Saturday, June 16, 2018

a new chapter ahead


Dear Taylor, 
I have loved praying and listening and writing to you over the past few months in this blog.  It's time to close this chapter and cross over into this next season of your 14th year and on into your teenage years. 

May all of these words be a reminder of these passages below
and may you be more rooted and grounded in His love.  
Remember to celebrate this love each day and to live out of that. 


14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21 


I love you to the moon and back,  
Mom 

Friday, June 15, 2018

You Got This...

I am so glad God gave me YOU! 
Celebrating all that you are and anticipating all that lies ahead. 


For one of my final posts for this blog for you, 
I wanted to share a reflection on this from a few summers ago when 
I was with a neighborhood group at Libby Chapman's house and we were meditating on the passage in Ephesians 1:3-10 in the Message: 

3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
7-10 Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.
The words that stood out to me as I was reading this are the ones I highlighted in bold above.  It is remarkable to me that he invites us into a celebration of his lavish gift-giving.   The only way to be able to enter into a celebration well is be present and to not focus on regrets of the past or the anxieties of the future.  And the only way to be able to be truly present in this way is to trust.   As our group reflected together, someone else shared that it struck her that we can rest in this truth that God has provided everything we can possibly need.  We often want to hold onto things and take control, but this passage points us to the truth that He's got us in His hands. 
This reminded me of the sign that I saw a spectator holding at a race this spring that said, "You got this!" as we were heading into the home stretch of the course.  

This sign usually is one that is a boost of confidence to finish strong. But the other night as we were looking at this passage in Ephesians, I thought of it in another way.  Rather than something for me, I saw it as a prayer of confidence directed from me to God.  As we are still in a place of piecing things together and learning to trust God for the next steps, I am able to shout out to God, "YOU GOT THIS!" with joy and confidence.  

May you hold this sign in the coming days and years ahead as you are running the race.... 

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Wisdom to Impart

Taylor, there is so much wisdom I want you to have before you launch from this place, but I know I won't be able to give you everything you need. I have this prayer on the refrigerator and pray this often:
Lord, see in them what I cannot see.
Lord, bring to light what I do not know.
Lord, teach them of what I am not aware.
Lord, whisper to them what I have forgotten.
Lord, warn them of what I have omitted.
Lord, be for them what I cannot be.

Lord, love them for you are all they need.

I found this letter from a mom to her son on his 13th birthday and thought she had some good words of wisdom I could also share with you.... 


Dear Son, 
Where have the years gone? Just yesterday you were a little boy learning to count using your Hot Wheels cars. Now you’re almost as tall as I am, looking more and more like a man and less and less like my little boy.
I am so proud of you.
As you enter your teenage years, there are a few things I’d like you to remember.

CHARACTER MATTERS

As you grow older, you are earning more freedom. Gone are the days when we attend your every soccer practice. You frequently attend events where your dad and I are not present.
Use that freedom wisely.
It’s true that with more freedom comes more opportunity to break the rules. But know what you do in private is still known by God himself.
Integrity is important. Be the man in private that you display to the public. Love God. Respect others. Be honest. Show yourself true to your word. These character traits will take you far in life.
In the long run, good character is far more important than the momentary gain you will receive from a dishonest grade, a broken confidence, or a momentary gain in popularity at the expense of another.
A good name is more desireable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:1 NIV

KEEP YOUR MIND PURE

With more freedom and access to technology, you will have more opportunity to view images, read books, and watch movies that are both unwholesome and not at all glorifying to God.
Your friends may encourage you to participate in these activities with them.
Stand strong.
What you put into your mind today will have long lasting effects on your relationships with women and your marriage in the future.
You will be tempted. That is certain. But remember that the women you are being invited to see are created by God and loved immensely by him. If you would not feel comfortable seeing your sisters in the media you consume, don’t consume it. Because those women? They’re somebody’s sisters.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. Psalm 119:9 ESV

USE YOUR STRENGTH WISELY

You have grown immensely in the last couple of years. Whether you realize it or not, you are now stronger than your sisters and I.
Your boyish roughousing now has the potential to hurt. Really hurt.
You are adjusting to your newer, more manly body. Learn to use your strength for good.
Protect those who need protecting. Physically help those who need helping. Work hard, as if you are working for the Lord. Because you are. God gave men strength for a reason. Make sure you use that strength to glorify Him.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

