Walk Slowly Through the Crowd Because Everyone Has a Hurt

Happy New Year 2013

I didn't get a New Year's post in...but the new year started and here it is already the 13th of January.
We did our annual Polar Bear 5k in Bluffton. 

After the 5k

 This was the first time that I started running it and finished running it without stopping.  This was a major accomplishment.  This running thing, or "just a little faster than walking thing" has been a personal challenge.  It is hard and as I'm doing it, I sometimes wonder:  "why I'm I putting myself through this" and I really am awful at it!  But, it really is like life.  I have to be stretched and warmed up before starting (need to be organized in real life), I have to know where I'm going (set goals in real life), the first mile is the hardest (anything challenging is hard), but after the first mile... I pound out my worries, pray, talk to God, look at things and take one step of time.  I can't worry about how much longer I have to go.  When I finish, I feel better.  Some days (in life and with running) are easier than others.  
So now it is time for my mind, body spirit tour 2013!

Always trying to find Balance

Back to my title.
I found out about my former priest, Martha being diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer yesterday. 

Please pray for Martha as she starts this journey of surgery, chemo, and radiation.   I wanted to send her words of comfort and that can being intimidating when speaking to someone who wears a collar.  They know the Bible better than anyone.  But, just as I tell my children and students to do their best...I want to do the same.

This song came to mind:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSVqHcdhXQ

The lyrics are:
"Blessings"

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not,
This is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

I don't know how I found this song a while back, but it seems like when things are in the valley, this songs reminds me of the mountaintop.  I was searching for something else to send and I came across in another blog:  Cool Cat Teacher.  Her pastor, Michael Catt, said:  "Walk slowly through the crowd, because everyone has a hurt".  Oh, so true!  We never know what burdens people are carrying.

My burdens, your burdens... we all carry them.  I pray that yours are lifted and that you are not alone.

Shell Blog A Lot

When Prayers Go Up, Blessings Come Down

 Go, go, go. 

I used to feel like this dog.

 The last year tested my resolve.  I was going into too many directions.  I wasn't making my family time a priority.  


As a result:

• I ate too much
• Tired all the time
• Spent money without thinking it through
• Didn't exercise
• Didn't read the Bible or do a devotion consistently
• Felt like I was walking in wet concrete

I'm not joking when I sat in church last spring praying for guidance on how to make my life more manageable.  Now, keep in mind, I know how blessed I am.  I never could have imagined having the husband and children that God selected for me.  I am blessed exponentially.  God was part of my life, but I sort of had Him on "the other line".  It was the day to day details that were just wearing me down.  On that particular Sunday, it all became so clear.  I knew that I had to resign from committees.  These committees would go on just fine without me.  I will continue to be glad to help others, but I'm no longer "in charge".  




I always thought taking care of young children was going to be the most demanding time as a mother.  But, my sons are teenagers now.  They need my time and attention as much as they did as babies and toddlers (just in a different way).  I'm reading a book now called:

There is the original marriage love  language book, too.

Each teenage has a "love language".  It words of affirmation, quality time, gifts of service, receiving gifts, and physical touch.  It sounds odd, but personality wise, each teen fits into one or two categories.  I'm about half way through the book.  So far, I've figured out the love language of one teen, one teen to go.


After this epiphany, I started Weight Watchers (again) online.  But, this time I have stuck with it for almost 3 months. The weight loss has been slow, but that is fine with me.  I truly feel better and have more energy.  Dairy Queen is still a temptation, but I can save my points for a chocolate extreme mini-blizzard.

My absolute favorite dessert- ever!

I also started walking 5 miles each weekday morning with a group of friends.  We like to go early to beat the heat and start the day off exercising.  There is truth in exercising with friends.  When you really don't feel like it, you know they are waiting on you.  Once you get started, you can't imagine not doing it.
I also found motivation in the ABC TV show  Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition with Chris Powell.  Chris is wonderful!  I like it better than Biggest Loser because people are not sequestered to a ranch.  People have to stay in their regular environment and deal with the challenges of weight loss.  I especially identify with the women because I am a woman, duh!

Chris is a real motivator!

I happened to read about an online Bible study for women on another blog.  What I liked was that  you keep a journal.  I always keep a journal.  But, this is a journal on His word.  I write down parts of the daily passage that I want to keep and I'm able to write down my reflections.  I also write down prayer requests.  It is neat to flip back and forth on the different days of the journal.

Started by a group of friends and grew from there

By reading daily, I am finding scripture that helps me with my day to day stresses.  I'm sorry that it took me 42 years to figure that out!  I use the You Version app on my phone.


Lastly, by getting my physical, and spiritual life together, would you believe my financial piece has fallen into place, too?  I read an article in Ladies Home Journal (It was the one with Ann Curry on the front cover- August 2012, I think) about a woman who doesn't buy anything unless she absolutely has to.  She also writes a blog called the Non-Consumer Advocate.  She is funny and sarcastic, which is right up my alley.  Her motto is:  "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without".  So when all those catalogs find their way to my mailbox and I'm so tempted:  I run Ms. Non-Consumer Advocate's motto through my mind.  You would be surprised how many items I talked myself out of at Ikea last weekend.  I find myself asking:  "do I need this, or do I WANT this?".  I will say, I do live in a geographically disadvantaged area.  If I can buy local, I do.  There are just some things you have to go to a city for...thus, sometimes I have to stock up because I'm in the city.


I also found a powerful blog post:  http://receiveandbreathe.blogspot.com/2012/07/not-enough.htm
It was a reminder of how the Bible views money.  Trust me, it is worth your time to read!


I'm not perfect and I'm sure I will continue to stumble or want to get back on the hamster wheel.  Yet, I have found:
When Prayers Go Up, Blessings Come Down