A Sign?

I'm guilty by association. It wasn't MY Idea to make the signs but since I have 3 kids the duty fell to me. This morning I went and bought poster board, yardsticks, tape and pens. I'm sure it looked like I was all set to picket but that is not my intention.

It's a long story but there are a few people that are a part of the church I go to that are doing a triathlon tomorrow and the signs are just words of encouragement. It wasn't my idea, especially the wording on one of the signs but my kids were happy to help create them and can't wait to cheer Daddy and friends on in the race. Of course, one of the signs reads "Looking Good, Almost There" and is more of a ribbing than encouragement. It's kinda an inside joke and it'd take too long to explain it on my blog but those who attend my church will "get it". Oh, and did I mention it's plastered with glued on gummy bears? Another inside joke. (my kids LOVED eating the leftover gummy bears)

This is just a fun race; David did not get to train as hard and consistently as he'd have liked to; somehow painting the house, work demands, family fun and just LIFE got in the way, but it'll be great. I have only been to one of his triathlons and it was...well, it was an experience! I missed every photo opportunity of him! I joke that he's just too fast and it's really, really difficult to be prepared ! Add to that 3 little distractions I have with me and taking photos is more difficult than it looks! (but somehow I managed to get photos of a few of our friends pretty easily) So this time I'm ready. He'll be competing in the yellow FCA-E jersey so perhaps that will help him stick out to me. I hope so! I want some good photos!

But photos or not, it'll be fun. And we're ready. I have snacks packed, signs waiting, extra clothes, warmer clothes (one can never tell what it'll be like at the coast) my iPod, camera and LOTS of memory, my laptop, and a good book. David's getting his stuff ready as we speak: wetsuit, bike, clothing, food, strange tri food, strange mixture stuff to drink, a bag with all the stuff he needs for "transition".... a bright towel to lay out his stuff, Gu packets, shoes, socks, bike shoes, and whatever else he seems to need that I don't remember.


This sport could possibly be worse than surfing. We have to be out of the house by 4:30 to get there on time since David did not yet pick up his race number and registration packet. I'm not looking forward to that part but I'm still excited. It's rather adventurous. Plus, I'm not the one racing.

I think I'll bring a few lawn chairs and sip iced tea with an umbrella in it as I watch from the sidelines and cheer them on. Way to Go! Looking Good! Almost There!

Ready To Die

A few days ago I posted about weight. I generally don't like exercise so I simply avoid it but a friend of mine posted on facebook she was going to start running and I said I'd like to join her. That was 3 weeks ago. I got the running shoes but they stayed in a box. At church we finally made a date to "run" together. (she's been running for the past 3 weeks because she's amazing)

I don't know who was more excited this morning. Actually, I think I do know that because I was definitely NOT excited about running this morning but my husband was excited for me. I'm sure he thought I'd find an excuse to not go. Eagerly he pulled out his Garmin Forerunner GPS/heart rate monitor for me so I could keep track of my pace, distance and heart rate. I protested but he thought it'd be so helpful so I agreed to wear it.

I dropped my kids off at school and hopped in the car to meet my friend Kris. She was already running when I got there and we walked and chatted for a bit before running. I have never been a runner. I have perhaps only run in High School and I am pretty sure I managed to weasel my way out of it most of the time. I simply can't run. But we did. She explained that I needed to set short goals and then reevaluate once there. Okay. I can do that. I put on my headphones, listening to U2's Zoo station and when it got to the lyric "ready to dive" I thought for sure it said "ready to die". Indeed, I think I was ready to die. But I trudged on, then walked, then attempted to run again. I'm sure I did more walking than running! Looked at my recorded heart rate and it said I as at 193 beats per minute. Hmmmmmm.... David said I should keep it under 150 but I was over 150 just by walking fast! Kris mentioned that her heart rate also runs high so we continued on. I really had a hard time but Kris was quite encouraging saying that she was similar 3 weeks ago but now is doing better and in a few weeks I'd be able to do more as well.

I hope so. A group of us are doing a (small) run at the beginning of October. Not sure I'll be ready then but I hope too! If nothing else, at least I made my husband happy for the day.

I'm looking for music that is good to run to. Any suggestions?

Giddy

Giddy. Isn't it a funny word? It's interesting how words can have multiple meanings. Since I have children my first thought of the word "giddy" is in context to a play stick horse and imaginative play. According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary "giddy" can mean dizzy, causing dizziness, whirling rapidly, or lighthearted, silly, frivolous, joyfully elated: euphoric.

Well, I'm not talking about being dizzy or foolish or frivolous; I'm talking about being joyfully elated or euphoric. Why you may ask am I elated? The short answers is BOOKS!

This afternoon I attended a dear friend's BBQ swim party. I always enjoy this special friend's company but when she has small or large parties it is really special because she invites people that I love but normally don't spend a lot of time with. I'm not sure WHY I don't spend a lot of time with them, but I don't. It's interesting also because they all attend her church except my family. Actually now that I think about it, it's pretty neat she invites me at all, though most of these folks I also know since we went to the same church several years ago.

So, as much as I enjoyed being with this fun group of friends, what has made me giddy is that one of my friends loaned me several books on church history and Martin Luther. I can't wait to dive into them but I was good and resisted the urge to be anti-social and read at this party. My friend also brought me her photos of her trip to Europe: Wittenburg's Castle Church, Wartburg Castle, etc. She recounted some of the places she visited on a reformation tour; obviously this friend of mine knows quite a bit of church history. Actually, she's quite brilliant; when I traveled to the Christian Book Expo in Texas back in March I had purchased a children's book of famous people that did great things for God. Actually, some of them (in my opinion) were not that famous. At the end of the book was a quiz on each person. Without reading about the person she was able to answer nearly all the questions! Here's a sample based on the chapter on Susannah Spurgeon: What did Susannah send to ministers who earned less than L150 a year? or What presents did Susannah ask Charles to get her one day? " Amazingly, from her own reading prior she's know all the answers. It was fun and a bit uncanny the tidbits of little details she could remember. So... this wonderful, knowledgeable friend loaned me 8 books on Christian history, the reformation, Martin Luther, etc.
THAT is why I'm so giddy! Titles include:

The Legacy of Sovereign Joy by John Piper
The Reformers and the Theology of the Reformation by William Cunningham
The God Who Justifies by James R. White
Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther
Pages From Church History by Stephen J. Nichols
The Reformation for Armchair Theologians by Glenn S. Sunshine
Luther for Armchair Theologians by Steven Paulson
Table Talk by Martin Luther

Oooooh, all I can say is thank you, Friend, for loaning me your books!

Yep. I'm definitely giddy!