3. Break 2:00 for a half marathon Attempt #1

Attempt # 1 to break two hours at Kiawah Island half marathon. Time: 2:05:44--A five minute improvement from last year, but still 5+ minutes away. It didn't quite happen this time, but at least we all had a fun time training and spending the weekend with good friends.

21. Visit Memaw in VA

This year Memaw hired a photographer to take family pictures :)

20. Visit Grandmom Wertz in VA

I had a great visit with my Grandmother over Thanksgiving weekend. She makes the best toast!! I am not sure if it the bread or the toaster or the fact that she makes it, Gramma's toast is by far the best toast I have ever eaten!

14.5 Thanksgiving Turkey

Recipe number 5 out of 12. This Thanksgiving I made my first turkey, thanks to a yummy Cuban style recipe from my stepmom!

Whole Garlic Cluster
1/2 bottle mojo criollo
2 tsp salt
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
black pepper

1. Blend ingredients
2. Clean turkey, puncture, pour 2/3 mixture over turkey and into punctures
3. Use the remaining 1/3 mixture inside the turkey
4. Sprinkle black pepper
5. Cover turkey with foil, put in fridge for 24 hours
6. cook turkey
7. Eat :)

A Poem for Two Squirrels

Two squirrels were racing
across the street
The drivers were driving
they failed to see
that one squirrel was lucky
and one was not
the first went zoom
the second kersplot!

The bucket

My mom and I were talking about being busy and trying to do too much. She responded with some very wise words, "you can't put ten gallons of water in a five gallon bucket!" She is right.

Thanks, mom, for inspiring a poem :)

The Bucket
A five gallon bucket
is all that I am
though I shove and I push
trying always to cram
more and more in my life
than can actually fit
til the bucket's too full
and starting to split

A small trickle begins
just droplets at first
til the bucket is bulging
and ready to burst
at the seams though it seems
it can hold it all in
but this bucket is made
for five gallons not ten.

The Train

Another train has come and gone,
another train has passed.
Fear kept me from getting on,
fear tells me it was the last.

2. Break 25 minutes for a 5K-Attempt #3

Attempt #3 to accomplish goal #2- 26:24 @ the HFFA Fall Harvest Race. Forty seconds better than last time. We are getting closer :)

Righteous One

You hold the nations in your hands
Kings and kingdoms obey your command
Alone your kingdom stands
Held firm by your strong hand.

Bow down and kiss the son,
You are the only righteous one
Every tribe and tongue
is your possession

Oh, do you hear the mountains sing?
Praises resound across the sea.
What great news they bring
of our strong God and King!

He rides the ancient skies above
His voice like thunder shouting of
His heart for His beloved
Redeemed with His own blood!

2. Break 25 minutes for a 5k- Attempt #2

Attempt #2. Trying to run a 5k in under 25 minutes. Today's time 27:04 at the Lung Strong 5k in Cornelius- fifty seconds faster than the last race, but still not quite there. On the way, though.....gotta keep working! I am thankful that I able to run and breathe and be alive!

Overflowing

My cup overflows
with your mercy and grace.
My heart's longing fulfilled,
by seeing your face.

Rest lies in letting go...

Chasing wind,
grasping sand,
another dream
slips through my hand.

Letting go,
heart surrendered,
God's promises
then come unhindered.

Open hands,
heart at rest,
what God ordains-
His very best!

14.4 Chicken Noodle Soup

Recipe #4 out of 12 on the list of 30 THINGS TO DO THIS YEAR.

This recipe was a group effort from my housemates and I! Deb cut the veggies and Gloria added the extra spices until it was the right kind of zesty! This was my favorite recipe so far :)

Chicken Noodle Soup from Williams and Sonoma: Family Cooking-Creating Traditions in the Kitchen

The Recipe- we added garlic, onion powder, lots of salt and pepper and basil!

Cutting up the veggies!

Nothing like a side of grilled cheese dipped in ketchup!
Yummy!

14.3 Black Bean Pasta

This is recipe #3 out of 12 on my list of 30 THINGS TO DO THIS YEAR.

It is high time that some of the lonely, often overlooked ingredients in the cupboard get used, so I went to allrecipes and typed in "pasta," "black beans," and "tomato sauce." The result: Black Bean Pasta

It was an ok recipe, a little spicy because of the red pepper flakes, but not very flavorful. I had to add some cheese and salt, which can somewhat improve almost anything.

