Today is Good Friday

Today's Good Friday.  I never took the time to really digest what today was about.  I dont mean to say that I didnt understand the meaning of Good Friday.  But I never sat down and read, and absorbed what took place on that day.  The physical pain that Jesus endured is so hard to fathom, that I never really went beyond that.  But today, I have been reading my devo with the other SRT sisters,

http://shereadstruth.com/2015/04/03/it-is-finished/

, and there is sooo much more.  The shear weight of the burden of every sin that has ever or will ever be committed.... we will just never understand... I just cant fathom it.  And... the crowd that gathered to watch this specticle.... something happened... changed in them.  When the lights went out for 3 hours.. and the veil in the temple was torn in half... oh, the gravity of what they had just seen, even taken part in... they went home "beating their chests"!  Whoa!  

Psalm 22:27-31, Luke 23:44-49, Mark 15:33-39, John 19:28-30

My heart is so heavy as tears flow down my cheeks at the thought of what took place on this day... for me!  Yet, it brings so much joy!  Joy to know what took place on this day FOR ME!  Though I dont deserve it, I can now have a relationship with my heavenly Father.  And....

"Because it is finished, there is nothing that any one of us can contribute to Jesus’ work on the Cross to bring us any closer to salvation." 

Thank You Jesus!  Thank you for your sacrifice for me... for all of us this day.  I'm so grateful that all I have to do is accept it.  

I can do all things... like running 13.1 miles on a whim

Me and my friends Becky (left)  and Michelle (right)

I ran my 6th PF Chang's Rock and Roll half marathon yesterday. I know I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. Actually my training leading up to the event was pretty lame. So lame that I had decided to downgrade to the "Mini", which is about 5.4 miles. My friend and running partner, Michelle and I had made this decision weeks before when we hadn't gotten our miles up past 5 miles, and our training time was running out. But, when I picked her up on Friday to go to the expo to pick up our packets, she suggested that we go ahead with the half, since that's what we we signed up for, but instead of running the whole thing, we could run half and walk half. I thought this was acceptable so I agreed.

I have to admit that this isn't the first time that I haven't felt totally trained and ready for a race. This same scenario has happened several times before. This time I was a little more apprehensive because I have put on 10 pounds since my last race, and I'm not as young as I use to be. But there are some things that I know from all my years of running that made it not only possible but super fun.

1. The old cliche "it's 99% mental" is not just a cliche'. When I stepped onto my regular running path the previous Saturday morning, I was thinking,"I really don't think I can run five miles this morning," and came up with a thousand excuses why, I was absolutely right. In fact I turned around at 2 and only did a total of 4. When I know I need to get in more miles, no matter how I'm feeling, when I tell myself I can do it, I just do it. So I decided that I could and would do the 13.1 miles, and I did.  The power of the mind is incredible. " (Romans 12:12 "be transformed by the renewal of your mind) (Phil 4:8 whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praise worthy, think on these things)

2.  I remember learning about muscle memory when I first started running with my group in 2005. My trainer at the time had been running for many years and she said that after a while your body just knows what to do and does it. I remember thinking " I can't wait for that to happen to me, and wishing it would hurry up already.   I think I'm finally there. I didn't feel any differently during the race than I did when I was full trained. 

3.Moral support from good friends is an awesome motivator.(Ecclesiastes 4:12 a chord of 3 strands is not easily broken.) We know we are not trying to break any records. We just love to run together for three reasons; exercise, social and motivation. Any task shared with a friend or two makes lighter work. Whether its doing the dishes or running 13 miles it's always more fun with a friend. 

4.  Keep your eye on the prize.(Phil 3:14, press on toward the goal. 1 Cor 9:24 run in such a way as to get the prize) I think about it this way.  When I take that first step across the start line, knowing that its going to be long time (2 to 3 hours) before I cross that finish line, I visualize crossing that line.  I know what the end feels like, so I pre-live it in my mind.  It's kind of like presetting your GPS navigational system in the car. As long as you keep pressing the accelerator and following the path laid out there, you will get to your destination.  I love that I always do.

5. Pacing yourself and taking mini breaks is crucial to finishing.  (Ex 34:21 God demanded rest.) My friends and I are not fast and we know it.  And we are okay with that. This may not be the philosophy of most racers, but our goal is different that theirs.  So we take it nice and slow.  I didn't know if I would be able to run more that five miles, and I was okay with walking the rest, but because we didn't push too hard in the beginning, we had enough energy to make it to the end, running (or shall I call it jogging) most of the time. Slow and steady finishes the race, (i know, another cliche').

6   You don't have to look like an athlete to be one. Appearance isn't everything.  (Ps 139:14 You are fearfully and wonderfully made).   My body was not made for running.  I'm 5 foot even.  So I cant say I look like a gazelle when running.  But it really doesn't matter.  Any body shape can run, or swim, or bike-ride, or you fill in the blank. The idea is to just get moving. (1 Tim 4:8 bodily training is of value, 2 Tim 2:5, 1 Cor 6:19 your body is a temple) Don't let yourself off the hook because you don't look the part, or feel it for that matter.  Just DO IT.

Only .1 mile left to go.  We rocked it!

Though this was my 6th Rock and Roll half Marathon, I've probably done 15 or more, (I've lost count), plus one full.  Before I moved to Avondale, AZ 8 years ago, I had only run 3 to 5 miles maximum.  I never thought I would run a half marathon!  And while I don't recommend doing it the way that I did this time. I do recommend pushing yourself hard to do something you never thought you would do.  The rewards are more than just physical.  But that,s a subject for another day.  

