Discipline

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

- 2 Timothy 1:7, NIV

Discipline. This is one of the things that often seems to be lacking in my life. I have times when I get really focused and can be disciplined on a specific thing, but sooner or later, I seem to slip back into old patterns that are undisciplined and even harmful to me.
This is certainly true when it comes to my physical health. I have so many times started diets and not stayed with them. I have started exercise programs and have not stayed with them. I have tried to watch my eating and tried to live a more healthy lifestyle and in the end I fail miserably at this.
I also feel that I lack discpline in my work life. I try to be more organized and plan ahead better. What usually ends up happening is that I procrastinate and run around feeling anxious and overwhelmed. I have attended workshops to help me deal with clutter on my desk and how to use my time better. I do well for a while and then it gets out of control. Right now, I have the beginnings of an unruly nest of papers that need to be filed. I fear that it soon will become a tall stack of stuff that will fill my desk.
I also feel like I lack much discipline in my spiritual life. I try to grow in my prayer life and add new ways of experiencing God. I may stick with them for a while and then I either lose interest or the will to stick with them. I seem to lack a kind of inner discipline even when it comes to the most importation relationship in my life.
The good news is that God is a God of grace and new beginnings. Every time I fall off the diet wagon, stack papers up to the ceiling on my desk, or don't take the time to nurture my relationship with God, God is still there to love me. God helps me start again. God renews my strength and reminds me that all things are possible through Christ Who strengthens me. God loves me where I am empowers me to grow in love and discipline in life and faith. Thanks be to God!

Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Walking Again

My friend Karen and I have started walking again. We took the month of May off and now are trying to walk three mornings a week. We meet at Wal-Mart and if it's hot like it was last week, we walk inside in the air conditioning. If it's cooler like it was this morning, we walk out in the parking lot. Today we walked around Wal-Mart's parking lot and then headed down past Kohl's and then went further on and walked around Menard's parking lot. It was a beautiful morning and I was grateful to be back getting some more exercise in my life.
I have also found that walking is kind of like therapy for me. While I'm not much of a morning person and really don't like to exercise, however, I like having a walking partner because Karen and I can share what's going on in our lives. Sometimes we talk about a movie we saw the night before on Netflix or about something at work. Sometimes we share what's going on in our families. We never seem to run out of things to talk about.
I do feel better when I walk. I feel better from getting the blood flowing through my body a little faster. I also think it helps me to feel better about myself when I get up and moving in the morning. I think it also helps me to have a better day at work. I am not sure why, but it feels like days that start with walking are days on which I have a better attitude and more energy. While today was a typical Monday with all of the craziness that is Habitat, I found myself feeling grateful for starting the day out walking. While I still sometimes grumble about it, I know it's good for me and I know that it helps prepare me for the day.
So, tonight, I'm grateful for the gift that is walking in my life. I'm grateful for my friend Karen who chooses to get out of bed and be my walking partner. I am grateful for cool mornings to walk.
I am also thankful that tomorrow morning is a non-walking day for me and I will get to sleep in. I cherish these mornings as well and the rest that I experience that helps me get through the day.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Lessons Learned

I'm really tired and sore today but it's a good tired. I also know that I am sore because I accomplished a huge thing in my life. Yesterday I walked the Flying Pig Half-Marathon. I still can't believe it but I really did it.
As I've been reflecting on my experience, I have been thinking about the lessons that I learned throughout this entire process. So, I thought I would share with out some of the things that I learned.

Every Journey Begins with the First Step - This journey for me began last December. My sister Stacey sent out an email encouraging me to sign up to walk in the Flying Pig Half-Marathon. At first, I thought she was crazy. I think I just let the email sit in my inbox for a few weeks. However, I kept thinking about it. On the last day of the early bird registration fee, I decided to go ahead and do it. I had no idea really what I was doing but I decided this is something I wanted to do and really needed to do. It was going to be good for me. So, I took the first step and it forever changed the last four months of my life. Every important thing that I have done in my life began with a first step.