As usual, trying to cook usually teaches me what not to do: DO NOT PUT THE BURNER ON TOO HIGH, unless you want pasta sauce all over your favorite hoodie, on the floor, and on the side of the refrigerator.

More Minne-my-Sota

Downtown Minneapolis

HWY. 90 between LaCrosse, and Austin, Minnesota (home of SPAM!)

Prairies and Bluffs

1. Visit a New State, dontcha know?

Number one on my list of THIRTY THINGS TO DO THIS YEAR is to visit a new state. God opened the door and provided for me to go to not one new state, but TWO!

This past Saturday my best friend from Charlotte got married in Houston, Minnesota, a small town of 1,000 people located in the heart of Minnesota Bluff Country. "What is a bluff?" you may ask! From what I can tell, it is something that looks like a mountain, but isn't- it is just bluffing (wah-wah-waaaaah). The bluffs were beautiful, completely covered with trees at the peak of their fall colors.

The wedding party and family stayed in La Crosse, Wisconsin, right across the mighty Mississippi river that divides the two states. Unfortunately, I was not able to purchase any cheese!

Minneapolis, Minnesota
from Native American word "mni" meaning water
and greek "polis," city

Prairies and Bluffs on the route from La Crosse to Houston.

Small town Houston

The wedding cake

My sweet Friend, Melissa (Halstensgard) Meyer!

Some things I enjoyed about Minnesota:
1. The Accent! Bag sounds like baig, gopher like golfer, no like nol!
2. My favorite new phrases

• Uff-da! (Exclamation)
  
• You betcha (You bet/of course)
• Hot dish (Casserole)
• Oh yah (Yes)
• Pop (soda)
  
• Ya, sure
• Oh boy, oh dear, goodness gracious

3. Eating Grampa Halstensgard's Swedish pancakes! It was sweet watching Mel's grampa make pancakes- He was bent over the bowl, whipping up the batter while flour filled the air and was caught in the beams of sun coming through the window. Gramma walked by the plate of pancakes and asked if they were for sale. The family had a contest to see who could eat the most pancakes.

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 1 cup of whipping cream
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• pinch of salt

4. The beautiful landscape
5. Being with my friend and her family!
6. The people were "Minnesota Nice"

Fly Like an Eagle!

Our SLCA Cross Country Eagles soared at McAlpine Creek Park today! This was the kind of day that a coach dreams of- almost half the team ran a personal best. Congratulations, Eagles!

Book # 35: Boundaries

Book: Boundaries
Author: Dr. Henry Cloud, Dr. John Townsend
Acquired: Jumped in my cart while I was browsing the books at Salvation Army.

The subheading of this book says it all, "When to say YES, When to say NO to take control of your life."

I would like to buy a dozen copies of this book to hand out to all my friends. I don't know about you, but I have a hard time saying no in this performance-driven, you-are-what-you-produce culture. What if I don't seem spiritual? What if I miss out on something? What if I hurt someone's feelings?

I feel too busy...I think I read somewhere that busyness is a sign of an empty heart....I tried to find it, but found something else:

“We often say we’re busy, but what does this term mean? We just say it without thinking because it’s an easy response and it sounds good. It sounds better to say that we’ve been keeping busy than to say we’re doing nothing, right? . . . Beneath this cultural pressure lies a more poignant and sobering truth: busyness is a sign of vanity. We find our worth through our busyness." - Intervarsity Website

I feel sad for my students. They are the busiest people I know. They fly from one activity to another, filling up their college resumes, yet leaving their hearts behind.

It comes down to this: "Our lives are our responsibility...A helpful way to understand setting limits is that our lives are a gift from God. Just as a store manager takes good care of a shop for the owner, we are to do the same with our souls."

Do you have trouble saying "NO"? NO, to the co-worker who constantly needs you to rescue them from their lack of responsibility? NO, to the friend who only calls to dump all her problems on you and never asks how you are doing? NO, to yourself when you keep wanting to keep hitting the snooze button every morning? NO, to the people in your church who want you to teach Sunday School even though you are already greeting and helping with the Women's Retreat?

READ THIS BOOK!

