Flashback Friday (a little late...but it is still the weekend)

A friend of mine sent this to me this week.  She told me that she wanted to put in on her desk.  I couldn't figure out why; until I looked closely.  I NEVER remembered my hair being that short.

Marathoning

I have realized over time how much God sometimes pulls me back from people to experience Him.  Marathon training has been intense, but good.  Awesome, really.  I am hitting my race time or near there and have been loving my long runs.  While at the track last week, something finally clicked.  I realized I was hungry.  I was hungry to be better, to be more...and was willing to do whatever it took to get there.  So...for the next few weeks, I am laying off the stuff I put in my body that is bad for me, going to bed as early as possible, and staying consistent with my training.  I don't want a "what if" or "only if" race.  Marathon training has been lonely at times and my life is horribly boring at the moment, but after talking with several endurance athletes over the weekend, I realize that I am ok and my chronic fatigue and ginormous appetite are totally normal.  So, I take care of all the things I need to do and plug on, realizing that this has an end and that I have always wanted to be this focused on a race.

The reason I dig in the trash every day...

Actual conversations at my house.

Me to Chelsi:  So...as if I didn't drive you nuts enough, we are going to start putting the pop cans and pop tabs from the recyclables.  There is a guy at my church who collects them for Riley and uses the money from the pop can recycling to buy juice for the kids on Sunday morning.  Oh...and we are collecting Box Tops too.  And we are separating out cardboard and paper for the Mission.  Um...I think that that is it.  Yeah...

Chelsi:  Ok, you have fun with that.

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Me to Chelsi:  Ok Chels, I am leaving for Haiti.  Make sure that you tell off whoever is moving my compost pile.  I am feeling fiesty.

Chelsi:  Yeah right.

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So...I continue to singlehandedly save the environment.  I think I will have to build a compost pile fence.  It has been no less than seven times that this has been moved.

Flashback Friday--Kristen cart

I was told I couldn't post this, since it wasn't about me.  Well, too bad…I posted it anyway.:)

Living out what I believe

This week has been particularly difficult.  For various reasons, I finally broke down on Tuesday.  My late uncle's birthday, in combination with end of life decisions with my grandparents, and several stressors from work and otherwise had finally compounded with this newfound sensitivity that God had instilled in me through the course of the last several months.  However, God is so faithful and good.  He has pulled me through some difficult days and comforted me so much.

I was blessed with a 23.2 mile run yesterday in 3:23, which is my fastest time ever.  And...I still had gas left in the tank.  I felt phenomenal (albeit, a little sore) after my run, which is just beyond amazing.  I attribute it to God, beginning the use of Asea, and my increasing habit of consuming more junk food than any human should have in a month.  And this was all despite some foot issues all week...

Doors have opened and shut and I have been required to take leaps of faith that are scary and stretching.  God has been preparing me for big things to come, but I have to believe that He is good and faithful.  And to be honest, that is easier said than done.

Flashback Friday

This week would have been my Uncle Jeff's 50th birthday.  I don't even know why I remember that date, but it dawned on me early that morning.  As good as life is and as much time has passed since his death, I still sometimes miss him so much.  He was a great man and such a good father, husband, uncle, friend, teacher, colleague, and congregant.  I look forward to meeting with him again some day.