BE A LEADER

You are now at the age where it is tempting to just be “one of the guys.” And having fun with good friends is a good thing…to a point.
Many a teenage boy has found himself in a load of trouble for doing something “because everyone else is doing it.”
Don’t be one of those guys.
You step up. You be the leader. Don’t let your friends influence you. You influence them and lead them toward Christ.
Eventually you will be the leader of your home, leading your children to Christ. Use these teen years to practice your leadership skills. You will need them for the rest of your life.
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 ESV

DON’T NEGLECT YOUR FIRST LOVE

Lean in, because I don’t want you to miss this. If there is anything you take away from this letter, let it be this: Do not neglect your relationship with God.
He created you. He knows you like no other. He loves you with an everlasting love. He saved you from the consequences of every sin you have committed and every sin you will commit. And he did it at the expense of the life of his own Son.
Never forget the significance of that fact.
As much as I love you (and I love you a lot), God loves you more. He is ready and willing to guide you through this thing called life, if you’ll only let him.
Spend time in the word. Pray frequently. Take your celebrations, your problems, and your worries to the Lord.
God has given you the wisdom you need for life in his Word. The Holy Spirit lives within you, ready to guide you in all circumstances. Don’t neglect those gifts.
Put God first in your life. Everything else will fall into place. You’ll be tempted to spend your time and money on other things – sports, work, and yes, even girls. And those things aren’t bad, as long as you don’t put them in the highest place – the place where God belongs.
Keep your priorities straight: first God, then others, finally yourself. If you do that, you’ll be just fine in life.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Son, I love you so much. God has gifted you in so many ways, and I cannot wait to see how you use those gifts. I love the man you are becoming, and I thank God for you every day.
Happy thirteenth birthday.
Love,
Mom

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

significance of 26.2



Know that I ran 26.2 miles in your honor..... one mile per year (13) and back.... because..... 

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Light and Hope

During Sunday's race, the memory is burned in my mind of running through the tunnel for quite some time in the dark and then seeing the light at the end of the tunnel as we got closer to the end of that stretch.  May these words I've shared with you over the last few months bring you light and hope and may you know you are loved...  





Monday, June 11, 2018

Avoid Going Down Any Stairs

This sums up the Light at the End of the Tunnel training and the race: 
"It is only through hardship, through discouragement, through exhaustion, that we learn to draw on the power of God’s Spirit within us.  It is only when we come to the end of our own strength, and even then refuse to give up, that we discover God’s strength.  “When we are weak, then we are strong”… Hardships make us bitter… or better. They lead us to breakdown…or to breakthrough. If we don’t give up at that breaking point when we feel we’ve reached the end of our own resources, we find a new aliveness, the life of the risen Christ rising within us."  
–Brian McLaren We Make the Road By Walking

Here is what my training plan says for today: 


Though I am hobbling around like an old lady today and am reminded of Wesley in Princess Bride when he is "mostly dead" and is stumbling through the castle in his attempt to rescue Buttercup, 
my heart is definitely filled to the brim with gratitude! (I'm thankful I don't need a wheelbarrow today!) 


Sunday, June 10, 2018

Light at the End of the Tunnel 2018

Today was race day, and I am still pinching myself that it turned out to be a PR Day (3:25!)!  My prayer through the run was for health and strength and daily bread, and I am so grateful for God's sustaining grace through the miles.  I met my goals of finishing with a smile on my face and doing my best today, and I'm grateful for a body that is getting older but still able to run and able to get faster though the years!  






bright and early this morning..... 

YIKES! A  very cold start that we were not expecting.... 
A VERY kind runner loaned me some extra mittens and those were a lifesaver... 
First gift of daily bread.... :) 


Here we go!

    
the tunnel we got to run through for the first two miles... 

I LOVED having you cross the finish line with me!!!! You were with me in spirit in this race and I've been so grateful to get to pray for you though the miles over the last few months and today... 








So thankful for Janie's encouragement through the years in running- 
she's believed in me when I doubted I could qualify for Boston in 2012. (There have been so many lessons learned through the years from running- what a gift she gave me with her optimism and support. She has been an amazing cheerleader. :) 

I hope I can be that kind of cheerleader for you through the years, Taylor....

muddy buddy 




This song was on my playlist this morning during the marathon, 
and it captures my heart today: 

I am counting every blessing, counting every blessing

Letting go and trusting when I cannot see
I am counting every blessing, counting every blessing
Surely every season you are good to me
Oh, you are good to me

Oh, you are good to me
You were there in the valley of shadows

You were there in the depth of my sorrows
You're my strength, my hope for tomorrow
I've been blessed beyond all measure
I am counting every blessing, counting every blessing

Saturday, June 9, 2018

Twas the Night before Race Day....

part of my lunch today..... 

