Why I love Peru

This is Paulo leading worship at Centro Iquitos. The first song is about how every knee will bow before Christ. The second is about having faith like a mustard seed.

Pre Race Chicks

Here's Jess and I before the big race. It was all her idea to begin with :) In fact, the first time we ran together was at Oak Island in the beginning of the summer. She kept me running by saying: "Ok, you can make it to the next green house. Just a little more. Now keep running until the pink house." Thanks Jess!

I did it!

I am so excited!!!! I just got home from running the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach. It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done!

STATS

Distance: 13.1 miles (I ran the whole thing...yay!)
Finish time: 2:32:28
Place: 10,203 out of 16,170 finishers, 1248 out ot 2045 women aged 25-29, 4949 out of 9128 women finishers
Bib number: 3205
Amazing Race Buddies: Jess Hawk, Dierdre Mumpower, Sharon McGowan, Donna Simons, Gatewood and Penny
Amount of Food eaten at Olive Garden the night before: WAY TOO MUCH! But the Chicken Alfredo was AMAZING!
Cups of water gulped down: 5
Cool people seen:
1. newlyweds - the bride was wearing her veil and the groom's shirt said "just married"
2. a guy running with no shoes because his gave him a blister
3. several men in hula skirts and leis
4. a lady with sequined gold shirts
5. lots of people dressed as pirates cheering on the sidelines....ARRRR!
6. 20,000 people from 50 states and 11 countries
7. the super-fast africans who passed us while they were on mile 8 and we were on mile 2
8. a loving father pushing his son 13.1 miles in a wheelchair (watch inspiring video here-wow- and official website here)
Fastest Man: James Kwambai 1:03:30
Fastest Woman: Edna Kiplagat 1:11:08
Favorite Part: The first 5 miles, across a bridge, under the trees, feeling like I could run forever.
Least Favorite Part: The last 4 miles in the sun, knees hurting, looking for a water stand.
Related Bible Verse: Hebrews 12:1-3> Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Regrets: none!

Photo Gallery

racer number 3205

The Rock n Roll Half Marathon is only 2 days away. Tomorrow morning I will be getting in my friend Jess' car and we will be driving to Virginia Beach. I am just looking at my registration packet.

I am runner number 3205....hmmm...sounds like a good, strong number.

I am in corral number 3 with a predicted time of 1 hour 40 minutes....wait a sec! Did I predict that? I think I will ask them to move me back about 5 corrals, because it will be more like 2 hours and 15 minutes (or longer) before I finish. What was I thinking? (a country song just started playing in my head).

Today I was talking to my friend Rusty about the Country Music Half Marathon that he ran in TN. It made me even more excited about the race. He said it was one of the most rewarding, encouraging things he has ever done. We shall see about that!

That is all for now!

a happy little sound

My microwave has the friendliest little bell. I say bell and not beep because it is a really cheap microwave with a turn timer. I just heated up a cup of coffee to drink with a really yummy cookie. When it was finished, the microwave just sang out: "DING! Come and get it! Warm, Yummy, Goodness for you to Drink." What a happy little sound!

marathon update: delusions of grandeur

It is finally here. The weekend I have been anticipating for 17 weeks! The Virginia Beach Rock n Roll Half Marathon. I confess, I am a little bummed, because the farthest I have run so far is 6 miles. However, it is farther than I was running when I started, and definitely farther than I have ever run in my entire life. Perhaps I had delusions of grandeur. I think I fully understand that phrase now.

Actually, this seems to happen a lot. I say, "I can do it." Sort of like Trish thinking she could snowboard when she have never even skied or done any other winter sport. After falling off the ski lift, not being able to even stand up, and then walking back to the lodge almost in tears, I discovered that I could not, in fact, "just figure it out."

Hmmmmmmmm......oh well. Maybe it was good to set my goal so high. At least I will be able to run half way. Final results to follow on Monday morning! Tally Ho!

longing...

Psalm 38:9
All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.

Proverbs 13:12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:19
A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul

2 Corinthians 5:2
Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling.

Psalm 37:4-7
4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;


C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probably explanation is that I was made for another world.

sad corn

I think corn is one of the most beautiful plants. There is an intersection near my mom's house, way out in the country, where I love to watch the sun go down behind the corn. It seems so tall and unassuming; Humble and yet majestic at the same time. Today I went by and they had mowed it down. I was sad to see it go.....it was so beautiful....but the truth is, sometimes things have to die to serve their purpose.

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. John 12:24

a morning jog

I went jogging this morning. My path took me to a Greenway that runs near my house. It is a windy trail that took me through a green, foresty area. Nothing special happened, until I came across a family of deer on their early morning stroll. I stopped and stood there in awe. They were beautiful!

Everything else on the trail seemed to take on a new look and sound and personality: I met a granddaddy long legs who, I can only presume, was on his way to buy some new walking shoes, a squirrel eating her morning breakfast, a turtle who I am certain when he gets to his destination will discover that he has, indeed, beaten the hare, and a chorus of crickets practicing for one of their last evening summer concerts. Maybe the butterfly I met will finally find that perfect flower.

the end of a chapter

I started this in August, but for some reason didn't post it.

