That's one incredible cockatoo!

 At present, I'm almost fully recovered from a foot ailment called gout.  I finished the Portland marathon in slightly over five hours.  Why over five hours?  I didn't keep myself hydrated prior to the race and I paid for it by experiencing calf cramps at mile 17.  When my left calf tightly balled up, I sat myself to the side lawn area to stretch it out.  A fellow runner stopped and helped me do stretches..what a super nice guy he was!  I apologized for taking his time when I realized he was wearing a racing number.  He replied to me that he was waiting for his daughter to finish her climb of the one mile hill and catch up to him.  So his daughter appeared 2-3 minutes later and off they went.  I thanked him and felt bad to have taken his time.  What a nice guy!  There were over 7700 finishers.  I was one of them thank God!  After a few more minutes of stretching, I picked myself up and jogged to the finish line at mile 26.2  There were over 70 bands playing throughout the course.  The event was well staffed.  At mile 23-24 there was this beer stop would you believe that?!  That was wierd and I bypassed that one.  You know how that stuff is bad for the body and even dehydrates you further.  Anyway, considering I had cramps on both calves, I did finish the race and received the finisher's medal and shirt.   I am a bit disappointed at my results but that makes me want to do another one.  Vancouver, B.C. is up next.  I hope to get under five hours this time.

So the race was on Sunday.  During the evening that following Monday, my right foot (bunion area) was inflamed and it was very painful to place a blanket ontop of it.  I went to see a podiatrist who informed me that I was recovering from gout, and that my dehydration is a possible cause of the occurrance.  I've never had gout before now, and I hope that this is the last time I experience it.  The good thing about all of this is that now I have an excuse for not excercising..haha!  I've taken a full week off from running and will start back up this weekend...maybe 6-8 miles depending on how I feel. 

In two to three weeks from now, I'll be expecting a call from my podiatrist.  I've decided to purchase some custom made orthotics that I can run with.  Hopefully this will help my neuroma and bunion discomfort that I've been experiencing lately.  We'll see. 

"It is never the trial that makes us stronger.  It's what we choose to do with that trial.  If we choose to lay that at the foot of the cross and say, Lord I give this to You."  

Fellow Traveler

You can’t change who I am
Or the way that I think
I can’t change how you live
Or the words that you speak
But neither of us is a stranger
To joy or pain
No matter how we’re different
We’re very much the same

chorus:
Fellow traveler, let me take you
To a place where I’ve found rest
Fellow seeker, let me show you
Where I’ve found true happiness
Fellow beggar, I have good news
I know where there is bread
I’ll show you where there’s bread

I don’t know where you’ve come from
Or where you’ve been along your way
But I can tell you what I’ve lived through
And how I made it here today
Let me share with you the story
Of a hope I’ve come to know
A love that’s always for me
And a peace that frees my soul

So if you are hungry
Come to the table with me
And you won’t go hungry ever again

Click here to listen.  This is one of my favorite renditions of an old song called You're All I Need To Get By.   Do you remember Ashford and Simpson?  Kathy Troccoli did this rendition and did it very well I must say.

When I was just a little girl
I wanted the world at my feet
Now all that's changed
'cause I've found love
and now I do conceed

You're all I need to get by
You're all I need to get by

Like the sweet morning dew,
I took one look at You,
And it was plain to see,
You were my destiny.

With arms open wide,
I threw away my pride
I'll sacrifice for You
Dedicate my life to You

I will go where You lead
You're always there in time of need
And when I lose my will
You'll be there to push me up the hill

There's no, no looking back for me
You've got a love that has set me free
You're all, You're All I need to get by.

