Thursday

Contemplating the day ahead: eat, sleep, be incredibly cute

Good morning! I hope you are well today!

I guess it is going to be warm and windy today. That's OK with me. I'll take it, and I am going to try take this day "off." I've had a busy week, and tomorrow is going to be busy. On Saturday I am speaking all day at church, so I will be quite busy in prep and delivery. Today is the day. Jimmy and I plan to get some quality bike miles in.

Yesterday was really nice. I had a meeting with a handful of ministers in town yesterday morning. At one point I felt like I should have taken off my shoes. It was holy ground. There was such a spirit of honesty, encouragement, and truthful sharing about life and ministry. There were a couple of guys older than me, considerably older, who shared how they worked through struggles of life. It was what I needed.

I did slip out later in the day, before supper, for a 25 mile ride. I needed that too. It was windy but warm. It's a great time to process all the stuff that runs through my mind. Solo rides are considerably different from group rides. I really enjoy both.

OK, enjoy this wonderful day, another gift from God.

Wednesday

Love it when people say, "Are you sick?"

Good morning! It looks like we have a really good day ahead! I think a late afternoon bike ride would be a good thing today. Just a short ride in the sunshine could be worth a week of therapy in a counselor's office or something like that. The weather the rest of the week is looking pretty good, just need to dodge a few showers along the way.

Yesterday was another busy one, but I tend to get more efficient when I am overloaded. There are still some things I am having trouble getting to, but they will still be there when I find/make the time for them.

I read some Henri Nouwen everyday. He has probably shaped my thinking as much as any theologian I have read over the years. This morning's reading is good and possibly helpful to lots of people. When people come to me with problems, which is a lot, of course, somewhere along the way I will say, "We are all really messed up," which is true, due to the Fall. In Christ, of course, the curse is being reversed and we are striving to bring the future (perfect peace and harmony) into the present. The reality is we just don't get it quite done.

Learning to forgive and give grace begins with the recognition that I need it. Talk to us, Henri.

People who live close together can be sources of great sorrow for one another.  When Jesus chose his twelve apostles, Judas was one of them.  Judas is called a traitor.  A traitor, according to the literal meaning of the Greek word for "betraying," is someone who hands the other over to suffering.

The truth is that we all have something of the traitor in us because each of us hands our fellow human beings over to suffering somehow, somewhere, mostly without intending or even knowing it.  Many children, even grown-up children, can experience deep anger toward their parents for having protected them too much or too little.  When we are willing to confess that we often hand those we love over to suffering, even against our best intentions, we will be more ready to forgive those who, mostly against their will, are the causes of our pain.

I hope you have a really good day!

Tuesday a.m.

Good morning! First of all, this picture is in no way related to me or my thoughts about me. I just found it and found it funny, plus I am trying to give you a break from Cora Jane pictures, knowing not everyone melts and turns to goo when they see her, like I do (ha ha). I got to see her some yesterday -- so precious.

I am reading through the Bible again this year, which is my normal practice. This year I am reading through based on a chronological approach, which I am enjoying. Plus I am reading through using a different translation from the one I usually use, trying to keep it fresh. Anyway, this morning I came across, in 1 Chronicles 4, I think, the old prayer of Jabez. Remember that and that crazy, almost nutty, fad/trend it created several years ago? Here it is:

There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!" And God granted him his request.

It's not a bad prayer and not a bad approach, so I don't mean to be critical. I just remember people kinda getting obsessed with it, pulling it out of context and treating it like some kind of magical formulae. That is all (ha ha).

I tried to resume running yesterday after an 8 day break. I severely strained my left hamstring on my least day in Orange Beach, so I have been giving it a rest, focusing more on cycling and swimming. Looks that is going to continue. I am going to have really work hard at rehabbing it. It is a real pain in the rear. Thankfully, "the body doesn't care where the cardio comes from." I very thankful cycling does not hurt in any way, and I really enjoy it.

This week is going to be busy. I have a speaking engagement that will take all of Saturday, so I need to get ready for that. I've got a few other extra things going on as well. I guess all that keeps me out of trouble, right? We'll see... ha ha. Thanks for stopping by.

Monday a.m.

Cora & Rebecca FaceTiming

Good morning! Here we go - another new week, another opportunity to change the world one decision at a time. Really.

Wasn't it a nice weekend? Yes, it was! I had a busy day of work on Friday but got it all done (see below). I went and swam Friday night, putting in 1800 yards, which is the most I've done in one session. Now I just need to: double the distance and add about a half mile, do it in the Gulf, and do it in less than 2 hours and 20 minutes. I feel confident about all three. I actually hope to get my time down to well under 2 hours. The Ironman distance is 2.4 miles and the time limit is 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Saturday morning Jim S, Scott B, and Iron Bill took off from Parkview at 9 a.m., after eating breakfast together. Three fourths of us planned to do a 100 miler. Jimmy had a meeting and had to turn back, so he only got 50 miles. It was cold at the start! Flying down the rock cut at 30+ mph was a rude reminder of how cold it was. The first hill on Dixie highway provided a quick correction, and really after that, it wasn't too bad.

It was an uneventful 100. We took it easy and stopped 3-4 times along the way. We wandered around Orange and Washington counties, with a major stop in Campbellsburg. We had to turn around one time due to floods, and we knew we probably would. Scott had scouted the night before but we thought the water might have receded. It hadn't.

One topic of discussion on our ride, and we had a lot of time to talk, was creating a Tour De Lawrence bike ride. We have all kinds of possibilities and ideas for various distances, including a 100 mile option, that would visit some of the key attractions of Lawrence Co. Once the new tourism director is settled in place, I plan to talk to her (good morning! haha). We are thinking something in 2015, which gives us plenty of time to plan and go BIG with it. We believe it has potential.