Pain Is a Part of Life - I have experienced new levels of pain in my training and in walking the marathon. My back hurt. My legs hurt. My head hurt. My knees hurt. My feet hurt. Today I'm nursing a blister on the bottom of my foot. The wet weather yesterday didn't help matters. However, what I learned is that you can push past the pain. It's still there. It reminds you of your humanness. However, it doesn't have to defeat you. I nearly had an anxiety attack on Saturday night thinking about the painful big blisters that were going to form on my feet. I also wondered if I was ever going to walk again after I stopped and tried to get out of my parents' truck after the ride home. I was so stiff and in a lot of pain. However, I rested and it is better. What I'm left with in spite of the pain is a huge sense of accomplishment. We all walk around with some kind of pain - emotional, physical, psychological. What we do with that pain makes all the difference in our journey of life and faith.

It's Better If You Don't Have to Make the Journey Alone - I thank God for my friend Karen's willingness to walk with me. Through our training, she held me accountable and helped me to stay motivated. When we were walking and we didn't know if we were going to make it, we lifted one another up. I don't know if I would have been able to do this on my own. The same is true in my life. I am an introvert and I need a lot of alone time to recharge my batteries; however, I cannot mistake my need for alone time as a license to be a social hermit. I need other people to encourage me, love me when I'm not very lovable, and laugh with me. While sometimes you need to walk alone to have time to reflect, having companions can really make a huge difference.

It's Vital to Have Encouragement Along the Way - One of the best things about walking in the Flying Pig Marathon are the different groups who encourage you along the way. There were high school cheerleaders, barber shop quartet groups, Gospel groups, rock bands, and even an Elvis impersonator. I think I most enjoyed the groups of people who just stood in a group and cheered for us and shouted words of encouragement. They told us that we could do it. They told us we were doing a good job. They clapped and whooped and hollered. Then at the end of the marathon, my parents, my nephew Cameron, and my sister Stacey were cheering us on to the finish line while they held up posters with our names on them. It was what I hope heaven will be like. I imagine all of the saints and those who have gone before me in the faith cheering me into the presence of God. Each cheer, each word of encouragement helped me to keep moving forward just as in all of life.

What You Wear Can Make a Huge Difference - I heard on the new last night that a man tried to run in the marathon completely nude. The reporter said that he ran the first mile before he was arrested. Thankfully for everyone involved, I didn't try this. However, I did get some new walking clothes. I got a new shirt that wouldn't soak up the water and keep me cool. I also got a new part of athletic pants. They were were also helpful at keeping me dry. I even got a new pair of special underwear for athletes. I didn't know there was such a thing but they seemed to make a difference. Life can be like this as well. If I would have worn my usual cotton T-shirt and sweat pants they would have been soaked and heavy I would not have been comfortable. My new sports outfit helped me to finish the race and keep me as comfortable as possible.

It's Okay to Take a Break and Rest - I took a vacation day today from work just to rest. I relaxed and rested. I knew that I would need time to recover. I've got a ton of work to do but I knew that I needed time to rest. While I sometimes feel guilty about taking time for myself, it's really important to do. In fact, when I don't take time to rest and relax, I get really grouchy and can't really give my best to the other parts of my life. God rested on the seventh day and gave us the Sabbath to rest and renew. In our 24/7 world, this is hard to remember. However, rest allows us to have the energy to work and produce and make a difference in the world.

Well, I'm sure there are many other lessons I learned; however, I'm not long from bed. I am still tired and it's going to be a long week of work.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

13.1 Miles

I did it! I finished the Flying Pig Half-Marathon in Cincinnati this morning. I can't believe it. I walked 13.1 miles! I don't think I've ever done that before.
I'm giving thanks to God even as I soak my feet. It was a good day and a major accomplishment in my life. More later.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Big Day Tomorrow

I ask for your prayers for me tomorrow. Tomorrow I am going to attempt to walk the Flying Pig Half-Marathon. We had a fun evening of carbo-loading this evening. Now, I just want to get a good night's sleep. I am going to do my best. This is the day I've been training for. I will most definitely need prayers and God's grace to make it.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Off to the Races