I have had the feeling these past few days that a chapter has just ended. On Sunday afternoon, I went to a cookout to say goodbye to Scott and Patti Jenkins. As I was on the swing under the big oak at EH and Cindy Cooks house, I looked around at everyone who was there. I thought to myself, we may never be together like this again. Tonight, I had the same feeling as I sat around three tables with some of my old uturn buddies at OCharleys. The group was slightly varied from Sunday, but I had the same thought. We may never be all together like this again.

It was all of us who grew up in youth group together, beginning back when youth was called Power House and later Uturn. We were all there when a single Scott Jenkins came at 23 years old to be our youth pastor. We were a small group. Our favorite Wednesday after youth group hang out was either Carolina Cones or Wendy's and Chilis in the summer. We all went to Camp Courtney together. sigh....memories...

Everyone is headed in different directions. A season has ended. A new one has started.

the answer to the impossible question

You know those questions that are so hard to answer? Those ones that you think you should know the answer to, but you just can't seem to come up with one.

"What is your favorite food? "

Ahhhhh! There it is! The unanswerable question. What do you mean? Am I supposed to pick out of all the millions of different kinds of foods just ONE that I love best? Favorite is a pretty strong word. Sort of like calling someone your BEST friend or saying I LOVE cats. The word favorite connotes some kind of faithfulness to the word it is applied to.

I would like to announce that today I have found that food that merits all of the above words. BEST. LOVE. FAVORITE. My favorite food is the SANDWICH!

mmmm! The one I am eating right now: Toasted rosemary bread, provalone cheese, real chicken, lettuce, and mayo! yum! That's what I'm talkin' about!

Other notable sandwiches
1. BLT from Quiznos
2. Chicken Salad Sandwich on 9 grain bread at Atlanta Bread company
3. Chicken Salad Wrap from Arby's
4. Tuna, provalone, and lettuce on toasted wheat bread from Subways (don't wrinkle your nose...you know tuna is super-yum!)

Check out this article at wikipedia on sandwiches wiki

bang, crash, kazam

I went to Lowe's Motor Speedway last night! Not only did I meet "Lugnut", but I got to see lots of little, teeny, but really loud, cars go round and round and round and round and....There were a few crashes, one tire flying through the air, a girl driver with a sweet car with PINK numbers, some little 12 year olds with more driving guts than I have, and lots of old guys with beer bellies.
It was fun though =) It brought back of memories of "back in the day" when my mom was into racing. She would successfully commandeer the television almost every Sunday, to the protests of my sister and I, and later we would all find ourselves taking an involuntary Sunday nap to the sound of something like buzzing bees flying in circles. Then we would wake up in time to see the checkered flag - hopefully with Awesome Bill from Dawsonville in the front of the pack.

Some other fun NASCAR memories:
** Funnel cakes
** My super cool NASCAR t-shirt that I wore forever or atleast until I was old enough to realize its uncoolness
** Getting sunscreen in my eyes
** Falling asleep actually AT the Coca-Cola 600
** My mommy =)

zoom zoom zoom...

Wierd Cat Lady!

No! I am not talking about myself. Ok, so I have this neighbor. I drive down the road and she is watching her cat taking a potty break.....I get closer and the cat is on a LEASH....ummmm....who does that?

Mario Bros.

Check out my friend Clay's blog for some fun reminiscing!!!! Click Here

Got Milk?

Got Milk? Aaron Burr

Ok, I am taking this online class, and someone in the class brought up this old GOT MILK? commercial...Enjoy! And don't forget the MILK!

coffee + cat = ?????

So, my cat Louie officially likes coffee. At first I thought that she would just stick her nose in, get a taste, and run away.....NO! She keeps coming back for more! I put her on the floor, and she jumps up again.

Ok, I just put a book over the coffee to keep her out and now she is trying to knock it off. Not only has Starbucks taken over the human world, but next thing you know, they will be marketing to our pets.

Gross! I think she has coffee breath.

Why isn't life like an Indian Movie?

I just finished watching "Bride and Prejudice"...and I just have a question..."Why isn't life like an Indian movie?" Or maybe the better question is....Why isnt MY life like an Indian movie?
SIGH.....
http://www.miramax.com/bride/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bollywood

Che Bello, Italia!

Yay for Italy! Yesterday's World Cup Final was pretty intense. I went with my friend Christine to watch it at the house of some of her friends from church. It was a fun crowd! This one guy kept inventing a script for the replays. The players were saying things like "Croissant!" and "You'll be getting a visit from the mafia after the game" and for Zidane's now infamous headbutt to Matterazzi, "What'd you say about my momma??!!!"

So, here is the question....why doesn't anyone in the US watch soccer? In fact, why is it called football every where else but here? It seems like to be interested in soccer, you had to have travelled out of the country or just have an interest other countries.

Operation 2010 South Africa, go on a US wide soccer promo tour! It is too fun to miss!


FUN LINKS: http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/index.html (Offical Site)
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/07/10/sports/wccolor.php (re: so what did Materazzi say to Zidane?)

Oops...name change!

So, Louie is actually a girl! How does that always happen? We have decided to leave her name as Louie, but we are calling her Lu Lu. She sure is cute!

Louie Louie, oh baby...

Here is my new kitty Louie!!! He was my birthday present from my roomie, Rhonda. Named in honor of our favorite Mexican city =)