The Way

This past weekend I was able to compete in and complete the IRONMAN New Orleans 70.3. I had mentioned back in January that I was training for this event and faithfully executed the training plan. Sondra was kind. gracious and patient with me (as is her normal routine) and allowed me to take some extra time to train. I cannot say enough good about Sondra and how supportive she is of me in the pursuit of these kind of goals I set for myself. I had World Changers business in New Orleans Thursday and Friday, so I climbed in the car Weds. afternoon and started driving that way with all my gear. The meetings I had on Thursday and Friday went really well. I am blessed to be a part of World Changers and P2 Missions and provide opportunities for the Gospel to be shared through the lives of students. Friday night, Sondra, Shelbi and Morgan arrived in New Orleans (Mark had a work retreat and was unable to come this time) and we headed to dinner. Saturday was filled with the girls running...

A few months I was presented with a challenge from a co-worker about training for and completing a triathlon. I had toyed with the idea a few times; told Sondra a time or two that I will do a triathlon someday; and then on occassion thought, "That's crazy!  I will run but triathlons sound crazy." Consider me crazy. Some of you do already anyway. I started getting in the pool, got some goggles and earplugs and a short pair of running shorts and swam. Three strokes, breath; three strokes, breath; sounded easy enough but I found it a little overwhelming and challenging. But I am competitive and kept after it. I swam a few hundred meters; spit out water, coughed, gasped numerous times and tried it again later in the week. A quarter mile became and half-mile became a mile became a mile and half. I was considered a somewhat controlled flailer. I always thanked the lifeguard at the Y for not letting me drown. They thought I was kidding and laughed. I do not joke about getting...

prep·a·ra·tion    /ˌprepəˈrāSHən/ Noun The action of making ready or being made ready for use. Something done to get ready for an event or undertaking. Some of you know that I am training/preparing for a Sprint Triathlon in May. I have been a runner for many years but a few months ago was challenged by one of my friends to do a triathlon. You know I am stubborn (I like to think of it as "disciplined") so I took up the challenge and the preparation that goes with trying to complete a short (very short) triathlon. A couple of events have happened in the last couple of days that have made me think about preparation/training in a little different way. Our oldest called this week, sharing with us that as a nurse, she lost her first patient. It was a traumatic death and one that shook Shelbi to the core as you might imagine. I will spare you the details, but I did remind Shelbi that God had been preparing her for a long time to work with patients and that there would c...