swell

... my first 5K of 2009, last saturday ...
... ran 9 miles sunday to avoid a full day of studies (Palm Sunday: HOSANNA TO JESUS, KING OF KINGS)...
... registered for my first Sprint Triathlon (May 31) ...
... registered for my second half-marathon (June 16, i think) ...
... i've been running (with commitment) for just over a year ...

this spring still feels like winter every now and then, i'm anxious for spring to stick around

... dollar bowling tonight ...
... still feels like there's little to write about ...

vacation plans

Sorry this blog hasn't been happening... I'm just not sure what to say. Here's something: I got into the Nursing Program (as long as I pass my current and summer classes)!

Also... it's Spring Break. I'm at home, but trying to make use of the time and good temperatures!

Sunday: ran 7 mi (ferocious dog loop)

Monday: biked 10.4 mi (past foliage road, hit fox ridge off of NN)

Tuesday: biked 9.2 mi (hills to conneticut!) + 1 mi transition run
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Tomorrow: swim! or rest

Thursday: swim or rest

Friday: rest

. . .

This Saturday: St. Patty's Urban Adventure Race
- 10-12 mi bike
- 3-5 mi run
- 1 mystery event
- my team: josh + me
= fun

my first group ride

Since it's her bike I'm riding and she gave me the permission, I took my mom's TREK to the Bicycle Specialist shop Friday afternoon and exchanged the upright granny handlebars for some more-standard mountain bike handlebars (which were used and, therefore, cheaper) and the funny cushioned seat for a more-normal cycling seat. They shop-owners did the change-up right then for me and made it possible for me to ride--without feeling especially embarrassed--20 miles with a few members from the S.W.A.T. team (SouthWest Area Triathletes) yesterday. It's still not a road bike, but it's better than naught.

I love that the groundhog's been wrong.

"My Face"

I was going to try to go to sleep early tonight, but the thoughts won't stop. No particular theme to mention, just the random traipsing kind of thought. And maybe these belong on those "25 Random Things" notes that have been passed around Facebook (which my boss sometimes mistakenly refers to as "My Face"--hilarious).

So maybe I'll indulge and draft my own 25 things for you to forget...

1. I have black dots on my right fingertips because I forget to change the pricker when I draw blood and I forget to use my left hand--I think because I'm left handed.

2. I helped break a record on my high school swim team. "Helped" because it was a relay... and the record was broken again the following year.

3. I don't think I can finish this right now... it kind of weirds me out, for some reason.

ample time to post

I have less than ten minutes before Micro lab (Gram-staining today), but it's enough to bring a few thoughts out. This morning someone asked me if, with school, friends, family, etc., I am able to spend ample time with the Lord. I've been pondering this the whole morning. I am able--as He has made me able--but whether I indeed spend ample time with the Lord will always be a resounding no. A tenth of a 24-hour day is 2.4 hours. So to give God a tithe of my time, 2.4 hours, seems at first like a whole lot of time I don't have... which is actually a meager excuse.

I don't want to think of this numerically only, that's just how it first came out. A first attempt to put this into practical terms. Because actually, a large portion of my day can be devoted to Him--even if my concentration isn't solely on prayer, reading the Word, etc. In today's History lecture, in fact, whatever focus I seemed to have that was more than normal I would attribute to God's presence in my life and power to focus me, to make my learning more efficient...

Oh, boy. Can of worms.

I've gotta go gram-stain.

It's getting late, but I'm craving some kind of human connection--and some kind of distraction from the history book. I have very little to say--or a lot that I won't say--except that I want there to be more. I want there to be more than this day-to-day stuff. It's just not cutting it.

this is it. there's a now.

the whole "are you getting to know each other?" question is kind of vague. day by day, aren't we all getting to know each other? for better or worse... so maybe it isn't all getting to know, but rather getting to experience some version of another person that we're up to. lately i've been wondering whether this version of me some see is more accurate, more me than that other version of me that others get to see. what happens when i want to be all versions for all people? how does that happen? or is it already happening? how do i choose who to be with some and not others? but i'll leave those questions now to talk about a more important person. yep, you got it.

