A Bold Move

Yep, I did it. I registered for the August triathlon I usually participate in, except for last summer. I know I'm not in very good shape, but I'm in. Also, I am getting over a cold. But, it's a start. Not sure if it's actually a bold move or a not so bold move. I have been managing to get some swimming and biking in the past couple of months, so I'm not completely out of shape.

I am excited that I have a plan and a goal a head of me. It gives me focus. It gives me something to shoot for, to aim at. It keeps me remembering those life verses God gave to me years ago - that I have need for endurance and to run in such a way as to win (Hebrews 10:36 & 1Corinthians 9:24). Yep, I'm in the race, and I intend to finish and finish well, obstacle or no obstacle - in the physical and in the spiritual. God has promised me that He will be with me and that He will help me. I am believing His Word.

Finally, a 2011 entry!

My last entry mentioned one of many reasons for lack of blog entries - job interviews. This entry reveals another major reason for lack of blog entries - a job! Yes, for the past 9 months I've been working as a home health RN for a local agency. It has been challenging, rewarding, stressful, and time consuming. No doubt the Lord opened the door for this particular job. At times I wanted to quit, but I don't consider myself a quitter, so I didn't. Until God closed the door, I, by His grace remained faithful.

Obviously, my part-time job which became nearly full-time took away the time I would have given to exercise. So I am as unfit as I could be. Fortunately, the Lord opened another door very unexpectedly and as I took a nurse manager position for the local pregnancy resource center where I have volunteered for nearly three years, the door for my home health journey closed. I am relieved but I know it was all part of my training and preparation for this new position.

The most exciting thing for me is that this new position will be truly part-time which will give me time to exercise.

I must say I have truly missed swimming and biking. I indeed miss running too- sometimes I have dreams where I'm running and it is awesome, but I have accepted that I can no longer run. It is what it is. My hope is to start exercising soon and to be able to start posting once again. I know I owe my next exercise thoughts to be toward my sons. I haven't forgotten them so you'll hear about them soon! How I would love to participate in a triathlon this summer since last summer was the first summer in years that I couldn't participate. It would be a good goal to shoot for. First though, I think I'll just try to get back in the saddle of swimming and biking.

Finally, a 2010 Entry!

Am I surprised I haven't posted on my Racing Reflections blog in a while? No, not at all. Actually, there's an extremely good reason for the lack of entries. I haven't been doing much swimming or biking this year. And now it is already the end of June!

It seems folks really make time for what they truly want to do. I love swimming and biking, but other things have been given higher priority like finishing an RN Refresher Program at a local hospital, graduating a second daughter from high school which included the college search and many celebrations, helping my elderly dad out, spending time with out of town relatives who came for a visit, preparing first daughter for her summer mission trips to Belize and Haiti, job interviews, speaking engagements on purity and modesty issues at various Christian schools, camps, and prayer talks at our church's VBS, finishing article deadlines for Christian publications, doing radio interviews to plug an annual Modesty Fashion Show, volunteering at a local pregnancy resource center doing ultrasounds as an RN and other ministry related opportunities that seem endless and come with the privilege of being married to a Pastor.

Yep, I just haven't had a lot of time for exercise - not until recently! I have hopped back on my bike and am preparing to train for my annual summer triathlon which will take place in August. If I have a good six weeks that I can be consistent with biking and swimming, I should be good to go. I am hoping to have my same running partner, but we'll see because she just had baby number two.

I just finished a 15 mile bike ride. It was hot and humid, but I felt pretty good. I am hoping to bike twice a week and swim twice a week for the next two weeks before I bump things up. I'll also be doing some free weight training. I haven't registered for the triathlon yet, so its not quite official. I will be much more motivated when I pay the bucks and sign up to once again do a local team tri.

On my bike ride today, I spent time thinking about my precious daughters. I prayed for my first daughter and for her mission work in Central America. I am so very proud of her! I also lifted up prayers for my other daughter who will be doing mission work this summer at several Indian reservations. She and the band she sings with were asked to minister to the teens through their music. They will be performing several concerts and will have the opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. When I was my youngest daughter's age, I was as lost as I could be. I sought to live for none other than myself. I was in darkness and participated in deeds of darkness. How my daughters have such a head start in fulfilling all the will of God that He has for them. I will be their prayer warrior for I know much will come against them to woo them off the path of the straight and narrow. Oh God, keep them in Thy Name! May they not waste one day or one breath. May they keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of their faith.