2. Break 25 minutes for a 5k- Attempt #1

To celebrate 30 years of life, I have a list of 30 things I would like to accomplish this year. Very high on that list is running a 5k in less than 25 minutes. Last fall I ran the HFFA 5k in 25:25, just 25 seconds away!

This morning, however, was not quite so close. It was a slow 27:52 at the Hit the Brixx 5k.

Oh well!

At least three good things came out of this morning:
1. I learned what NOT to do: NO coffee before a run. NO dairy products for breakfast. NO staying up to late the night before. NO waiting til the last minute to hydrate. NO benadryl. NO running while you are sick.

2. I got to eat free Brixx Pizza AFTER the race. YUM!

3. Standing in front of me at the start line was a very inspirational woman. She was wearing a bright blue San Diego marathon technical tee, a bright blue hat to match her shirt, neon green socks, and silver earrings. Her name was Harriette and she was 87 years old! When I asked Harriette about the San Diego marathon her son answered saying that she had won her age group 12 years in a row and had raised more money for Team in Training than anyone else.

I found her name in the results and then asked Mr. Google to help me learn more about this incredible lady - stalker-ish, I know.

Article in Run, Theoden, Run
Article at Runnersworld.com

I hope that I can still run and enjoy life when I am Harriette's age, and perhaps by then I will have broken that 25 minute goal!

Next attempt: Lung Strong 5k in Cornelius on Oct. 16!

14.2 Made from scratch Pizza Dough

Item # 14 on the list of 30 things to do this year: Cook using a recipe....once a month.

I haven't been too consistent on this one, so let's just modify the goal to cook 12 new things from a cookbook! This weekend my niece Cheyenne helped me make homemade PIZZA!! So many questions came up:
- does a teaspoon of sea salt equal a teaspoon of regular salt??!! Not sure, but the pizza dough was way too salty!!
- how do you measure yeast? It says on the back of the packet that one packet equals 2 1/4 teaspoon....but I only needed 1 1/2 of a teaspoon....so I used a teaspoon, but it took the whole packet to fill it up?!
- are there any special rules for using wheat flour?

Cheyenne didn't complain, though, so I am content!

18. Have my niece over for a weekend

My niece Cheyenne came and spent the weekend with me! YAY! We watched the SLCA Eagles win in football, took the dog for a jog, went to the park, made homemade pizza and went to church. Fun weekend! Hats off to my sister who works hard being a mom every day!!

Urban Cowboy

Anyone see anything out of the ordinary in this picture?

The other day I looked out my window to see 8 neighborhood guys ride by on their...horses?

Shepherd King

What a sweet sound to hear the Shepherd call!
Hear and obey, rend him our all.
His loving staff will correct a wondering heart, should it misstep

Shepherd King
Your hand gently leads
Your sheep hear your voice
and following it rejoice

What a sweet sound to hear the Shepherd call.
The only one who can restore our hearts.
Who leads us where the still waters run to give us rest

Shepherd King
Your hand gently leads
We don't know the way,
still we trust your heart

Life in a Boat

So what do you do
When life is not what you hoped,
And you find yourself alone
Out in the ocean in a boat?

What do you say
To the sky up above
As you scan the horizon
Looking for the one you love?

What do you feel
When no one answers back
When it seems like your fault,
Your navigation's just off track?

What do you think
When the waters are too deep,
Do you grab a life vest,
Or just let yourself sink?

El pajarito

Un poema
Por Trish

¡Suéltame ya, quiero volar!

No en mi mente, sino en mi corazón.
Quiero ser libre y sin inhibición.
Libre para ser y desear,
Libre para vivir y amar sin dudar.

Pero un pájaro libre no puede volar
Si lleva adentro una jaula.
¿Quién tiene las llaves para soltar
el pajarito que quiere cantar?