As the time gets closer to walking the half-marathon on Sunday, I am feeling really tired and stressed. I'm not sure what's going on with me. I want to be at my best. I want to give the marathon my best. I am taking tomorrow off and hopefully will have an opportunity to rest. However, I am going tomorrow morning with my brother-in-law Rob and his friend to an abandoned storage unit auction. Rob and I are thinking about bidding on a storage unit or two and then you get whatever is in the unit. They don't allow you to go through the stuff before the auction. They open the door and basically you have to bid on the stuff without really looking at it closely. I guess there is a reality show based on people who do this called storage wars. I am thinking about working with Rob to sell stuff on eBay and Craig's List. I'm not completely convinced of this but I am intrigued.
Later in the day my friend Karen, my sister Stacey, and my brother-in-law Rob are going downtown to pick up our marathon registration stuff. Supposedly we are going to get all kinds of free stuff from the marathon sponsors. I am looking forward to that.
Saturday my Mom is making a big pasta dinner for everyone. We plan to carbo-load before the marathon. I am really looking forward to that.
The weather is not looking good for the marathon. It is almost certain to rain. I am questioning if I really want to walk in the rain. Last year my sister Stacey walked in the rain and she got huge blisters on her feet and had to go to the doctor. I don't want to get blisters and I really don't like to be out in the rain. All of my co-workers were encouraging me today to go ahead. I don't really want to walk in the rain but I also don't want all of this training to be for nothing. So, I think I'm in no matter what. I am really glad I took a vacation day on Monday to recover.
I will keep you informed as the weekend progresses. I certainly welcome your prayers. I'm sure it's going to be interesting. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Rainy Day

It's been a rainy day here in the Cincinnati area. It's actually been a rainy week. It seems like the monsoon season has hit Cincinnati. The rain meant that my friend Karen and I walked at the mall this morning. We walked six miles which seemed easy after last week's twelve miles. The rain also meant that I have had terrible sinus problems all day. I am not long from bed because I am really not feeling well.
I went over to my sister Stacey's house this evening for dinner. My sister Shelly and nephew Michael are in town. Tomorrow we are getting together for Easter dinner.
That's all for now. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Twelve Miles

Well, my friend Karen and I planned to walk 13 miles today but we came up short. We were both pretty tired and had circled around back near her home. Karen suggested that we stop at twelve and I didn't argue with her.
I am sore and very tired. I took a three hour nap this afternoon. I wish we would have walked the full thirteen just so I know that I can do it but I am hoping that the adrenaline of the day of the marathon will push us on towards the finish line.
While I am grateful that I am doing this half-marathon, I am ready for this training period to be over. It seems to consume my life. Not that I have much of a life but on the days that we walk long distances, I am not good for much of anything. I am glad that I have a vacation on the day after walking the half marathon.
I have read about and heard others talk about the endorphin high they get from exercise. I must be made differently. I thought that doing all of this exercise in training for the half marathon would get me into better shape and help me to like to exercise more. However, the entire time we were walking today I kept thinking about getting back home and laying down. Evidently my body produces no endorphins and is immune to the benefits of exercise. I am as fat as ever and I feel terrible. I still think I am not up to full speed after being sick a few weeks ago.
I'm grateful that next weekend we only have to walk six miles. I'm also grateful we only have two more weeks until the half-marathon. I'm pooped.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Closing

We closed on a house today with a Habitat Partner Family in Northern Kentucky. It was a great day of celebration for this family who has been waiting for a long time. They have worked hard, finished all of their sweat equity hours, and were hoping to be in their house long ago. However, construction delays and the harsh winter weather we had this past season hindered completion of this house.
I've felt bad for this family. I wished I could have hurried the process along. I wished I could have waved a magic wand and caused their house to be finished. However, all I could do is wait along with them and hope for the weather to break and everything to get done.
I found great satisfaction as I watched them sign their closing documents. I knew I was witnessing and miracle and an answer to many prayers. I knew that God was up to something good in this moment. While the wait was not fun, it most certainly was worth it.
It's been a long week and I am really tired. I am still wiped out after being sick. I continue to produce tons of snot and I'm tired of blowing my nose. My friend Karen plan to walk tomorrow. I am hoping I will make it. It's been two weeks since I last walked.
Tomorrow evening I am going to sit for my nephew Cameron. His parents are going out for the evening. I'm not sure what Cameron has in store for me. It should be interesting.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Eleven Miles