Taylor, there have been almost 75 little entries on this blog.... 
Know that it has been a sweet thing to tie you up in my shoelaces with some prayer in the last few months of training and running-- bringing you along the way and holding you up to the Light. 

I just googled "night before race day" and found this very funny poem.  
‘Twas the night before race day, when all through the town
No sleep would be had by the runners around;
Their race clothes were laid by the door with care,
In hopes that a PR soon would be there.

The rest of the world – they were snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
But for runners like me, sleep would not come,
We tossed and we turned until up came the sun,

Only then did our bodies succumb to a nap,
But then – BOOM! Our alarms went off like a slap.
We frantically pulled our clocks to our faces,
To make sure we hadn’t slept through our races.

Next: Check the weather. Sunny or Snow?
Running through heat or twenty below?
Even though we’d stalked the forecast forever,
We needed that last minute check on the weather.

Time to get dressed, get stressed over layers,
Yes, it’s cold now, but what about later?
Sure we can shed some clothes as we go,
But where goes the damn race bib? We know it must show.

Once our wardrobe is finally complete,
It’s time for the Glide and to deal with our feet!
Glide is easy: everywhere it goes
More difficult is dealing with feet and with toes.

Long or short socks? Compression or not?
Too risky to try the new ones we’ve bought?
And no matter how much we adjust our right sock,
There’s a bump in it that feels like it’s hiding a rock.

Next come the sneakers, a whole different stress
One wrong lace and BINGO! Your feet are a mess.
First they’re too loose. Then they’re too tight.
On race day they never ever ever feel right.

Next up: some food, though it’s barely daylight
And who wants to eat when it’s still kind of night?
So we choke down bagels, maybe oatmeal instead,
And toss back some coffee to wake up our heads.

Breakfast is over, so now we must pack
Some fuel to eat for a mid-race snack.
Chompers or gel? Sport beans or Gu?
Too many choices, so we just grab a few.

We’re dressed! We’re packed! We finished our meal!
Time to head out – it's sure getting real!
But of course we cannot just head out the door,
Without visiting the loo, at least one time more.

Off to the race site, time to check in,
Stare at the elites – those guys might win!
Then straight to the porta potties – get in a line,
We know that is where we will spend most of our time.

After spending quality time at the John
We realize the moment has come to move on
And make our way over to the starting line;
Adjust our Garmin and pacebands one final time.

Do a few stretches, hand to your heart,
As the national anthem signals the start.
Excitement builds, you’re ready to burst,
Whether it’s your fiftieth race or your first.

The countdown begins and off goes the gun,
It’s finally here – the race has begun!.
So we look up and wish on the new morning star,

“HAPPY RACE DAY TO ALL, AND TO ALL A PR!!


You'll definitely be with me in spirit tomorrow. :) 

Friday, June 8, 2018

butterflies and inspiration

The adrenaline is already kicking in and I have some butterflies fluttering around today
 with less than two days until race day.... 

The following quotes were great little pieces of inspiration. 

“Every single one of us possesses the strength to attempt something he isn't sure he can accomplish. It can be running a mile, or a 10K race, or 100 miles. It can be changing a career, losing 5 pounds, or telling someone you love them.”
-Scott Jurek, Ultrarunner


Now may the God who leads us 
from darkness to light 
illuminate our footsteps, 
lengthen our stride
and strengthen our resolve
that we might walk (or run) the path 
prepared for us
and faithfully serve our Lord and King. 
Amen. 
-John Birch, A Fragrant Offering 

I am praying for God to lead you from darkness to light, 
to illuminate your footsteps and to give you the strength to walk with the King today and always.... 

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Wilma Unlimited

This is one of my favorite books-- not only is it about running, it's about an amazing woman named Wilma Rudolph who had a remarkable tenacious spirit and who set Olympic records. 



I love this page because it shouts the story of the underdog
 and of the unexpected grace that shows up. 

There are times that I have felt like this even in this training for this race. 
Perhaps no one expected much.... BUT most people did not have what I have-- a friend who has run alongside me and has coached me, a family who has cheered me on and supported me, friends who have prayed for me, a PT who has some magic up her sleeve and whose optimism spurred me on, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to bring me God's presence through every mile.  

I heard this question posed in church the other day: 
"Do you feel that the task before you is greater than the resources you have?" 
When we feel that way, we can be assured that we have God's spirit in our ordinary lives doing extraordinary things.