On my next bike ride, just to keep things fair, I better think about my sons and lift them up in prayer too!

Triathlon 2009 - a done deal!

This morning as the alarm went off at 5:00 am, I was quick to pray for God's grace to rain down on me. I did not sleep too well, nor did I sleep too well the night before. But, sleep or no sleep, I had committed to doing this team tri with my nephew's wife, Beka. She was going to be my runner after my efforts at swimming and biking were completed.

So, we met up, signed in, and had the number 74 written on our right arms and my right lower leg since Beka, as the runner, was to wear our number on her shirt. Her baby hadn't given her much sleep either, so we were set on just doing our best. Ready or not, I was there with a job to do! We prayed together and then I got focused!

My 300 yard swim felt pretty good. I felt as if I was holding back a little too much. I swam 7 seconds slower than my time last year, but I did better than my goal time so I was okay with it. The biking went pretty well and I'm happy to say I beat my bike time from last year! I only had one little issue in the beginning when I was going up the biggest hill of the course. My gears started messing up as I neared the top and I ended up having to walk my bike just briefly. My gears seemed to be cooperative the rest of the bike course. I was so thankful! Beka did an awesome job with the 5K run! Together we managed to place 6th out of a total of eleven teams and 2nd place among the female teams.

A year has gone by since I was in the environment of a competitive race. Being there quickly reminded me why I keep going back for more. I love the comradery, the energy, the determination, the endurance, and the encouragement that takes place and is experienced. When you are passed by another participant during the race, these phrases are commonly heard - "Great job, keep going!" "Way to go!" "You're doing awesome!" "You got this!" I love hearing others shout these words to me and I love saying them to those I pass by. I also love seeing folks go through the finish line. Since I'm not running anymore, I miss out on the joy of going through the finish line myself. But, my teammate gets to go through it and I get to be there at the last few yards cheering her on for a strong finish. I am always reminded that some day I will cross a heavenly finish line and Jesus will be there cheering me on for a strong finish. And until then, I must keep training my spiritual muscles. I can never quit implementing the spiritual disciplines in my life. The Word, prayer, fellowship with believers and connection to a local church, fasting, and witnessing must always be maintained in my life. Not for the sake of judicial standing before a holy God for Christ's work alone and my faith in Him has established that, but because these are the things that help my faith and knowledge of God grow and become stronger.

The triathlon is now behind me and I am relieved. The nerves that existed just yesterday and this morning before the event have disappeard. I am feeling tired and have a post tri headache. I'm resting and spending a day with my family. It has been a good day and I thank Jesus for the health and endurance He has given me to race for His glory!

"You're So Dedicated!" At least trying to be and want to be...

The other day when I hopped on my bike for a 15 mile ride, I heard some teen shout out these words to me as I passed by, "You're so dedicated!" It was quite surprising but very timely because it was hot and I was at about mile 11 and I had found myself slacking a bit. Hearing those words perked me up as thoughts of "how I try to be" raced in my mind. I picked up the pace of my peddling as I quickly looked back at the teen. I had seen this same teen at the beginning of my bike route and so, I guess when he saw me some 45 minutes later still peddling away, he just decided to bust out and say, "You're so dedicated!"

Naturally, my thoughts raced to the word "dedication" as I continued ride. I was actually trying to be just that...dedicated...dedicated to getting in a work out and dedicated to training for a triathlon. I was trying to be dedicated to keeping my body in some sort of decent physical shape. I was trying to be dedicated to doing something that would be healthy for me. I was trying to be dedicated to being a good steward of my physical side. Yep, I was trying.

As I thought of what it meant to be dedicated I thought of words with similar meanings such as devotion, faithfulness, commitment, loyalty, and perseverance. What great words - full of substance and quality! I definitely want to be these things and to have these qualities in all the meaningful areas of life. Dedicated to Jesus, dedicated to husband, dedicated to my calling as a mother, dedicated to my children, dedicated to my church, dedicated to my friends, dedicated to the ministry the Lord has called me to, dedicated to truth, dedicated to the gospel, dedicated to working hard in areas of homemaking and other service opportunities, dedicated to my elderly father, dedicated to my extended family, dedicated to seeking God through the disciplines of the Word, prayer, and fasting, dedicated to a life of education and learning, and dedicated to dying to self and carrying my cross.

