1/2 a World Away..........

This week has been a little rough. My DH had to go to Japan for work. Ok, that is really cool huh? He is spending a whole week there. They went sightseeing and they are really getting treated to the culture there. He says that they are very Americanized and on the menus in the restaurants they have American food as well as traditional Japanese food.

In case you didn't know, Japan is 13 hours ahead of us. So, while his flight out was 17 hours, his flight back will only be 3 hours :-) On paper that is. So, when we are waking up he is just going to bed. When he is going to bed? We are waking up. I have been like a little kid trying to get to the computer early enough to catch him on instant messaging or Skype. Really, a little kid!! I even put off my workouts to chat with him. For those of you who know me, that means alot!! I'm not used to him being so far away. When he travels it's usually just in the states. For some reason that isn't as stressful for me.

He has been incommunicado the past 2 days because they went on to Marioka, Japan. I guess there is no interet or anything for him to use. It will be nice to talk with him when he wakes up tonight.

I'm hoping this cold I have will go away when he gets back. My oldest & I got sick while he was gone and I would hate for him to get back here and then get sick. Now, that wouldn't be a very nice homecoming would it??

BE BLESSED & HEALTHY!!

Running

I ran another 5K last Saturday. Didn't do all that great. I'm used to getting under a 10 minute/mile time. I ran 3.2 miles in 32 minutes. Ok, I realize that is faster that some but for me it just wasn't right. Let me back track a bit. I had the worst stomach bug the week before. I felt great Thursday & Friday then Saturday morning woke up feeling VERY ill. I don't get nervous before running so was pretty sure it was the bug creeping back. The problem? My whole family was coming to cheer me on! I couldn't (wouldn't) back out. I got there and ran. I DOGGED it the whole way and when I was done I was pale & shakey & well just didn't feel well at all. I did it though! After my run the kids run took place. Well, Miss E loves to run in the kids runs!! She took off and ran like there was no tomorrow!! I was trying to keep up for the first 1/2 of the race. It was tough! She started slowing down and I ran alongside & just cheered her on. This is the picture M got of her when she started out. I just couldn't get over how incredible she was and I just cried. I am so proud of her. She told me 2 things when she was done. 1 -- Mommy, can we do it again? 2 -- I just wanted to beat that boy that was running beside me!!

Ok, so can you relate??? So many things we do in our lives and we want do do them again right? Maybe because they were so much fun and we want to do them again? OR maybe because we didn't do them well enough and just want a "do-over". Galatians 5:7 says "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?" (BTW - this is a great chapter to read the whole thing!!) I can tell you what cut in on me Saturday morning while I was running! It was my pride for one. I wanted my family to be so proud of me and watch me finish strong. Ok, DUH moment. My family was and IS proud of me! My husband said he was impressed I was able to do that well considering how sick I had been and obviously still was. My son just told me tonight that he saw me finish and realized I looked incredibly exhausted. Ok, my pride got in the way. Think I need to pray about that huh?

Hebrews 12:1 -- Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

THIS I can do! With God all things are possible!! (Matthew 19:26 parts) I realize that when I want a do-over HE will give it to me! I get a 2nd, 3rd, 50th chance with my God to get it right. He is so good to me.

Will you join me and do your absolute best to "throw off everything that hinders" so we can run this race with "perserverance". You will know the way. He has it perfectly marked out for you!!

I watched my little girl run her race with GUSTO! I think I'll follow that lead.

BE BLESSED & HEALTHY!!