Jesus. i want to get to know Jesus better--and Jesus has dimensions, too. you want to know peace, you want to know hope, you want to know truth? you've got to know Jesus--and all of His dimensions. Jesus is this loving man who welcomes children and who washes our feet, but then He's also this stern-faced guy who responds to questions with more questions and leaves us speechless, confounded, desperate to find out what the heck He means and how He knew what we were going through; or He's this guy who tells us to sell everything we own, or who tells us that the poor widow's pennies (or half-pennies) are worth more than gold. and then Jesus is the angry guy who overturns the merchants' tables at the temple, where money has infected the hearts and even minds in a once-pure place. and Jesus is all of these to all people--He is real and He doesn't try to be a certain thing to a certain person for the sake of being well-liked. and, most importantly, Jesus is this guy who is God and God's son at the same time (only God can reveal this truth to a person, yet i find this mention necessary because of the distinction Jehovah's witnesses make concerning Jesus' godship. that Peter called Him, "My Lord and My God..." could only have been revealed by God, but this is necessary).

this may irk you, but Jesus is the only way. some people have a hard time with this--thinking it's intolerant and all that--but that doesn't bother me. in fact, you should have a hard time with this. if it doesn't stir people one way or another to hear that Jesus is the only way to true life, that He died because we aren't enough and we won't make it like we are and that we aren't all fine--something would be off... so i pray that it irks you--that it stops you where you are and causes you to seek your own heart and your own response to this guy Jesus. if you don't know Him, if you don't know what He says, find out. find out. you have to know who He is. start with reading John or Matthew or one of the other gospels. ask God to show you Jesus. ask someone that you know knows Jesus. whatever it takes--find out. i say all this now because this is a binary issue--there is no middle ground. either you believe, or you don't. either He knows you or He doesn't. and you don't want to be someone Jesus never knew when now's your chance. there isn't an almost or a sometimes or a guaranteed tomorrow about it. there's a now.

if you're reading and you've thought about Jesus before, He wants in. say yes and you'll never, never regret it. So please say yes. maybe i sound like an infomercial, but i'm being serious. i don't know who's reading right now and i don't have anyone in mind, but this unexpected post came out tonight--and probably not accidentally. God knows what He's doing. He knows who's reading and He wants in.

much love to you all--

maybe this seems preachy, but i won't apologize for this. i can't apologize for the truth.

random stream

.over 60 degrees outside!
.how to make best use of this gorgeous weather?
.3 p.m. running date.
.feeling less and less intellectual these days.
.there a problem with that?
.won at Scrabble by 110 last night.
.my opponent hadn't played in 10 years, but still.
.gators won, too.
.want to start a group and don't really know how.
.postcards might work.
.postcard invitations?
.who will come?
.am i convincing enough?
.inspiring enough?
.in every case, God is enough.
.enough.

p.s. the foccacia worked.

progression

One of my goals for this year is to be more productive in the kitchen. On Sunday I purchased the famous Veganomicon cookbook (a Christmas gift). Monday, I cooked an "Almost All-American Seitan Pot-Pie" for dinner. If I told you I started working on the project around 2 p.m. and finally finished it when the pie came out of the oven at 7 p.m., would you believe me? So I'm a little stunted in the kitchen--but practice breeds progress, I've heard. And, darn it, I'm going to practice. Just, if you would, try not to discourage me.

I'm currently in between rising stages in making a vegan rosemary foccaccia bread. Mmmmm.... good.

Wish me luck.

*Another goal: blog more.

Roll Over Beethoven

I stole this exercise from my friend's facebook note... because I have time this week to do pointless things and some of these answers really crack me up. Maybe I'll give the highlights at the bottom, in case you don't care to read the whole thing.

Instructions:
1. Put your iTunes on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag 10 friends who might enjoy doing the memo as well as the person you got the memo from.

