Tuesday a.m.

Dedication

Good morning. There is a really good article about this picture found here. I hope you are doing well on this windy morning. It's going to be interesting to see how much damage Sandy does. We certainly need to be praying for the ones hurt and displaced. Jimmy S., along with Steve B., is supposed to run the New York City marathon on Sunday. They are supposed to fly out on Thursday. It's going to be interesting to see how all that plays out.

Tapering for the Monumental marathon continues. I ran 5 miles last night in Bedford with my buddies. It felt like a marathon death march, which is fairly normal. I'll run 4 more today, and since the weather is cruddy, I will go back over and run with my friends. Don't underestimate the power of a community to keep you on track. Good sermon in there somewhere.

Yesterday was good, and I got a lot accomplished. I have a lot going on right now. The Give Thanks 4 race is starting to put a little pressure on me, so I had to give it some attention yesterday. There is a lot to do to put on race like this. I'm glad I have some good help in getting it all done. We'll end up using around (at least) 25 volunteers to pull it off.  We are still accepting $100 sponsors, so if you want your business to get a lot of good exposure, just let me know.

I helped a few people along the way yesterday. I try to remember that the mundane things often have eternal significance. I loaned an old couple $10. They have trouble making it all the way through the month. Somehow they always pay me back. I had a good lunch with a friend and a peer. We talked about our life and work and our life's work. I told him that endurance athletics has kept me going in ministry. It shows me that I can keep going through the pain and problems, pushing toward the finish line. He was needing some encouragement. We always need encouragement. The 24/7/365 on call status wears on you.

Today is more of a study day for me. I spend a lot of time reading and studying. I consider both to be vital to the life of our church. It's a priority for me, and I think it needs to be for someone in the role I am in. I enjoy it, which is good!

OK, time to get after it! Don't blow away today.