Thanks for stopping by the blog.  I pray you have a very blessed day.

Happy Thanksgiving

I have so many reasons to be thankful This year. And one of them is the reason that I have not posted a blog in quite a while. You see, this is the busiest time of year in my line of work. I am a Medicare insurance agent, and this, being the open enrollment season, has kept me away from my blog. I'm not complaining mind you. In fact I am very very thankful to God for blessing my business.

 I've been doing a study with the "she reads truth" morning devotional on "Giving thanks in all circumstances". You can join by going here: http://shereadstruth.com/2013/11/16/give-thanks-circumstances

And one thing I've learned is that it is so easy to be thankful when times are good. When we're being blessed in our work, when our relationships are good, when things are going the way that we want, it is natural to give thanks.
It is not so easy however to be thankful in times of sorrow and pain and sadness. But, we still are to be thankful because a grateful heart is good medicine.
I'm not saying that we should be thankful for our sorrows pains and suffering. No, instead we should be thankful "in" these times, during these times. Why? Because our thankfulness, our gratefulness for what is good in our lives can and will help us to heal. I know it's hard to find the good when you're in the middle of a crisis. But there are many things that you can be thankful for. Start with just one. Find one small thing in your life and give God thanks for it. The sunshine, the rain, the sound of a childs laughter that brought a smile to your face. This will start the healing process. I encourage you to check out this devotional if you are in the middle of a trying time. I think it could help.
This wasn't where I thought I was going when I sat down to write this today. But somehow it is where I ended up. This is one thing I know, God is good, He loves us, he is there for us even when we don't feel it.
I hope and pray you have Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving Day. May God grant you peace and love In whatever you are doing this holiday weekend.

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Words

Monday Praise – Words

 

There is a very thought-provoking Christian song out now called "Words", By Hawk Nelson. And the lyrics are;

 

"Words can build us up, words can break us down, start a fire in our hearts, or put it out." Here's the full song on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anVweXDcxhA

 

Praise God for words.

Words that can be so powerful in constructing a human life.

Words that plant seeds of hope.

Words of encouragement

Words that communicate.

Words that point others to God's glory.

Words that bring change.

Words of instruction and correction.

Words of joy, peace, and love.

Kind words, loving words, thoughtful words.

Thought provoking words.

Poetic words.

Passionate words.

Words of caution.

Words that cause action.

Words that bring life.

 

Words are powerful things. And we have the power and the responsibility to use them with wisdom and compassion. It's also our responsibility not to misuse them. Because once they are said, you can't unsay them. And words used wrongly can actually drive people away from God.

"Set a guard, oh Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!" Psalms 141:3

 

I am reading a book right now by Paul David Tripp. It's called The War of Words. And it really speaks to God's divine purpose for our words and our communication. If you haven't read it yet, I recommend you read it. It is a very insightful and thought-provoking, biblical look at how we should, and can use our words.

 

"… There is hope of substantial change because Jesus Christ, the Word, the Redeemer, has given us every resource we need to speak as we are meant to speak." Paul David Tripp

 

I praise God for words and I praise him for His Word.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God." John 1:1–2 ESV

 

Proverbs 16:24"Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones."

 

Dear God,

May my words be like a honeycomb.

Amen

 

 

 

 

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Change

2 Corinthians 5:17  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone the new is here!"

Change is not easy. But creating new and better patterns and habits in our lives is worth the challenge. And the Bible says that "We can do all things through Jesus Christ who gives us strength." Phil. 4:13

When I first decided to start running, It was a hard change to make in my sedentary lifestyle, because I am basically a lazy person. If I didn't have to get up and exercise every day (otherwise I'd be as big as a house), I know that I would not. But I do, because I know that I have a very slow metabolism and exercise is Gods gift to help me to keep my weight under control.  So I started by making very small changes in my life. The first thing I did was start taking a walk during my lunch hour at work. Little by little I added either more time, or a little bit of jogging to add variety. Soon I decided to get up a little earlier in the morning and do my walk/jog before work. After a little while I was doing more jogging then walking. And not long after that I was doing all running. These were small steps that I decided to make in order to improve my life.  None of them, of themselves, were very hard to do. The hardest part was making the decision to do it.   That's where all change starts.

You must decide what you want to change. Get a clear picture in your mind of what and where you will be after the change.  For me that part  was easy because I knew that I was going on a vacation to Key West, Florida, and I wanted to look good in a bathing suit or shorts. So I pictured myself in a bathing suit on the beach in Florida. Not the current self, but the way I wanted to look.  I had already started a healthy eating program and had lost some weight, so it was positive next step for me to start an exercise program.  And an upcoming vacation was the perfect motivation that I needed to get started.

Now exercise is a lifestyle habit. That Key West vacation was in the year 2000. And since then I have run several half marathons and a marathon and continue a healthy lifestyle of exercise on a regular basis.

I don't believe that it is ever too late to change. Yes, change can be hard. Especially if you're looking at changing something that is very drastic, but empowered by the Holy Spirit we are able to do much more than we ever thought possible.

Like Joyce Meyer says, "You don't have to live in your old ways. You can now make new, better choices empowered by the Holy Spirit. If you find yourself regretting some of the unwise choices you've made in the past, don't be deceived into thinking its too late to do anything about it. Just start doing what's right and stick with it".

 If at some time you fall down and mess up. Just get back up and start where you left off. Change is inevitable. You can either be the subject of change or the instigator of change. You choose.