-- Post From My iPhone

Book # 34 Shepherding a Child's Heart- Tedd Tripp

"There is another problem. If you address only behavior in your children, you never get to the cross of Christ. It is impossible to get from preoccupation with behavior to the Gospel. The Gospel is not a message about doing things. It is a message about being a new creature. It speaks to people as broken, fallen sinners who are in need of a new heart. God had given his Son to make us new creatures. God does open-heart surgery, not a face-lift. He produces change from the inside out. He rejects the man who fasts twice a week and accepts the sinner who cries for mercy." - Tedd Tripp


-- Post From My iPhone

Linares

Saturday I had the joy of being with my friend Julie as she fulfilled an item on her list of 101 things to do in the next 1001 days. We ate at an authentic Mexican Restaurant on Central Ave! I barely knew the this part of Charlotte existed. All of the signs were in Spanish. The ones that weren't were in Thai or Korean or Vietnamese. It was a fun cultural outing! Oh....and the food was DELICIOUS!

Goodbye

Dear Summer,

Thank you for many sunny days, poolside fun with friends, relaxing mornings to read to my heart's content, too much coffee, sweaty runs, blooming crape myrtles, and evening walk with my dogs. They say I have to go back to school tomorrow. I will miss you!

So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, good night,
T


-- Post From My iPhone

Wierd!

"We're all a little weird & when we find those people whose weirdness is compatible we join up with them & fall into a mutually satisfying weirdness & call them our best friends."

- Corey Matthews, Boy Meets World

FREE PUPPY

Meet Maggie!

She is sweet, playful, loves kids, has all her shots, is fixed and looking for a fun home! Maggie is about 8 months old. Let me know if you are interested!

Sand Castles

I'm giving up on my own plans
castles just made of sand
They've crumbled, fallen at my feet.

I keep trying to rebuild them,
but your waves crash and knock them down
Your mercy comes and takes them from me.

Because I cannot live here,
In this house that I have constructed.
I cannot live here,
All my building was in vain.

You bid me come and follow you,
leave behind all that I once knew
for a land I have yet to know

You've made me for a better place
one that cannot perish or fade
help me to hide my treasure there

Because I cannot live here
In this house that I have constructed
I cannot live here
All my building was in vain

The Train

Tonight I went with a friend to a concert downtown. We decided to take the light rail rather than dealing with the hassle of trying to find a parking space close to the arena.

After the concert we found ourselves waiting on the train platform with about 300 other Charlotteans who were in a hurry to get to their various destinations. A lady beside us caught my attention. She was obviously upset that the train had not yet arrived. She was beginning to sweat in the heat of the evening. Every few seconds she would look down the track and mumble something about "why in the world isn't the train here yet."

Perhaps she is unaware that grumbling and continually looking down the tracks and being anxious about the arrival of the train will not bring its coming any sooner. The train will get there when the train gets there.

Perhaps I am unaware that being anxious and grumbling and continually straining to see into the future will also fail bring the things I hope for any sooner.

Sometimes I wonder if the train will ever come.

Sometimes I panic and think I have missed the train altogether.

Sometimes my friends get on the train and I have to wait for another.

Sometimes I get on the train and leave my friends behind.

Oh how I wish I could control the train. But I know that being anxious and fearful does nothing to bring or stop its coming. If only I could learn to trust the conductor. He seems to know exactly when the train should come.

Psalm 31:1-3, 14-15, 19, 24
¹ In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.

² Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.

³ Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

¹⁴ But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."

¹⁵ My times are in your hands;

¹⁹ How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.

²⁴ Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.

Central Coffee

I just visited Central Coffee for the first time. Loved the atmosphere and the staff. They use Dilworth Coffee, so it was pretty delicious! They also offer the option of using a mug if you decide to drink your coffee there. Yum!

Book # 26: Choosing Rest

" Today may be your opportunity to choose to pursue rest in the midst of the battle you face. Can you take a break from all your trying? Can you give thanks and celebrate the goodness of what is? Can you allow the present to be imperfect? Will you let God- rather than fulfilling circumstances or a put-together heart- be the place you call home? If you do, the gate of rest will open to you."
- Sally Breedlove, Choosing Rest

Jesus I am resting, resting

In the Joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power
Thou hast made me whole.

O how great Thy loving kindness.
Vaster, broader than the sea!
O how marvelous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings;
Thine is love indeed!

Ever lift Thy face upon me,
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting 'neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth's dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father's glory,
Sunshine of my Father's face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting;
Fill me with Thy grace.
- Jean S. Pigot, 1876

14.1 Chicken Salad

I added cooking to my list of 30 things to do because it is something that I rarely do, but definitely a skill worth having, especially since eating Peanut Butter sandwiches, oatmeal, and cereal for the rest of my life is not a prospect worth looking forward to.