Like a robin protects her nest
for me You'll give the best
You stand by me like a tree
You've promised that You'll never leave me
Jesus in You I've found strength to lift me off the ground
I don't know what's in store but with You I can walk through any door

You always do what's good for me
and inspire me a little higher
I know You can make someone out of a soul that didn't have a goal
Cause now I have the right foundation
and with Your love and determination

You're all
all of the love that I can know
You'll never let me go
You're all
all of the joy inside my soul
forever I will know
You're all
all that I need
You're all
all that I need
You're all
all that I need to get by

I've recently discovered a contact lense cleanser that is so thorough!  It's called Clear Care and wow what a job it does in refreshing and cleaning my lenses!  It's quite interesting too because there is this clear plastic vial that I place the contact lenses into and there the amazing cleansing action happens.  The chemical reaction from the lense holder and the solution creates these MASSIVE and aggressive bubbles that takes away the protein build up off the lenses.  Once you place the lenses in the solution, you must keep them in for a minimum of six hours so the solution can be fully neutralized.  When fully neutralized, the solution turns into a saline solution which is safe and soothing when inserting the contacts back into the eyes.  This is WONDERFUL stuff and I highly recommend trying this if you are a contact lense wearer like me.  Anyway, there's my plug for a great product!  Try it and I'm confident that you'll be pleased. 

Today, this morning, I will be running 15 miles.  Next week will drop down to 8.  The next week after will be 3.  The next week after that will be the Portland Marathon!   Wish me the best won't ya?   I'll do my best and try and stay focused...not to start off too fast and to focus on my running form..that's important..very important.  Have a great weekend!

When Did You Fall by Chris Rice

You're all smiles and silly conversations
As if this sunny day came just for you
You twist your hair, your smile and you turn your eyes away
Come on tell me what's right with you
Now it dawns on meprobably everybody's talking
There's something here I'm supposed to realize
Your secret's out and the universe laughs at it's joke on me
I just caught it in your eyes
It's a beautiful surprise

When did you fall in love with me?
Was it out of the blue?
'Cause I swear I never knew it
When did you let your heart run free?
Have you been waiting long?
When did you fall in love with me?
When did you fall in love?

Make your way over here, sit down by this fool and let's rewind
Come on let's go back and replay all our scenes
Point out the hints, the clues, the twists and the smiles this time
All the ones that slipped by me
I bet my face is red and you can hear my heart pounding
Well I guess it don't matter now that I realize
'Cause baby I missed it then, but I can surely see you now
Right here before my eyes
You're my beautiful surprise

When did you fall in love with me?
Was it out of the blue?
'Cause I swear I never knew it
When did you let your heart run free?
Have you been waiting long?
When did you fall in love with me?
When did you fall in love?

Was it at the coffee shop?
Or was it that morning at the bus stop?
When you almost slipped and I caught your hand
Or the time we built the snowman?
The day at the beach, sandy and warm
Or the night with the scary thunderstorm?
I never saw the signs
And we've got to make up for lost time
And I can tell now by the way you're looking at me
I better finish this song so my lips will be free
Yeah

Have you been waiting long?When did you fall in love?
I kept you waiting so long
When did you fall?
Have you been waiting long?
When did you fall in love with me?

When did you fall in love?

Was it at the coffee shop?
Or that morning at the bus stop?
I never saw the signs
No, no

'Cause I'm gonna fall
I'm gonna fall
I'm about to fall in love
And I need to know
When did you fall for me?

My lips will be free
My lips are free
My lips are free

What a nice and happy song.  Nice video too!  I would want to see where in my life that I've missed God's love notes to me.  There's no doubt that I've missed plenty and I don't want to miss any more!   

We've ran our longest run of the year so far...21 miles!  I ran it at a 10:03 (ten minutes, three seconds per mile pace) and was exhausted at the end.  I have this Morton's Neuroma on my left foot which is kind of bothering me, but not enough to miss the Portland Marathon come next month.  Now it's time to decrease my weekly mileage until race day October 7th.  Any prayers would be appreciated!  I'm a bit nervous about my state of being on that day...hopefully healthy and energetic!  I would love to finish it within 4 hrs 20 mins....that equates to a ten minute per mile pace...a nice easy pace for me.

God bless! 

 We forget that Jesus Christ is the same today, when He is sitting on the throne, as He was yesterday, when He trod the pathways of our world.  In this forgetfulness how much we miss!  What He was, that He is.  What He said, that He says.  The Gospels are simply specimens of the life that He is ever living; they are leaves torn out of the diary of His unchangeable Being  Today He is engaged in washing the feet of His disciples, soiled with their wilderness journeyings.  Yes, that charming incident is having its fulfillment in you, my friend, if only you do not refuse the lowly loving offices of Him whom we call Master and Lord, but who still girds Himself and comes forth to serve.  And we must have this incessant cleansing if we would keep aright.  It is not enough to look back to an hour when we first knelt at the feet of the Son of God for pardon and heard Him say, “Your sins, which are many, are all forgiven.”  We need daily, hourly cleansing from daily, hourly sin.

