Week 6 Day 2

Well, I was supposed to run last night, but got on a roll with the writing project that is before me. By the time I was ready to go, the Nome Recreation Center was closing. I went instead this morning around 6:00 am. I know, I do prefer to do my workouts at night but I was wide awake at 6:00 am. After a brisk 5 minute walk, I ran for 10 minutes @ 5.0 mph and then walked for 3 minutes at 3.5 mph and then ran another 10 minutes @ 5.0 mph. I cooled down by walking for 5 minutes. There were not many people at the NRC this morning. My next workout will be to run for 25 minutes. I know that a good sermon will sustain me and knowing that I am getting closer and closer to running for 30 minutes excites me!

The sermons I listened to today are about our need for Jesus - our need for God. If we let God do the guiding we can be at peace. Life is not easy, but with God at the helm we can do anything. It's just too easy for us to want to take the helm and then ask God to take over when life all of a sudden becomes difficult. It happens to many, if not all, of us.

The journey continues....with God at the helm....God, thank you for being on the this journey with me and all others who are reading along....

So Long Self - Mercy Me

In case you want to hear the song I ran a bit to this evening for yourself, you can find it on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxMnr0pM78U. It is called "So Long Self" by Mercy Me.

Week 6 Day 1

I just finished week 6 day 1 workout. I feel great to have run 5 minutes then walk 3 then run 8 then walk 3 then run 5. This all of course with a 5 minute brisk walk warm-up and a 5 minute cool down. I listened to a podcast on New Year's Resolutions. Within that podcast was the song by Mercy Me called "So Long Self." As I was running I thought about how I was running from the negative thoughts that try to keep me to being on this journey. I am so glad to be working toward becoming a runner. I feel more positive in my body than I have in a long time. May the journey to health and wholeness continue...

Week 5 Day 3

I just got back from jogging for 20 minutes. Yeah!! I made it!! It's amazing what our bodies will do when we put our minds to it! Tonight I listened to a sermon about stress which I really needed to hear. Looking forward to my next workout!

I enjoy blogging about my journeys. Life is a sacred journey!

Week 5 - Take 2

Here is a photo David took of me during the second take of week 5 - Tuesday, February 8. I am wearing a Texas A&M t-shirt this time. Hope to take another photo next week.

Week 5 Day 2

I just got back from Week 5 Day 2 on my journey toward preparing to run a 5k sometime this in 2011. After a brisk walk of 5 minutes, I ran 8 minutes at 5.1 mph, then walked 5 minutes at 3.7 mph, ran 8 more minutes, then finished by walking 5 minutes. Running 8 minutes at a time seemed to go by pretty fast - I probably could have run faster, but could have tired out more quickly. This weekend I am supposed to run 20 minutes after a 5 minute brisk walk. I am hoping that a good sermon podcast will spur me on as it did tonight!!

The sermon I listened to this evening was entitle "If I Don't Do It...Remember Rule #6" by Rev. Adam Hamilton. Several weeks ago I mentioned that I heard a sermon and felt inspired to cut something out of my life. This week I finally made the tough decision to step back from two organizations that I work with in my spare time. Both of these organizations are really important to me. I am still supporting both of these organizations, just not in the major ways I was previously. It was not easy for me to say no. Listening to the sermon tonight helped affirm for me that sometimes we have to say no so that we can prepare the way for others to say yes. What may be on the verge of burning me out could be a blessing for someone else to do. Saying no to these two major commitments is allowing me to say yes to other things in the works in my life that need my attention. I am grateful for saying yes to running and the opportunity it has brought me to listen to sermon podcasts. I am more engaged on both the physical and the spiritual fronts when I do them together. I thank God for guiding me to this place. I feel as though I have found my spiritual home. Praise be to God!!

The journey continues...

Week 5 Day 1 - Take 2

After a week of traveling and getting back into the swing of things in Nome, I ended up taking a week off from training for a 5k. I decided to repeat week 5 since I only did day 1. It seemed to go just fine. I hope to continue with Week 5 Day 2 on Thursday.

Tonight I listened to another couple sermon podcasts on Christmas. I know it sounds crazy, but I have enjoyed listening to these sermons during the season of Epiphany. We can either look back at Christmas 2010 or look ahead to Christmas 2011. Christ was a beautiful gift to us that we must never take for granted. Christmas is about Christ and often we make it about ourselves and what we want. How can we just be and enjoy during the Christmas season? With Easter coming up, will we face some of the same anticipation and family dynamics? People in our lives say things that can really hurt us. The preacher I listened to tonight suggested that when someone says something hurtful to us, this is an opportunity for us to pray for that person. They may be feeling insecure about themselves and need the prayers to deal with what they have going on in their lives. This is all easier said than done. May we all strive to be Christlike and see those who hurt us through the eyes of God. We just may be surprised.

The journey continues...