Tuesday, September 7, 2010

an invitation...

i'm a part of something happening all over the world...
an international gathering of men & women who want to know God & understand the Gospel more intimately.
it's starting up again next week with a shiny, bright hot-off-the-presses study of the book of Isaiah.

and you're invited...

here is a taste of what i learned today at our leader's workshop
(i'll be a children's teacher this year- 3 year olds- yay!):
*this is completely quoted from BSF teaching materials- no plagiarism here!!

1. those who have glimpsed the holiness of God are able to put life in proper perspective.
2. begin with God, and you will have a right view of people and circumstances.
3. begin with people or circumstances, and you will have a wrong view of God.

wow. in other words, if i begin with the Truth of the Gospel (that i am forgiven & saved by Jesus Christ's death on the cross), i can approach all areas of my life & this crazy world with right thinking.

wow.
not like i'll get it right all the time... i most often begin with ME. i'm a pretty big deal in my world- my own idol, if you will. i'd like to ask God to take ME off the pedestal in my world, but i'm afraid that might be uncomfortable. it's a little scary, this whole business of giving up my selfish desires.

but how amazing if it can happen, right? if God & the Truth of how HE sees me & this world was my starting point instead of MY version of truth & goodness?

and it's not if- it's now. God doesn't start me on stuff He's not going to finish.
crap. this is going to be quite a ride.

i'm already amazed by the beauty & intimacy of Isaiah- it's REAL stuff, y'all. it's full of application to my life... and to yours as well.

would you like to join me? classes begin next week all over the world- click BSFinternational.org and go to the tab "BSF classes." then find a class near you- they make it SO simple to join. FREE. with children's classes (not childcare- our kids learn the same things the adults learn, but with snacks & playdoh for good measure. my girls ADORE it). and materials. and fellowship with other women (or men, if any men read this blog- they have men's classes).
and Jesus is there, which is awfully cool.

questions? i'd love to answer them. ridicule? no thank you. concerns? please let me know.

just know that i thought about you... and wanted to invite you to something i love, okay?


*yes- i'm a part of an amazing church that i absolutely love. and i love BSF. there is no competition between the two in my heart- i love them for separate reasons, and for the same reasons: at each ministry, the Bible is clearly taught each week; the people are seeking the Lord with their lives; and they actively pursue relationship with each other in an effort to live out the Gospel.

i have 2 places in my life where that is true... have i ever complained about my life? i take it back. i'm ridiculously blessed.*




Friday, September 3, 2010

long run thoughts

thing i thought about while running 15 miles today:

i'm SO much slower than i used to be (and taller & wider & thicker), but i think i'm okay with it.

i haven't quite lost my competitive nature-
i passed a woman while in my 15th mile. bad idea- it hurt.

i have my first black toenail after 22 years of running.
it's gross.

i have probably pooped/peed in every park, playground & shady space in webster groves.

i ran through the following municipalities today:
webster groves, shrewsbury, crestwood, oakland, kirkwood, glendale.
is there one i'm missing? hmmm.

i stopped to ask an elderly man with an oxygen tank if he needed help- turns out he was just getting comfortable on his seat at the end of his driveway, which is where he reads for an hour every morning. i think this is fantastic.

i saw WAY too many people in their undies getting the paper & smoking & letting their dogs out. think about this: no matter how early the hour how dark the sky, how private you think your yard is, i can see you. and there are others out running or walking, too! we can all see you in your undies! put on some pants.
or don't, i guess. whatever.

there are composting port-a-potties on Grant's Trail.
very cool. and breezy on your behind while you use them, too.

there are significant sections of this city that don't have sidewalks on major roads. are we not supposed to cover those distances except in cars??
Watson, Berry Rd., Manchester...

there are also significant portions of Webster Groves that are difficult to make it down the sidewalk because of tables/chairs/potted plants. our city planners must not be runners, and they definitely have not EVER pushed a double stroller down those sidewalks.
(i did NOT push the double stroller for 15 miles. i'm not insane.)

out of every city i've lived in, teenagers in St. Louis are by far the most rude to me while i'm running. they don't move from their spot in the middle of the sidewalk, say hello, or even make eye contact. (mostly- there are exceptions.)
i'm making a mental note to teach my children to be polite. or at least not speed bumps.

my dog doesn't stop to poop- he just spreads his legs & poops a trail down the road.
this makes it difficult to retrieve the pieces (yes, i try).
this also makes me jealous. is that weird?

my ipod 'shuffle' mix is not so random... i am beginning to hear patterns.

St. Louis has so many beautiful old trees- they're really fun to look at while running. and i can't wait to crunch through the leaves when it's really Fall!

STL also has restrooms at almost all the major parks & playgrounds... i appreciate this.
however, i wish they didn't close 'for the season' when it gets colder. there is not a bathroom season- i poop year round.

i've used the word poop way too many times in this blog post.

i take naps like a pregnant lady on days that i run long. feels good, and then i wake up fuzzy.
i may still be fuzzy from my nap- i'll have to proof read this post.

i think ibuprofen & ice are magic.

i think my husband loves me a lot- he makes it possible for me to run long on his day off, and i appreciate it very much. i'm generally too tired on these days to show him how much i appreciate it... but i'll get my energy back at some point.
(no this is not dirty- get your mind out of the gutter.)

i should stop writing before i talk more about poop.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

whatever

i'm clearly undecided on this whole blogging thing.
no declarations of my newfound faithfulness to the blog.
no announcement of abandonment.

just another post. probably sans pictures- sorry mom.

i'm ready for real life to begin again.
summer was fun, lazy, open-ended & delicious.
i need a schedule NOW!
i need to be a bit more busy- a bit more 'book-ended' by obligations. looking ahead to 4-5 days with nothing on the calendar was wonderful for the summer. now it's over & i'm ready- it was getting tiresome.

our fall looks pretty good! caroline has school (half days) on MWF, julia has 'parents day out' on WF. I have BSF leader's meeting on Mondays, which julia will go to with me. all 3 of us go to BSF on Tuesdays from 8:30 to 12:15ish. Thursdays are our unscheduled days- zoo, library, botanical gardens, world bird sanctuary (my kids love it- so strange) here we come! i'm glad we have a day each week that's open ended- stay in PJ's & eat pancakes, build a fort, have a tea party (which ALWAYS involves orange juice & goldfish crackers- why? i dunno).

fridays are a question mark... matt's day off. girls in school. my 'long run' day (training for a marathon- that's a post unto itself). sounds nice, yes? i'm secretly (not so secretly- this is a public blog) afraid that i won't get to take full advantage of my 3 hours with no kids because matt will be at home! yes, the pastor's wife is admitting selfishness- take a deep breath. i'm SO overwhelmed by how hard parenting these 2 beautiful & obnoxious little girls has been this year- i'm DYING for 3 hours by myself (2x a week- woohoo!) and i don't want to share it! i know we'll reach a wonderful compromise- right, matt? love of my life? you still love me even though i put this on my blog, yes?? : ) maybe it will involve coffee dates before we go pick up the girls from school... that would be nice. i know he needs time to himself, too- turns out being a pastor is hard work-
who knew?!

that's it... ready for school, ready for BSF, ready for 65 degree temps & the smell of falling leaves. ready for long sleeved t-shirts & shorts- my favorite outfit, always.

maybe ready to re-enter the blogging world? we'll see. thanks for your patience & for not sending me hate mail.