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
"There There (The Boney King of Nowhere" - Radiohead

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
"Impossible Germany" - Wilco

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"Wicked Web" - Waterdeep

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"Lover Lay Down" - Dave Matthews Band

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
"You Will Be My Ain True Love" - Alison Krauss

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
"Wasting Time" - Jack Johnson

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"Lover's Cross" - Jim Croce

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"Feeling So Real" - moby

WHAT IS 2+2?
"All The Things You Are" - Chet Baker

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"Sleep To Dream" - Fiona Apple

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"God Put a Smile Upon Your Face (Live)" - Coldplay

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"I Still Miss Someone" - Johnny Cash

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"Black Or White" - Michael Jackson

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"The Animals Were Gone" - Damien Rice

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"Great Escape" - moby

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
"Sullen Girl" - Fiona Apple. hmmm....

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
"your eyes open" - keane

WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS/HOBBIES?
"Give Me Jesus" - Fernando Ortego

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"Keine Angst Fuer Niemand (No Fear For Anyone)" - Tocotronic

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"In The Falling Dark" - Bruce Cockburn

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
"Rush River Rush" - Winds of Worship

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
"King Kong" - Tom Waits

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
"Shadow Stabbing" - Cake

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
"Papa Don't Take No Mess (Pt. 1)" - James Brown

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
"I Will Not Forget You" - 100 Portraits & Waterdeep

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
"Widow's Grove" - Tom Waits. Apparently, yes.

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
"Nature Boy" - David Bowie & Massive Attack

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
"You Are My Sunshine" - Norman Blake

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
"You Don't Mess Around With Jim" - Jim Croce

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
"Afro" - Erykah Badu

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
"Roll Over Beethoven" - The Beatles

A Few Highlights:
*"Wasting Time" is my motto.
*I want to be "Black Or White" when I grow up. Think I'm set.
*My parents think I'm a "Great Escape" or something.
*I will dance to "Sullen Girl" at my wedding.
*My death will involve "King Kong."
*I regret all of that "Shadow Stabbing" most.
*That "Papa Don't Take No Mess" makes me laugh.
*It makes me cry that "[You] Will Not Forget [Me]."
*"Nature Boy" scares me the most.
*My "Afro" hurts right now.

ready or not

Merry Christmas!

Jesus came here to live with us--how generous a God we have for him to share his only son (and himself) with people as selfish and sinful as us!  I get to re-learn how hard it is to share while spending the Christmas season with my nephews in Eugene, Oregon.  It's great to be here, but learning to share is... well, hard, if you can recall.

I hope everyone is ready: 2009 is coming hard and fast.  Get your goals on.

Wasselling

Three exams down, three to go. Did I mention that one of them was cancelled? Well, one of them was cancelled.

At today's work party, I played a few well-known Christmas carols on the piano and it surprised me that not everyone knew them ("Joy to the World" and "Silent Night" among them). But maybe I'm out of the loop when it comes to raising children today and whether Christmas carols that praise Jesus are at all allowed or instructed in the public schools. Some disregard religious aspects of tradition or even national tradition, while other university choirs will still sometimes perform Handel's Messiah--the piece which, upon completion, caused Handel to profess He just saw the face of God. Then, there's Whoopi Goldberg's Sister Act... but even that is another generation.

Hmm.

p.s. happy thanksgiving! i thank God for you!

psalm to calm

With seven exams and only two weeks to take them all, the disquiet in my heart tonight inevitably led me to seek God. I can't get anything done without first fixing my eyes on Him and relying on His grace to get me through.

I wrote this psalm when it was clear that He wanted me to rejoice and trust--

SPRITE [PSALM]

[So] psalm the shallow
murmur of my heart
(tremor of my chest):
where salt spills, water
follows. Gold burst--gush
to sorrow-be-gone,
and whet this sandy
gully of a brain.
Renew to young and
full of juice. My hope
is in You! My hope
is forever You!


And then He spoke to me further, giving me this psalm of David to read:

Psalm 63 (I can't help but share it)--

-O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
-So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power & Your glory.
-Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
-Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
-My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

-When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
-Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings
I will rejoice.
-My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.

. . .

-But the king shall rejoice in God;
Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;
But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.