The first recipe did not actually come from a cookbook, but from the Pioneer Woman's website. If you have not heard of the Pioneer Woman, consider checking out her site for fun recipes (with super helpful pictures for each step), homeschooling ideas, photography, and a really sweet love story of how she, a city girl, fell in love with a cowboy and moved to the country. *sigh*

Recipe # 1: Chicken Salad

I cannot actually comment on if the recipe was good or not because I have a tendency to look at the recipe and get overwhelmed with all the details and then do my own thing. So, the result of doing my own thing.....ummm.....a little dry. More dressing next time.

5. Take Guitar Lessons

Goal number 5 on my list of 30 things to do this year is to take guitar lessons. I started trying to teach myself in college. My friends Alli and Chuck Norton can tell you that it was a rough start. Alli, who was my roommate at the time, had to kindly tell me that I was playing in one key and singing in another when I couldn't figure out why the words didn't seem to fit with the chord I was playing. Chuck later stepped in and gave me some beginners advice.

That was a long time ago (we won't say how long), and it is time to get some real lessons, if for no other reason than to be able to lead worship in small groups with a little more confidence and to try to write some songs (not necessarily for public consumption, but as a means of processing and thinking through life....I uploaded these one day while I was bored over Christmas break)

Second guitar lesson starts at 3pm tomorrow! Time to go practice!

Great Peru Blogs

If you want to know more about Scripture Union's work in Peru. Check out these blogs :)

Catherine Wolter, Former SLCA student, SU Summer Intern
http://catherinewolter.blogspot.com/

Billy Greenman, on Staff with SU for three years
http://billyinperu.blogspot.com/

Kate Bruder, currently volunteering with SU and fundraising to return for 3 years
http://www.cuentosdeunaviajera.com/

Kimo in Pictures

Well, I tried to do some blogging from my phone, but it didn't happen! Here is a little about our trip to Kimo, near La Merced Peru. We went with a team of 12 from SouthLake Church to do construction, VBS, and school presentations. It was a great week, and we are all grateful for the Lord's provision and presence throughout the whole time!


This is a Huaro! It is how we got back and forth between Kimo (Scripture Union's Camp in the Jungle) and the main Road.

This is the view of Kimo from the cabin (think camp- bunk beds, 1 bathroom per 5 people). It was a nice sight to wake up to in the mornings.

This is a house in the town of La Merced, the closest town to Kimo. We went into the town 2 days to do gospel presentations and work with Nancy, who is a Scripture Union school's worker. She goes weekly to several schools in the area to teach the Bible. Then in the summer, the kids are invited to Kimo for camp where they are invited learn more fully about Christ.

This is La Merced, capital of the Chanchamayo Province. This area is famous for their coffee!


We spent three days doing VBS, using the Kimo campground as our home base. The first two days we had almost 100 kids, and on the last day we had around 60 (it was a Saturday, and harder for the kids to get there). It was such a sweet time of playing with the kids, teaching them from God's word, making crafts. The great thing is that the work we did is not in isolation. Nancy has been working with these kids already and will continue to do so once we are gone. Our hope is that God planted seeds and that they will continue to grow through the work of Scripture Union and his Spirit!

This is a picture from the second day of VBS. The kids that came were all from one school. Pochi and Loco, the two men in charge of the huaro (cable car), had to bring all of them over to Kimo.

We visited Green Gold Coffee and learned about the process of growing, harvesting, selecting and roasting coffee. Peruvians have a saying about coffee: El café ideal es negro como la noche, caliente como el infierno, puro como un ángel y dulce como el amor (Ideal coffee should be black as the night, hot as "hades", pure as an angel, and as sweet as love)

After our last day of VBS we visited las Cataratas de Bayoz.

Once back in Lima, and suffering from lack of good coffee , we had to make an emergency pit stop. Peru exports all their good coffee and makes all the bad coffee into instant Nescafe, which the Peruvians drink-yuck! Nescafe sounds like no es cafe- it is not coffee!


I found a Vuvezela in Lima. I chased the man down to buy it :) This picture was taken from the main Plaza de Armas in Lima. The mayor wants all Limeños to be able to enjoy the world cup. So they set up a big screen on the Plaza so that everyone can watch every game!