Today is going to be busy in the ministry business. Always is. In the end it is a matter of priority and managing. I never get done. It's kinda like I tell Penny and her staff at the Store, who constantly receive donations of stuff, "You just have to stop at certain point, knowing it will all be there next time you show up."

Here we go! Thanks for stopping by.

Friday

Good morning, Friday! How are you today? It's still raining, but it will end later today. The sun shows up, the wind blows, and the temps drop. That's all OK. Tomorrow looks nice; cool but nice.

Yesterday was a good day. I had lunch with an old friend. I didn't wake up expecting that but it happened, and I'm glad it did. I enjoyed it very much, and I enjoyed watching it rain most of the day. The day provided no ride opportunity, so I rested again. I did go swimming last night.

I wore my wetsuit last night. I need to get used to it. It's not the best idea to wear it in the pool, due to chlorine. I rinsed it thoroughly afterwards, so it should be fine. I have a triathlon coming up in May were I will wear the wetsuit. I hope to do some outdoor swimming before then, but I need to get used to the tightness and the different feel of the suit now. I was pleased with how it went.

Today is going to be another busy one. I have a counseling appointment this morning, along with another thing or two. I am having to redo my Sunday work. Our projector bulb needs replacing and it will not happen before Sunday. Wouldn't you know it, this week's sermon was super heavy with visuals. I hope to have it retooled before the day is over.

Tonight I will head back to the pool. Who says I don't know how to have a wild Friday night? Then tomorrow is a 100 miler, I hope. I am going to have to check out some of our proposed routes. I have a feeling Lost River has been found and is all over Orange County roads.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday

Good morning! I woke up to thunder and lightning and heavy rain. It wasn't a bad way to wake up, really. I love listening to the rain. Looks like I will have a lot of chances to do that for the next 24 hours or so. It looks like it will clear up and be pretty good on Saturday. Our big 100 mile ride is shaping up and coming together.

Besides doing a little core work, I took yesterday off from endurance athletics. I think the rest will do me good. I was hoping for a late afternoon break in the rain and a late afternoon ride but neither happened. I have a hard time resting. Most of us wired to do endurance sports do.

Yesterday I got a call from the lady whose house burnt earlier in the week. They are in pretty bad shape, not having any insurance. They were receiving a little help from the Red Cross but not much beyond that. I talked with my ministry partners and we are going to be able to help them in lots of ways, I believe.

Warren is an amazing servant. He offered to jump in and take care of things, so he has already delivered some immediate help in the form of gift cards and is working on housing. We will then work on finding furniture and getting them back a place where they can function well.

I felt so sorry for the lady. I am glad we are able to help her/them. The ReGeneration Store is such a blessing in so many ways. I am so thankful for those who do a great job of running it everyday, generating revenue that blesses over and over.

Today I have to wrestle the Old Testament to the ground and be able summarize it in about 3 minutes. That should be pretty easy. NOT. Oh well, at least it's a good day to be inside. Maybe I can develop something along these lines? Probably not.

Have a great Thursday!

Wednesday

She likes her play mat

Good morning! Looks like a wet Wednesday. That's ok. It's going to be mild.

I got up before 4 this morning. I just couldn't go back to sleep after waking up a little after 3, so I gave up and got up. This is going to make for a really long day. I hope to take advantage of it and get a lot done.

Yesterday was beautiful! After such a long winter, the warmth and sunshine are appreciated more than usual, in my opinion. I was blessed to be out and about part of the day. I went to Bloomington to see someone in the hospital. After that I was able to have a good lunch with a good, good friend. Then it was back to Mitchell, where our food pantry was going on. It's a great ministry, and the neat thing about it is all the volunteers. They form a nice little community of encouraging love, often in the form humor.

After the food pantry was over and tidying up a few other things, knowing I had an evening meeting, I slipped out to the Park for a late afternoon ride. It was windy but the warm and the sun made it all worth while. I got around 24 miles in before I went home for supper. I'm glad I went out. Riding looks a bit shaky the next 2-3 days. We are planning on an 80-100 mile ride on Saturday. The weather will be on the cool side, but I've gotten used to that.

I am not running right now. I strained my left hamstring last Saturday on a 7 mile run in Orange Beach. It was after 193 bike miles plus a few running miles earlier in the week. I don't think it is too bad, but I am resting it for the rest of this week, concentrating on the bike.

One of the memorable lines I've heard this year came at a swim clinic. "The body doesn't care where the cardio comes from." He's right, I think. In other words, my running can be funded a lot by my riding strength. Iron Bill proved that to me last fall by running a great marathon on mostly bike miles. Nothing ultimately replaces running for running, but in triathlon training running is minimized a bit.

OK, off to some study...

Tuesday

Good morning! Tuesday. Warm! And wasn't yesterday nice? It was a busy day for me, and the warmth of it made everything more manageable and pleasant.

I did a fair amount of heavy lifting yesterday. There are lots of people going through lots of things. Some of it is good and some is bad. As I have said many times before, I wish I could share more but can't because of confidentiality and sensitivity to situations. Anyway, it was a good day. I felt useful, which is better than useless.

The highlights of the days came at the end. Maddie and Cora Jane came over a little while before supper. Cora and I had the best time. I even got her to chuckle once. She is really starting to respond to people interacting with her.

After some good quality Cora time, and a quick bite, I headed out to the Park for a ride. We had a good number show up on a Monday night. The winds were strong out of the southeast, which meant a fairly tough ride out. The payoff was a nice tailwind back in. It was a good workout and several had personal bests on the time trial course. Iron Bill took the crown back from T-Roy. T-Roy will be watching the weather and will make another attempt soon.

Today presents itself to me with more stuff than I can get done, so I, as usual, have made a priority list and will keep after it all day long. Thanks for stopping by.