I realize I cannot be dedicated to any of these things without the Lord extending His grace upon my life. As I think about the word dedication, I think my greatest comfort is that the Lord is actually dedicated to me in a way I cannot even fathom and desires to produce in me these things for His glory. In fact, I believe He wants to be able to shout out to all of His children at the finish line, "You've been so dedicated! Well done good and faithful child!"

MIA for awhile, but now it's been Back to Training!

Yes, I've been MIA (Missing in Action) for awhile. Missing that is from writing on this blog, and I must confess, missing from doing much biking or swimming from December 2008 to April 2009. Though, I do have a good excuse. I have been involved in another kind of training. Training that involves saving the lives of unborn babies. It has been an exciting adventure and I praise the Lord for allowing me to step up the pace in my prolife ministry involvement. During my MIA months, I received training in Obstetrical Ultrasounds through an organization called Alliance For Life in order to perform ultrasounds for pregnant women. I began volunteering at a local Pregnancy Resource Center last summer and they were needing RN's to do ultrasounds. So, believing this was part of God's path for my life, I began the process of training. Since my training I have performed nurmerous ultrasounds on women with unplanned pregnancies. It has been a joy to see life and a greater joy when a woman sees her baby for the first time thanks to this fantastic piece of medical equipment and chooses to keep her baby. I am truly priviliged to be a part of this important ministry. I wish I had time to write more about what my awesome God has been doing in my life and in my family. He is truly good and more faithful than I deserve.

Of course, I can't be MIA too long. Exercise is too much a part of who I am and what I love. So I hit the pool again in April and then began biking in May. I have been pretty faithful going to the pool and swimming 1 mile each time I go which is 2-3 times per week. I've also been biking 2-3 times per week. It's a hilly course and I ride between 10-15 miles at a time. They are fast miles -I'm riding hard and keeping my heart rate up.

On July 27th I finally found someone who could be my runner in the annual summer triathlon I've been doing for years. So I am officially registered for the Tri (300 yard swim, 18 mile bike, 5K run) and am stoked about it! It keeps me accountible and faithful. I have to bike now and I have to swim now. No MIA allowed! So the training continues for the race is on and awaiting! "Everyone who competes in the games excercises discipline..." 1Corinthians 9:25

Biking with Butterflies

Today was a perfect October day! Naturally, I took the opportunity to go biking. The sun was bright and glorious and the air was as clear as clear could be. The sky outdid it's blue adornment while the trees displayed their rich autumn colors. The temperature was a perfect 70 degrees. I was ready for a great ride and a great ride it was!

The one fun thing about my bike ride today was all the butterflies I saw! A couple of them flew right in front of my face and others flew right next to me while pumping my way up hills. Seeing the butterflies made me think about their recent change from caterpillar to butterfly. Seeing the fall colors of the trees also made me think of change. Life is continually going through change. Nature indeed changes.

A year and a half ago I would have thought I'd still be running at 45. But things have changed. Now I bike and swim more than I ever used to. My individual health has changed. Can't put on running shoes when your knees aren't working as good as they used to. Also a few years ago, I would have thought my children would all still be young tikes. But things have changed and they are growing up in very special ways. My family is changing at a faster pace than I ever would have thought. Change comes to one's own community too. Whether in one's neighborhood, one's church, or one's work place - new friends and folks come while others move on. Everything's a movin' and a changin' except for one extraordinary constant - God! Hebrews 1:17 says that there is no variation or shifting of shadow with Him. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

To know that God will not change is a comfort, but the fact that change comes to everything else in life can be challenging. Yet while a challenge, it's also a great way to learn to trust God's hand of providence ruling over the changing life.

The butterfly seems to soar with such ease almost as if its load is lighter and freer. What if we could look at change from that perspective. Perhaps the challenge that change often brings would slip away and be warmly welcomed instead. When I think about the fact that I've had to turn in my running shoes for biking wheels, I realize it hasn't been too bad after all. Besides, I get to bike with butterflies in October and move much swifter with less jostling than when I used to run.