No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth!!

So, yes it has been a while since I posted last, and I will try to give a running life update soon, but this post is more of a Christian life update.

I e-mailed a good friend today to share with him that I had been feeling kind of distant from God lately. I was feeling like prayer and devotion was more of a chore than a pleasant time with God. He suggested I prayer during a run...running and prayer...both excellent suggestions!

I started my run at a really fast pace (well "really fast" is a relative term; compared to my 10min/mile, 8:36 per mile is down right super sonic)...it was difficult, but not impossible. My mind realized that I could not maintain the pace for 5 miles, but my body ignored that reality. Despite the euphoria, or maybe because of it, I forgot to pray. As I was waiting at a red light I heard a faint voice, "I am with you" The second mile was slower, but still fast for me...all along the chorus of "I am with you," continued, and seem to increase with frequency. Then I came upon a crossroad; figuratively and literally. If I turned right I would cut 2 miles off of the 5 mile run I had planned, but I would have an amazing run pace. I chose to continue on the original route. It got increasingly difficult. There were several points I wished there were more red lights and then I realized, the "I am with you" chorus was gone. I labored on for a while and then turned to prayer;  the pace got a little easier...I wasn't really going faster, but I wasn't "chasing" an impossible pace either. Then all of a sudden, "I'm still here!"

In my conversation with God He made me realize that He was with me through out my run, just as He is with me through out my life...just because I feel that He is silent doesn't mean that He has left me alone to battle the difficult miles. It is in those miles where I need to turn to Him the most and in those miles I will learn and grow so much as a runner and as a person. So, yes, seminary is hard; balancing family, work, studying, running, sermon writing and a Laker game (everyone once in a while) is hard, but these difficult time will only serve to make me a better pastor...by helping me to realize that God is always there.

So, for now, my theme song is "Praise you in the storm" by Casting Crowns (minus the parts that talk about crying...guys don't cry, it's just our awesome leaking out!) knowing that God uses the storm waters to feed His plants and trees.

Hey, maybe I shouldn't post this...this might make a good sermon one day! 



Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”           Joshua 1:9
 

Eddie got run over by a Ford....almost!!

96 days left until the LA Marathon....you know what that means...pass the eggnog...I'll train later!! I decided, this morning as I skipped my morning run, that I really need to start training for the marathon...so of course instead of jumping up, throwing on running clothes and sprinting out of my house for a quick 2 miles before work, I leaned over and picked up the running magazine that was on the floor next to my bed. All day I felt like a slacker...I really should have gotten up...I really should have run....but noooooo! I chose the comfort of my nice warm bed. As the work day was coming to an end I had made up my mind that I would go for a 5 mile run....no...no...6 miles!! I need to tack on at least one guilt mile!! My ankle has had good days and bad days...I spent most of Saturday and about half of Sunday standing, so my ankle has been a little sore today, so the logical solution is of course to rest...maybe go for a bike ride instead of a run....nope...not me! I plan a 6 mile run. And then I even failed to wrap my ankle as a preventative measure before my run, so I will be icing my ankle for the rest of the evening. Things were going well for the first mile and a half and then I got to the City of Downey. I never realized that the City of Downey was so adamantly opposed to sidewalks...and street lights. I realize that we are very spoiled in the LA area with the abundance of sidewalks, but it was surprising to find so few sidewalks in such an affluent area. Oh well...all the weaving and dodging just made the miles go by faster. I was near the 5 mile mark when I saw a bright lime green car (Ford calls it a Fiesta sedan in lime squeeze) approaching at a high rate of speed. The driver was slowing, but my quick mathematical calculations determined that she would not slow down in time to avoid hitting me...so I adjusted my pace until I was certain I would allow her to pass in front of me...then she swerved...RIGHT AT ME! UGH!!! Certainly she sees me...certainly she will stop....certainly....ouch...she hit me! Nothing major...just a little tap on the legs, but with enough force to make my upper body lung forward so now my hands were resting on the middle of her hood. Ok..ok...no harm no foul...but I realized that it was way to close for comfort and I also realized that I had zero identification on me. Had this been worse I would have been in the hospital without a name...and being in the hospital without a name is worse than being in the hospital with one of those gowns that has no back...yep...it's that bad. I usually run with my Road ID (go to roadid.com to check them out...they're great!), but today I just could not find it, so I left for my run with only a house key in my pocket...yep...never doing that again!
Despite the fact that I almost landed in the hospital (that might me a slight exaggeration) I feel like today is the real beginning of marathon training season...yeah...there is a whole season of marathon training! I'm really looking to improve my time from last year...which for most people wouldn't be too hard since it was a pedestrian 6:27:03 (Sorry Paul Ryan, if you run a marathon, you remember your time, even a time as slow as mine!), but for me, I was just happy to finish, and today's run was just one of many runs that will be the foundation for the 26.2 miles I run in March. Running a marathon isn't accomplished the day of the race...it is accomplished in the hundreds of miles training for the race...those 26.2 miles are just a victory lap....a very LONG victory lap!

On another note, seminary is going well...first quarter is done and so I only have 15 quarters to go! Yeah! Home stretch!! I am learning a great deal and have also realized that, just like a marathon, there are going to be high points and low points, but the goal is to keep a steady even pace...so I my average study pace is 10-15 hours of studying a week. This has really cut into...well, everything, so I am really trying to find a balance between work, family, and school...but for now I am taking it one week at a time and looking forward to Christmas break. God will provide!!

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.

Captain Obvious works for a fortune cookie company

No, of course I can't sleep! In 6 1/2 hours I will wake up to "marathon morning" but instead of getting super loaded on rest my body has decided it wants to stay awake...wide awake. Tonight I had Chinese to carbo load...after my belly was full of rice and orange chicken, I open the always insightful fortune cookie..."important events are in your future." Wow! Didn't see that one coming!
Tomorrow is going to hurt...there is really no way around it. Some have said that I can stop if it gets too hard, but I can't get on that bus...it is finish at all cost...any other attitude will certainly lead to failure. I am confident I will travel 26.2 miles tomorrow...it may take forever, but I will finish this race!
So, yes, tomorrow is an important event, but there is another huge event on the horizon..,in August I start on the road to becoming a pastor. That is really an important event! Does God really want me to be a pastor? I really think He does, so I'm taking that huge leap...I just wonder if God will put up mile markers for me.
Ok, I'm getting tired (as is probably obvious by the rambling) so good night Los Angeles...I will see you tomorrow!