My friend Karen and I walked eleven miles today. It was such a good feeling to accomplish this goal. We did pretty well on our pace. We were able to finish in a little over three hours. We were moving along at a pretty good pace. I continue to be amazed that I am actually doing this. This journey towards walking the half-marathon has been truly a miracle in my life. While I was really tired after today's walk, it was a good tired. It meant that I am on my way to completing the marathon.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Hunting Trolls

I had a nice dinner at my sister Stacey's house tonight. It started out just being my sister, her husband Rob and myself. My nephew Cameron was playing at a friend's house. About half way through dinner, Rob got a call from mother of Cameron's friend. She told Rob that Cameron wanted to come home for dinner because his mom had made corned beef and cabbage and his Uncle Kevin was at his house. Cameron asked his friend's mother to call because he and his friend were busy hunting trolls in the back yard.
So, Rob went to pick up Cameron and brought him back home. It was good to see him. He gets taller every time I see him. He also had a kind of Mohawk looking haircut which I had not seen before. Cameron ate with us and then began getting his bag packed because he was going back over to his friend's home to spend the night.
Cameron asked Stacey what kind of weapons he could use to hunt for trolls with his friend. Stacey suggested his cross bow or toy gun that both shoot marshmallows. Cameron rejected these ideas. He wanted to take a knife. Stacey then suggested he take one of his toy swords. Cameron also rejected this. I think he wanted to take a real knife from the kitchen.
I suggested that maybe trolls were allergic to petroleum products. I meant like oil. Stacey asked me if I was referring to Vaseline. I hadn't thought of that but it would probably be good. I then suggested smearing cucumber melon lotion on a troll might work. I thought that they might be repelled by the smell of cucumbers. Cameron also rejected my ideas.
Cameron then asked Rob and immediately Rob said that trolls have very thick skin and that Cameron would not be able to use a knife to kill them. I'm not sure where he got this information from but it sounded convincing to me. It also seemed to convince Cameron. Rob went on to say that the best way to kill a troll was with blunt force trauma. Again, I have no idea where he gets this stuff. So Rob suggested that Cameron take his mini wooden baseball bats with him. So, Cameron grabbed them from the closet and went off to his friend's house to hunt for trolls.
It really is amazing what you learn when you're with a seven year old.
My friend Karen and I walked nine miles. I misread the schedule and we are backing down on distance and I think next week we walk eleven miles. I brought Gatorade and some trail mix with me and this made a huge difference. We also ended up walking at the mall because it was pretty cold this morning.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Break in the Weather

I think that for only the second time since we have been training for walking the half-marathon, my friend Karen and I will be able to walk outside tomorrow morning. We are supposed to walk nine miles tomorrow. It seems like winter has lingered on here or when it's warmed up, it's been raining. So, we are hoping to get outside tomorrow morning and walk a different route. It will be a nice change of scenery from the mall we've been walking in the past three Saturdays.
I continue to experience more than just exercise as I walk. It's good for me to have a walking partner to hold me accountable. It is also been a very good discipline for me. I need to be more disciplined in my food intake. I have failed miserably in this area. I guess I need to work on one thing at a time.
Most of all, I do feel better. I seem to be sleeping better and have more energy. I know that I could drop some weight I would really feel better. I ask for your prayers for this. I don't seem to have the will power on my own. I definitely need to lean on God for this.
I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Ten Miles

Today my friend Karen and I walked ten miles in preparation for walking the half-marathon. I must admit that this week really was hard for me. I am really tired. I resisted taking a nap though because I want to sleep through the night and not get even more messed up in my sleep pattern due to day light savings time.
While I do feel physically exhausted, I also feel grateful that I was able to walk ten miles. I honestly didn't know if I could do this. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment. I can only begin to imagine what it will feel like to complete the half-marathon.
I know that I am going to have to do something a bit different next week when we attempt to walk eleven miles. I was really wiped out at about nine miles and I could feel that my energy level and blood sugar level had dropped. I ate before we walked but it didn't help me get through the whole ten miles. The last mile was especially difficult for me. I think I am going to need to bring a sports drink or some kind of snack with me next Saturday.
I ask for your continued prayers as I go through this training period. I also ask for your prayers for better results with my weight loss. I continue to be stuck in this area. I have been gorging like a hog and I need to stop it and get control of my food intake.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

