Mid-summer dream

It's been so long since I posted...where should I begin...in no particular order:

--Family - my daughter has graduated from high school and will be attending Concordia University, Irvine in the fall...if you consider August to be "in the fall." The family has been decked out in Concordia sweatshirts and other accoutrements, so we are prepared!! Except for the fact that she will be leaving us...the closer it gets the more we realize what a HUGE change this will be...HUGE!!

--Seminary - I have been studying my brains out (is that possible??) trying to pass my Seminary ELCEs - Entry Level Competency Exams. (For the HP fan think OWLs...but without a wand!). 3 tests on Christian Doctrine, Old Testament, and New Testament. Christian doctrine is done...passed! New Testament I missed by 2 points...and Old Testament I did really bad. You get 3 chances...so my focus has been on Old Testament and today was going to be the day...except for some reason the website says I can't take the Old Testament or New Testament tests again...ugh!! And I was all psyched up and crammed for it!! Now I have to call on Monday to get the admissions office to fix the program so it will let me take the test again...and that means, since I have to pass it before 8/1/12 I have to take it this week...during the week...after work...with a fried brain!! Everything else for seminary seems to be going along ok.

--Running - This has been a real bright spot lately. I have lost 14 pounds in about 1 1/2 months which has really helped my running. That and I took a couch's advise and started doing some sprints...thanks Coach Mike! It seems like ever time I go out I set a new personal best for that days distance...which is a real boost and incentive to go out and run again the next day! I have signed up for 2 races (Rock n Roll LA in October and 13.1 LA in January) in anticipation of signing up for the LA Marathon again...really...26.2 miles...again!?!?! I must be dehydrated! But it seems that the second half of this year is going to bring about lots of changes with me starting seminary and my daughter starting college, so maybe I am using running as my "constant" through these changes...I don't know.

And as we deal with the tragic news of the horrific events in Colorado I encourage you to make a conscious effort to tell the people in your live how much they mean to you. You never know how much time you have with them. My prayers go out to those that lost loved ones, to the family of this young man, and to the young man himself...may they all find comfort, forgiveness and understanding through Christ.

LA Marathon - Part 2

It has been difficult writing about the marathon...it's not a lack of material, to the contrary, it is an over abundance of amazing sights and feelings. Cheer alley that was so loud I could not hear the song playing on my iPod; passing a guy dressed as Jesus on Rodeo drive - 2 songs after "Jesus lead on" played, my friends Marty and Elaine at mile 18...I almost ran past them, and I don't think I said anything because I was already soooo tired- it was so nice to see them. And of course my pit crew at mile 15, who got me going again in little over 2 minutes-love my girls for all their support and sacrifice. Way too much for one blog post!
It may be cliche, but life is marathon, not a sprint. And after conquering the streets of LA in 6 hours and 27 minutes I feel like life holds no challenge I cannot overcome-with the help of God of course. Pain came and went, but at the mile 20 water stop my body decided my marathon was over...I was at a complete stop...not a single muscle was moving..,the first time i had been at rest in hours...and it felt GOOD! The majestical scene was broken when a lady ask me if I was ok..."sure" I said...and I continued on my trek to Santa Monica. I don't think I was really ready to continue, but I also didn't want her calling the medics. So I pressed on, but the question loomed...would I've really quit? Would I have really just stopped after months of training? Given in to my desire to stop the pain? These questions have haunted me since I crossed that finish line, but I honestly think I would have kept going...my marathon was not won that day, it was won in the miles I traveled through Santa Fe Springs, Whittier, La Mirada, Norwalk, Downey, Bellflower, and Long Beach in the months leading up to March 18th.
Indeed, the fact remains...life is a marathon, and for me the miles ahead hold the graduation of my daughter from high school, her first day at Concordia University Irvine and my first day of seminary one week later. Yes, there are still difficult times ahead for me, but I will overcome - I know where my strength comes from! So if you see someone at their mile 20, go ahead, ask them if they are ok...they might say that they are fine when it is obvious they are not, but you might be that voice that helps them keep moving.
Was that a blog post or a sermon? Maybe it was both. God bless!