can hurt like those wounds we can receive from our church family. We are connected in so many ways those pains can run deeply. But how many times after being hurt in a church do we run out and try to do the same thing in another congregation...only to get hur...

It's funny as I am finishing up this week that I took totally off from running, I am so anticipating tomorrow morning's run! I can't wait! I think my body has recuperated enough now that it is just now realizing I actually ran a half marathon! While I was taking the trash out to the dumpster I was thinking about tomorrow's run...and my mind went to my last race and then the half marathon that I ran a couple weeks ago. I think I actually started walking different - just thinking about having run a half marathon. That's when I had the thought: I think I'm a runner! I still want to do a full marathon later - and eventually a full marathon. Then I want to do a Warrior Dash - those look like so much fun! And I'd like to give trial running a shot too...but all of that was not even possible two years ago when I first started training for the 5K! It's funny how when we take on a new adventure we can barely take on the day...but then we start stretching out...

I don't think I have ever taken a full week off by choice! Why would you not do something that you love so much and that pumps you so full of energy? But with the recent back to back races and extra training plus the pain in my back (the real reason) I decided to take this entire week off to rest. My body actually has appreciated it! It's funny how a little bit of real rest without pressure to perform can give you such a boost for the next phase! I can't wait to pound some pavement next week. And it's even okay to just run 3 or so miles each morning. Then the next week I'll bump it back up. Well I do have another half marathon to train for you know! I've always overrated rest. It seems so unnecessary and there's so much more that could be accomplished while sleeping or resting! But this week it's almost like my body has told me "thank you." Hebrews talks about a rest for God's people. I have to wonder if it's something like this fe...