9.2

Saturdays are always the days that I walk the longest each week in my preparation for walking the half-marathon. Today was no exception. It has rained most of the day today and it was raining pretty hard this morning. So, my friend Karen and I decided to walk at the mall again. We walked 9.2 miles. We probably walked a little bit more because we had to walk out to our cars in the parking lot but Karen didn't record that distance on her pedometer.
When I think about it, I can't believe that I walked this far. While I was kind of sweaty when we were done, I didn't feel to bad. I actually felt energized. I think there might be something to this whole exercise thing. Who knew? (besides the doctors, fitness gurus, and every diet book I've ever read)
According to our training schedule we were only supposed to walk six miles after walking eight miles last week. However, Karen suggested that we increase each week until we get to thirteen miles which is how long the half-marathon is. So, I guess we are going to stick to that plan.
I am really thankful that I decided to walk this half-marathon. It is really teaching me some things about myself. I didn't know if I could really do it but I seem to be doing it. I still wish I would see better results in my weight loss. I don't seem to be disciplined in eating habits. I guess I'll have to focus on one thing at a time. I would still appreciate your prayers about this.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Creative Writing Class

I had another wonderful creative writing class tonight. There's only one more session and then it will be done. This has been a very different course than the first one. I have enjoyed immensely. There is one more class in this series. The next class focuses on how to get a book published. I am very interested in that class.
I am really glad that tomorrow is Friday. I have not been feeling well this week. I seem to not have much energy and have not been sleeping well. I think it's the changing weather wreaking havoc on my sinuses.
Saturday will be another big walking day. I am hoping the weather will cooperate and we will be able to walk outside. Beyond that, I don't have much planned. I'm guessing that Netflix is in my future though.
I hope you have a great Friday. I'm headed to bed. It's been a long day.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

The Biggest Loser

I've been watching The Biggest Loser again with only marginal interest. For some reason, I can't get into it like I did last year. I really connected with the contestants and got wrapped in the drama of the show. This time, I'm just not all that interested. Tonight was an exception. There was some real drama and the weigh-in was a cliff hanger. I'm not sure I really get the whole alliance thing among the teams. However, because of these alliances, Arthur, the heaviest contestant ended up getting voted off the show. He went home and has done very well. He has a long way to go but I believe that he can do it and achieve his goal. I found myself being inspired again by the show.
My friend Karen and I walked four miles this morning. Our training schedule for the half-marathon is really starting to pick up now. Like the folks on The Biggest Loser, I really need to get serious if I'm going to do this. I want to accomplish my goal of walking the half-marathon. Of course, I also want to get healthier. I need to be more focused than I have been. I need more discipline and more balance in my life. If I do this, maybe I'll end up being a big loser.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

8 Mile Day

In my preparation for walking the half-marathon, today my friend Karen and I walked 8 miles. We walked at a locale mall. It was a pretty good place in which to walk. It opens at 7:30 AM and it was pretty deserted when we got there except for a few staff people and a bunch of people waiting outside two of the athletic shoe stores. They were waiting in line to buy some kind of special Michael Jordan athletic shoe. I'm not sure if this was the first day they were available or they were on sale. Whatever it was, there was quite a crowd.
It took us about two and one-half hours to walk the 8 miles. While I was sweaty after it was over, I was not in as much pain as I was last week. I guess I'm building up a bit of endurance. Karen did feel a bit like slow pokes when we were walking. There were several old people who were walking also and they whizzed by us with lightening speed. They were power walking or something like that.
After we walked, Karen and I had brunch at IHOP. That was nice to just sit and recover and have a good meal.
I'm asking for prayers for my sister Shelly. I got word last night that she broke her arm. She is home now after surgery and spending the night in the hospital. I talked to her briefly today and she seemed in fairly good spirits. I'm sure it was quite an ordeal and she has a long road to recovery and healing ahead of her.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Long Day