                                                                           F.B. Meyer

I had purchased a one-year bible about a week ago.  I also have good intentions on finishing it within two years..haha!  You know..I'm trying to commit more time to God and to meditate on His Word.  I'm also realizing that the world is trying to pull me back..bombarding me with meaningless tasks that seem meaningful before I'm about to do them.  Afterwards though, I feel empty and full of guilt.  I feel like a piece of coal that is out of the fire cooling off.  This is how I've been feeling this past week after missing Sunday service and not reading my bible or meditating on Him.  It's the pitts.  I'm going to be starting my two week vacation starting this Sunday.  I so look forward to attending Wednesday service (a night I usually work)!    There's nothing better than to be with God's people and to share in His love! 

I missed attending last Sunday's service at my fellowship.  I ran this 5K fun benefiting Crohn's and colitis disease and had given $100 in pledges.  My personal trainer has Crohn's disease and I wanted to support him in his efforts in giving to this cause.  Our team collected over $1200.   Even though we raised this amount in hopes to find a cure, if we don't look to God for healing, all of this effort is in vain.  It's like building a house on sinking sand...raising funds without considering God that is.  Some of the team names were hilarious I will say!  "Short track", "Applesauce", "Buttweiser", "Gotta Go Gotta Go", "The Semi-Colons", etc.  Where do these people come up with these names?  LOL!  This is my third year participating in this event.  I had fun!  I am looking foward to going back to church though...in five hours from now!

Listening to Barlow Girl.  This trio of ladies have a wonderful harmony.  After listening to "I Need You To Love Me" , I just kept setting the player on repeat.  Nice tune with lyrics that I can relate to.

Why, why are You still here with me?
Didn't You see what I've done?
In my shame I want to run and hide myself
But it's here I see the truth
I don't deserve You

(Chorus:)
But I need You to love me, and I
I won't keep my heart from You this time
And I'll stop this pretending that I can
Somehow deserve what I already have
I need You to love me

I, I have wasted so much time
Pushing You away from me
I just never saw how much You could cherish me
Cuz You're a God who has all things
And still You want me

(Chorus)

Your love makes me forget what I have been
Your love makes me see who I really am
Your love makes me forget what I have been

(Chorus)

Be diligent to present yourself to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15.

During World War II, a US marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades.

Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his Direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be killed.

As he waited, he prayed, "Lord, if it be your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen."

After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw Close. He thought, "Well, I guess the Lord isn't going to help me out of this one." Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave.

As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.

"Hah, he thought. "What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humour."

As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while.

"Lord, forgive me," prayed the young man. "I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall."

We all face times of great trouble. When we do, it is so easy to forget what God can work in our lives, sometimes in the most surprising ways. And remember with God, a mere spider's web becomes a brick wall of protection.

Thank you Robin for introducing me to Fancis!  The first video is so smooth, full of truth, and to the point.  I wish that I could present the gospel in that manner.  The second video reminds me of what my pastor had said during one of his recent sermons...and I tell you now..I am convicted!  I sit here heavily convicted feeling like I've been wrapped around a balance beam.  I'm such a baby!! I'm embarrassed to say that but this is true.  I no longer wish to be spoon fed by someone else.  I want to try feeding myself.  I can be very messy since I'm clumsy and have to know how by habit how to grasp things securely, but I'm willing to try and I'm sure this is what God intends for me to do.  I don't want to look back and see my stagnent growh.  God help me..guide me to what my calling is..  Im happy only if this life I'm in is lead by You!

I want my "life style" to be in line with God's calling.  This is not some religion that I'm trying to abide by..it's that relationship between You and I.  It's more prayer daily..it's living with You by my side..it's me living life with You in it!

Thanks Naomi for the clip!  This I had to copy and add to my favorite funnies!