Here’s What’s Gonna to Happen

I’ve been going back and forth in my head debating whether or not I should keep updating this blog. For a while now it just hasn’t felt like something I’ve been drawn to. Perhaps I had a distorted perspective.

The Lord’s Vast Strength {Free Scripture Graphic}

While I’ve been aware of the “Armor of God” for as long as I can remember, I’ve never truly focused on what it means.

Our Abba has given us His tools, as we head out each day to live for Him, yet I don’t bother to grab them on my way out the door.

Beautiful

Post 5 beautiful pictures of yourself.

This meme is making its rounds in my Facebook circles. Yesterday I found myself  tagged – challenged to find 5 pictures and share them with my timeline. 

The homework was harder than it seemed. I found myself sorting through pictures, dismissing them for one reason or another – the crinkle in my nose, the lines around my eyes, the poofiness of my hair. This task, meant as a reminder of my beauty, almost led me down a depressing thought pattern.

My life rarely finds me in full make-up and formal wear. Even when it does, I’m hardly the beauty who stands out. I don’t even enjoy the hair/make-up/clothes routine. In fact I find it exhausting and overwhelming. One morning this week, I found myself checking Twitter while curling my hair because I felt like I was wasting my time standing still with a hot iron in my hand.

The moments in my life that I enjoy don’t typically have a dress code. Whether it be a run event, an adventure with Jay, or hanging with my family, most often I have to make sure I’m dressed casual enough for the activities.  After all, the Alpine Coaster would have been a completely different adventure ridden in a skirt!

No, what makes me beautiful isn’t my hair, nails, clothes, or make-up. Instead my beauty comes from my smile and confidence when I am surrounded by those I love, doing things that I love. 

Its a confidence of knowing no matter what – I’ll always have these moments, this love. Knowing that though my circle may not be big, those who are in it adore me. 

Its {figuratively} letting my hair down. Or {literally} putting my hair up and diving head first into the moment. My beauty is a reflection of those around me. Those I love, and who love me are the best mirror this girl will ever have the pleasure of looking into.

Fireball 5K – Volunteer Race Report

Given my distaste for running in the heat, I opted out of running the Fireball 5K. The atmosphere of the race is fun, like other KTC races, so I signed up to work the race instead. True to form, my crazy friends decided we needed to dress up for the occasion.

Christal wore flip flops, and was unable to run the mile to and from the water stop, so I gave her my slot at the finish line. I’ve never worked a water stop before (my apologies for any awkward water hand offs!) but enjoyed it. My voice was hoarse from yelling “water in the from, Gatorade in the back” over and over and over again.

I got to watch the early leaders, and cheer on my friends as the finished up the first mile strong. I stayed on the “out” side until the last person passed, so I did miss a lot of my friends on their return (this was an out and back course. We were positioned just before he 1 mile marker and just after the 2.)

None of this, however, is noteworthy. My friends, teammates, and I have fun all the time. This blog isn’t about me, but rather the lady I met at the tail end the race. After we cleaned up the water station, I began my jog back to the start/finish. After a few minutes, I noticed the police car ahead. I would have to switch to a walk to avoid passing some racers.

I didn’t officially introduce myself, but I learned her name is Eva from the race results. I trotted alongside her and asked if she wanted company.

I would love to share our conversation, but somehow I feel like posting it would be a break of confidence.

This woman is an inspiration. She knew her limitations, put aside her doubts and pressed on.

No excuses.

Often I need these reminders. Running isn’t about pace, place, or personal records. Sometimes the best moments come when I am honored to hear, and even become a part of someone else’s story.

Heroes & Perspective

In my childhood, I idolized my sister. I wanted to do everything she did, be everywhere she was. So when we were in middle school (maybe she was high school age?) and she read a book on Hank Aaron, I, too, chose a baseball book to read. Of course I didn’t want to be a copy cat, so I picked a different author, different ball player.

My Luke & I, the (auto)biography of Mr & Mrs. Henry Louis Gehrig was my first selection. After that, I read every book about the Iron Horse I could get my hands on. My love for the New York Yankees started that day, as I stood between the stacks of my local library.

Seeing the Yanks play in the same stadium where Gehrig played so many of his 2,130 consecutive games was near the top of my bucket list. In the final season before it was torn down, my love and I traveled north for a game.

Tomorrow marks the 75th anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s legendary speech.

…yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth…look at these grand men. which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day…when you have a mother-in-law who takes sides with you and squabbles with her own daughter, that’s something…when you have a father and mother who work all their lives so that you can have an education…I might have been given a bad break, but I’ve awful lot to live for. Thank you.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a monster, which slowly robs its victims of their motor skills. How could Gehrig stand before the crowd and say he was lucky? He’d already lost the the ability to do his job, his sport. He eventually lost his mobility. Less than 2 years after declaring himself “the luckiest man” he lost his life to the effects of ALS.

Perspective changes everything. 

 

On this Independence Day – it seems fitting to celebrate a son of immigrant parents who rose above his meager beginnings, set records which would take decades to be broken, and humbly inspired a nation for generations to come.