Running - the beauty of the journey

I've written before about my love/hate relationship with running....it's mostly still a hate kinda thing. I've been told you reach a point where you achieve a "runner's high" and suddenly find yourself on the side of loving it...hasn't happened here yet.

This morning as I begrudgingly laced up my running shoes I decided to just go for a walk, maybe run a little if I felt like it. The dark clouds lingered from last night's rain storm and the air was crisp. Taking a deep breath I began my route, talking to the Lord as I walked. As we chatted I began to notice some things that previously I had run right past. 

The vivid spring green of the new trees.

The flowers bursting from the sleepy earth.

The foothills still clinging to the last bit of snow.

The world around me seemed so much more vivid and that's when it hit me. I've been focusing so much on the drudgery of running that I've missed out on the gift that it is. My focus was wrong. Yes, it can help me get in better shape, but I think that's simply a byproduct. The reality of running is that it affords me time to pray, to listen, to notice. Oftentimes the busyness of life means I run right past it all. In my hurry to get where I'm going I can easily miss out on the beauty of the journey.

Life lived well embraces beauty. It notices the little things and pauses to give thanks.

I walked in the door to a still sleeping house and a second cup of coffee. Heart sigh. Blogging on the patio, the sun has broken through the dark clouds on this Good Friday morning and suddenly I realize maybe I don't hate running after all....maybe.

Snapshots in the snow

Emma and I took a chilly walk in the snow this morning.  A far cry from the beach, but it was beautiful.  We enjoyed snapping photos of our new "happy place".

We must not forget

"Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature and we responded with the best of America." President George W. Bush, 9-11-01

We all remember where we were the day the World Trade Centers fell. The day the Pentagon became a memorial. The day, over a field in Pennsylvania, ordinary people became heroes. In the days that followed, flags flew proudly and we stood together, united as no other nation on earth could unite. We loudly proclaimed, "We will not forget!".
Life has returned to normal for most of us since that fateful day...at least for those of us who did not lose someone dear to us. We've gone about our lives, business as usual and once again taken for granted that we are safe.

Have we forgotten? Do we feel the same patriotism and connection to our neighbors we did that day? Does our heart swell with pride and thankfulness when we see a soldier in uniform? Does our flag still wave proudly from every corner and building?

Sadly, I believe we have forgotten. The horror we felt as we watched the towers crumble has become a distant memory. The pride that swelled in our hearts as we heard the words, "Let's roll" has faded.

For the sake of the 2,974 lives lost that day, we must not forget. For the sake of the children who will not know a parent, we must not forget. For the sake of the spouses who now sleep alone, we must not forget. For the sake of the parents who have outlived their children, we must not forget. For the sake of those still fighting for our freedom, we must not forget.

For all of them - we must not forget.

originally posted on February 7, 2008

Thankful for nothing

Today I'm thankful for nothing.  That's right - nothing.

For the first time since June we have NOTHING on our calendar.  No early morning football practices, no late afternoon football practices, no games, appointments - nada.  For the first time this school year we can enjoy being together without having to fit school around everything else.  We can wake up slowly, eat breakfast together and laugh while we do our chores.  We can snuggle on the couch and do our read alouds.  We can take our time getting things done and we will.

As football season ends in a couple of weeks and we're already starting basketball, I'm not sure when we'll have another day like this so I intend to savor it. 

Yes, today I am incredibly thankful for nothing.

One Thousand Gifts

A few months ago I began a journey through Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts.  I say 'journey' because it's not a book you read cover to cover in one sitting, or even two.  It's one of those you chew on.  You read a few pages and ponder.  Sometimes just one paragraph left me breathless, wondering if I could honestly dare to live fully right where I am.

The premise of One Thousand Gifts is eucharisteo - learning to live a life of true thanksgiving and in doing so finding joy.  The Greek word eucharisteo is a verb - an action word - to be thankful, to give thanks.  It is something we do, not something we are.  I can learn to be a thankful person, but am I someone who is always looking for opportunities to give thanks?  The difference is being versus doing.  I don't want to simply BE thankful. I want to live a life of thankfulness - to DO thankfulness.

I think the thing that struck me at first was understanding the importance of thankfulness for ALL THINGS.  We are all quick to thank God for our spouse, kids, home, etc.  Those are easy (sometimes!).  Learning to live a life of true thanksgiving means watching for Him everywhere; looking for the Lord and his work in everything around us.  It is relearning how to view life.  Not through our own self-centered lens, but through an eternal lens; a lens that seeks to open our eyes to true joy.  Oftentimes that 'true joy' has nothing at all to do with our circumstances and absolutely everything to to with His plan.

Following the author's example, I started my own eucharisteo list...my list of 1,000 gifts.  In doing so my eyes have been opened to so much of what I was missing.  Things that have been there all along, but in my shortsightedness I passed them by.  In missing them, I missed an opportunity for joy. 

#8 - quiet, unhurried reflection

#12 - friends willing to share the load running early morning football carpool

#15 - a moment of self-control

#51 - kids laughing with their friends

#58 - puddles

#64 - my oldest son, himself a man, kayaking across the lake - alone - he is his own

#91 - letting go of unspoken expectations

#102 - daily chores, the reminder of a full house

Learning to live fully in each moment means slowing down to see what is right in front of me.  I don't want to come to the end of my days and realize I missed a life of joy because I was too busy BEING rather than DOING.