Archive for April, 2008

His name is Cody.

Yeah.

Yesterday I ran in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.  It was an experience to remember!  This being my first half marathon I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I’ve never run 13 miles at once.  I wasn’t sure how my body would respond.  But this I knew: I would finish. 

I did.  (I don’t do this a lot, but do you mind if I brag on myself a bit?) I set out to finish the race in an hour and fifty-seven minutes.  (That’s how long it would take me to finish if I ran a nine minute mile the whole way without stopping.) 

When the results came in I was pleased and shocked!  I ran an average of 8 minutes and 40 seconds a mile, finishing the race in an hour and fifty-FIVE minutes.  (Hey, the extra two minutes really do count when it comes to racing!)

Thank you to everyone who came out to support the runners.  Here are a couple pics to enjoy!

I’m taking some time off this week, resting, relaxing, rejuvenating.  After much thought and great comments from the previous post like these:

“I think it depends on why you blog and what you get out of it.  If your not getting the value out of it that you started with, you will most likely let it go.”–Jimmy Paravane

and this one:

“I think that you know who has been trying to push everybody away from the blogs. God seemed to be speaking through people and we all benefit from that. I think we all have to push through it and keep writing. We are stronger together.”–Roger

…I’ve decided to spend some time this week writing some back up blogs.  That way when life gets busy and work takes over I will still be able to post.  I have so much I want to share with you guys.  So much burning inside!  Thanks for the patience as I figured out what I was going to do…

Stay tuned!

Or is the blog world taking a turn?  I don’t seem to have enough time to write or read… and it feels like everyone else (at least the blog sphere I hang around) is having the same problems…

Is blogging just a first quarter of 2008 thing?  What do you think?

Last Saturday we took a group of our adult SWITCH leaders to the Wichita Wild Life Refuge in Lawton Oklahoma.  It was an amazing time of refreshment, team building and vision casting for our ministry.  If you’ve never been out to the mountains (yeah, we got mountains in Oklahoma) take the drive to Lawton.  It’s beautiful!

April 15th, 2008 (Tax day) 

8:00pm–put final stamp on envelope containing taxes

8:30–10:30pm–Lifegroup

11:00pm–Pick up friend to drive to air port post office (The only one opened 24 hours)

11:33pm–Pull onto wrong street, ask for directions to post office

11:42pm–got lost

11:45pm–called sister for real directions

11:52pm–Taxes turned in *Wipes sweat off forehead*

Procrastination–Hard work often pays off over time… but laziness always pays off now…

Can God be trusted?

If so, why don’t we?

Or if we do, why is it such a struggle?

Can God change His mind?

Does He?

How?

Why?

Here’s a quote created by a friend of mine:

“The quickest way to build a team is to find a common enemy.”

Based on that quote, how many teams are you on?  What are they?

There’s no such thing.

True love is dangerous.  True love is unconditional.  How do you know you operate out of true love? 

• You love without caring if you’re loved back. 
• You love even after someone has hurt you. 
• You love when you’d rather hate. 

How do you know you’re operating out of safe love?

• You only love if you’re sure the other person will love you back
• You stop loving after someone has hurt you
• You withhold love out of selfish fear

True love is reckless, fearless, freeing.  How does someone love with this kind of love?  They understand God loved them first like this so they can love others like this…

Are you loving with dangerous love or safe love?