I Believe...

I do not mean for this to be some choring read. Nor do I mean it specifically for pleasure either. Rather, I recently realized that I have never expressed to you my beliefs, or where I stand on this topic; that is of top importance to me. So in short I believe:

• there is only one God, who exists as three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I believe that He is fully perfect. I believe that He created the earth, universe, and all other matter (for that matter :). Including us. 
• man was made in His image and likeness, and that we choose to disobey, incurring death. Therefore, now since man's first sin, all people are born sinful.
• the only way to be saved from our incurred (spiritual) death is through the work of Jesus Christ (God the Son) by His death upon the cross.
• that by His (Christ's) perfect life and sacrificial death, salvation has been provided for all people; and those who repent of their sinful/imperfect life and believe that He died for them, receive eternal life!
• that the will of God is for all people to come to know Him in a personal/interactive way.
• that once one comes to know Him that they might become evermore of His character, and that this coupled with a growing heart for others, will be a way for others to know Him personally.
• that God the Son, will return in future days. This is our (believer's) blessed hope! 
• that those who know Christ will live for eternity in heaven, and those who do not know Him and believe in His work on the cross, will experience death for all time.

I have only written quick, short bullets...If you have any questions at all, please ask. I would love nothing more than to talk with you about this subject!

On Paths.

A stream. A river. A trickle.

Water, will travel where it traveled yesterday. As will you. People, like water, will travel the path which is found simplest. This path, this is the path you are on.

Please, look around. What was your yesterday, what was your today?


My path is one of sin. As is yours. That is what we have throughout our lives. Because of Adam's first sin, we too walk this way.  My gravest error it at times seems is not my sinful state in of itself, but rather, my acceptance of that state.

To break free of this acceptance, is only to be able through choosing. Choosing is only able through a low and contrite heart. A low and contrite heart, can only be given by the Holy Spirt through Christ's death on the cross. No amount of effort or talk by me, changes my heart.

So the choice is not, to change, but to give all my will to Him. So that, He makes me more like Him!

'Lord, constantly guide my life. Take me from paths not of Your will.'
'Lord, that my life might be fully given to You. Please, take it, all of it. i fall, daily, and in all i do. Please forgive me, and continue this work that You have begun in me until i am found complete by You. Thank  You for Your abounding grace, and Your precious Gift.'

Running 2011, The Year Ahead!

So...2010 is almost over.

OK, not really, rather only a little over halfway over. However, my running goals for the 2010 year are almost finished. The only remaining major goal is to run the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon, in Georgia, on November 13th; with a negative split.

As for smaller racing goals this year.
Run the 'Spirt of Survival' Superhero 5k' in Lawton, OK, on October 10. This race is to replace my beloved Mount Scott 5k, but should still be a blast as many racers (yours truly included) will be racing while being dressed as superheros! Bring on the SPANDEX! not really a good thing.

1. Run Weatherford YMCA's annual 'Chili Run', although I don't know the date, I am sure it will prove to be yet another great race!
2. Run Arnett Chamber's inaugural 5k! This is monumental for me, my passion of running meeting my hometown!!! Couldn't get better than this!
3. And lastly enjoy training for all these wonderful events, beside all the amazing people I have come to know and grow closer to due to this sport.

Back to the Chickamauga race, this race will serve several purposes;
One, I will be using this race as a 'training' run for my 2011 season!
Two, I will knock Georgia off my 'states to do' list and end the year with only forty-five remaining!!! Third, it will be yet another opportunity to spend some time encouraging and running with my good friend Kelsey (who ran New Orleans with in February and who also just yesterday morning had breakfast with myself and Jamie in the great town of Weatherford, OK!)
And fourth, but certainly not last (drumroll please) I will be (hopefully) running the first portion of this race with the 'Great' Jamie Leigh Rice!
AWESOME HUH?

SO...on to 2011.
This is my tentative schedule and respective personal goals:

• January 16 - P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon; Scottsdale, AZ

• April 30 - Country Music Marathon; Nashville, TN

•  June 25 (Happy Birthday Dad) - Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon; Seattle WA

• September 5 - Rock 'n' Roll Marathon; Virginia Beach, VA

(Not encouraging the beer in the shoes, but rather the sand around the shoes...and the relaxation of a small vacation and a great run!!!)

• December 5 - Rock 'n' Roll Marathon; Las Vegas, NV

SO! A few notes in closing!!!

1. YOU are invited to each one of these... (just let me know in advance)
2. Feel free to ask how training/running/racing is going
3. If you are interested in running or racing please let me know, I would love to help get you started (just ask Brantley, Joshua, Jamie, Erin, Kyle, or Allen, they all know)
4. Why all the "Rock 'n' Roll" races...because if I do complete them all I get this on top!

              

Rock Star

Complete FIVE Rock ‘n’ Roll events (1/2 or full marathons) in a calendar year and earn the medal as proof of your ROCKSTAR status.

Long Time, No Post, Lots New!

Sorry about the time since my last post, and for the shortness of this one too.

Just a couple quick updates:

I have just purchased and begun using my new computer! She is a MacBook Pro, and she is beaut!!! I am very excited about all the new tools and capabilities I have, on top of the shear excitement of removing myself from using the ole beast who often would not turn on, semi regularly had a fuzzy greenish screen, and who always was missing three buttons.
I am considering different names for the Mac...if you have any ideas, feel free to share!


Lastly,

Just finished my fourth marathon! Traveled twenty hours straight to Missoula, Montana, for a race I did not train for, but all went well! I did not die and I was able to travel through both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Forest on the return!!!

Here is a taste of the weekend:

(brantley = driver, me = lazy, sunset on the way up, Yellowstone Rainbow, Elk, Mad Elk, Bison, Ole Faithful at Sunset x 2, Kansas Sunflower, Kansas Windmill)