Today was a long day. It was a long day at the end of a strange week at work. Our server had a melt down at my office. I was without a computer for about a day and a half. After the server was up and running, I spent most of the rest of the day on yesterday reconfiguring my computer. It set everything back to like the computer was brand new. All of my settings and preferences were gone and the computer kept asking me questions and messages kept popping up. It was irritating. On top of this, something happened with our email and my inbox was flooded with duplicate emails from three months ago up to the present. When it was all done, I had almost 150 emails to sort through. I got off pretty good though. One of my co-workers had over 3,000 old emails fill her inbox.
The best part of my day was meeting with one of our Habitat Partner Families to talk about his materials selection for his new house. While very limited, our families get to choose things like the color of siding, carpet, counter tops, and vinyl flooring. It's usually a fun meeting because for most of our families this the first time they have ever been able to choose any of this stuff. They are always excited and usually a bit overwhelmed.
Tomorrow, my friend Karen and I are scheduled to walk 8 miles for our half-marathon training. Winter weather has returned to the area and so we have decided to walk tomorrow morning at a local mall. The mall opens at 7:30 AM so we should be able to get our walking done before most of the stores open. I will probably follow my pattern and plop on the couch for the rest of the weekend recovering from my walking. This has not been a good week for my walking. I did fine on Tuesday but only walked about two miles on Thursday. In addition, I did not feel very well all day. I am hoping this will pass and I will be fine walking tomorrow.
Well, I'd better get to bed. I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Rest and Recovery

If there was a theme for my day today it would be Rest and Recovery. I don't think I realized how much yesterday's walking took out of me. I found myself feeling really sore today. I did sleep very well last night and I am thankful for that. However, my muscles are really sore today. I guess this means I continue to be really out of shape and training for walking the half-marathon is going to continue to be challenging for me.
I do ask for your prayers. I really thought that I would be losing some weight as a result of the extra exercise I've been getting. However, I have not been very good about watching what I eat. I certainly ate too much last night at dinner and have had a few junk food eating binges after I walked. I don't know what goes on in my head. I have lost a few pounds but not what I should be losing by burning all of the calories I've been burning. It's frustrating but I recognize that it's my fault. So, I would really appreciate your prayers for more discipline in this part of my life. It just seems so hard to keep everything in balance. I've never been very good at that.
I'm off work tomorrow. I had taken a vacation day because I thought I was going to have my nephew Michael staying with me while my sisters scrap booked. I'm sure Michael was glad that he got to spend the weekend with his Uncle Rob instead. So, I'm off tomorrow and plan to do some more rest and recovery. I do have some errands to run and need to get a couple of tasks done that have been on my "to do" list for quite some time. I also want to spend some time writing.
I hope you have a great start to your week. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

8.2

Today has been a good day. I started off the day walking with my friend Karen in training for the half-marathon. According to the schedule, we were supposed to walk 7 miles. However, due to a glitch with Karen's pedometer, we ended up walking 8.2 miles. I didn't know if I could do it but I am proud to say I did it and lived to tell about it.
It was a beautiful morning to walk. The sun was shining. It was a bit chilly first thing this morning but warmed up very nicely. Karen and I decided to walk on a local bike/walking trail. I think it on the route of an old train track. It was really nice. We walked through open woods, near an industrial park, along a farm field, and over some creeks. It helped to have so much variety and to have my faithful walking partner with me.
This next week we walk four miles on Tuesday and Thursday and eight miles next Saturday. I keep thinking I'm going to reach a limit and not be able to go on any further, but so far that hasn't happened.
This evening, Karen and I met up with scrap booking gang. My brother-in-law Rob and my nephews Michael and Cameron also joined us. We went to a really good Mexican restaurant in Northern Kentucky. We laughed a lot. It was so good to catch up with everyone. I am grateful for the time we had together.
It's only 10:00 PM as I'm typing this, but I think I am not far from bed. It's been a great day but I didn't get to take a nap this afternoon. I was trying to keep up with my laundry. I am looking forward to church tomorrow and then having Monday off from work.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!