Race to the Finish Line

Today, April 16th, is one of the most famous marathons in the U.S.--the annual Boston Marathon. But many cities around the world sponsor 5K running events and they are all celebrations of what the human body can actually accomplish. Boston began their event way back in 1897. Last year, there were 27,222 brave souls who started in the marathon and 26,400 actually finished. Congratulations to all and maybe some will even return for another round this year!

The BM prize purse this year totals $830,500. Whoa! Not everyone gets a prize though. The money in the purse is divided between the top 15 runners, plus two other divisions. First Place, both men and women, receive $150,000 each. The 15th Place runner claims $1,500.       

I Think I Can, I Think I Can!

It's a nice goal to set for ourselves but, maybe not yet this year because it does take a bit of training and a lot of commitment and determination. Running is something nearly everyone can do. It all starts with just getting out there and moving. Like walking those legs. Then advancing to a walk/jog, and then light jogging, and full-on running. Sure, many of us will never get to the running part (depending on our age and ability). But even consistent walking can be our own special kind of marathon!

Just think, in the Boston Marathon the youngest competitor is 18 years old, but there are always a dozen or so entrants that are 80+ years young! So, that age thing going on in our brains holding us back from even trying can’t be used as the perfect excuse anymore (big smile here).

Just for some perspective, a good goal for a 5K beginner is under 40 minutes. In no time, with practice and consistency, one should be able to reduce that time to around 28 minutes. Keep in mind, the record for a 5K female runner is 14.11 minutes (if you're comparing--and who is?--the men's record is 12.37). We are not saying any of us non-competitive women should try this at all! We are just throwing out a challenge to get our bodies moving. Got it? Got it!

Where Is The Finish Line?

There are so many "finish lines" or ideals we can challenge ourselves with in our life journey. We all recognize that we've already been through grueling days and years of being run over by other people. Often, we didn’t have the energy to stand up to them. It was just too much. And, it was even scary and dangerous.

Make HEALTHY your next challenge!

Now, we have reached our own finish line and can raise our arms in victory! It feels good and we are ready for more challenges. Small ones, medium ones, and large ones that we know can bring us to the forefront of our own personal "marathon." Challenges give us the practice and confidence needed to sustain a good life. We all have different lives and now know better what we need.    

Our "Coach" in All Things

We may never have done much running in our pasts. But we have a reason now to take care of our bodies, so they don’t fail us when we need them most. God calls it, taking care of his temple. That’s what we are, his temple; his place where the Holy Spirit permanently lives in our hearts. Where he can reside and assist us with all those challenges. Among other things, his purpose is to give us encouragement, comfort, strength, direction, guidance, and focus. Aren't we glad we can count on someone?

"Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!" 1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT.

Making the Most of the Day After THE Day

It's the day after. . . It's over, but just beginning. We may not have gotten all we wanted in the agreement of our disagreement, but it is our life. It is what it is. No sense stomping our feet. Ban the worry. Kick the fear. Shatter the feeling. Drown the overwhelming dread. This is our life and better yet, this is a fresh start. We want to keep the momentum going (after all, a moving object is hard to destroy, right?).

Contemplations

So to ease up and take a much needed break, nothing is more encouraging than sitting before a sunrise or sunset (depending on if you are a morning or evening kind of woman) while reflecting on:

The reasons why we are blessed with this fresh start:

1. It’s a surprising wake-up call

2. Offers to us a brand new day with new mercies

3. Bestows hope for all things

4. Gives us reason to jump up with joy

5. It's God's love-gift to us

6. Perfectly colors our world

7. Keeps us humble

8. Provides peace to our mind, body and soul

9. Reminds us of our Creator

10. Primary subject of artistic expression

11. Can share it, but not lose it

12. What dreams are made of

13. Best movie endings
14. Brings a release of tears

15. Leaves us with ideas for tomorrow

16. Conclusion to a wonderful day

17. Proof God is alive and in control

These are only seventeen reasons to be grateful. Obviously, there are many, many more we could fill our journals with--in fact, go ahead and try it. Taking a break is a highly avoided activity, but it's no reason for any kind of guilt. Breaks are actually an excellent form of free personal therapy! Without a regular habit of stillness and contemplation to calm our minds, we will never hear from God.

The Clamor is Deafening!

Too many of us have said, "I never hear from God." Could it be because we live in constant noise and chaos? God is gentle. He whispers. He listens. He is patient. Thank Him for that alone! And for bringing us this far.

We can find a favorite, quiet place to go to and carve out a time to spend with Him. For most of us, this place is in the outdoors. It could be near a river or creek, a hillside, a park, a forest, or even our backyard, porch, balcony, or living room. Someplace. Somewhere. He is waiting to spend time with each of us. Can you hear Him now?

“Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, 'This is the way you should go,' whether to the right or to the left" Isaiah 30:21 NLT.

How Do You Handle Fear?

Just last month, we once again heard of another devastation at a high school in our nation. It’s not that no one doesn’t prepare for disasters such as these. Teachers and students have regular drills to plan for emergencies. But when it comes time to use the training, there is still a moment of shattered nerves and expected panic before the brain adjusts to what needs to be done.

One student said that his teacher had the entire class leave their belongings, get up from the floor, and follow her out the exit leading outside. This teacher ignored her own feelings of fear and found the courage to protect her students. This is bravery in action!

Waiting parents also tend to be stricken with terror not knowing the final outcome in an emergency involving their children. No one says we should never fear anything, because of course, that is a natural human condition that touches us all. It would be worrisome if it didn’t.

Handling Our Fears

In our single-again situations, we can easily reach a level of panic when dealing with all the changes necessary to move on with our lives. Where will we live? Who will get custody of the kids? Will there be enough money to survive on one income? How do I explain this to friends and family? And on and on.

What we want to strive for, rather than fear, is to have courage in the face of all the turmoil. That is the key to surviving danger and difficulties with confidence. We already know deep down inside what we need to do. We put one foot in front of the other and don’t look back. Easy? Who said it was easy?

Easy is when someone else does it for us. Easy is depending on others’ generosity without lifting a hand to help them or ourselves. Easy is to acquire without extending gratitude. God never meant for us to take without giving.

Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well. (Theodore Roosevelt)

There is one more important aspect about courage. It is not simply a manly trait as some tend to think. That is an ancient notion and is shattered by the likes of Amelia Mary Earhart (first female to fly solo across the Atlantic) and Mae Jemison (first African-American woman in space). As well as all those unnamed brave teachers who protect their students in the face of danger.

Brave Hearts and Minds

God empowered many women of the Bible to live with confidence and courage--Esther and Deborah for instance. They came to know His truth, sufficiency, and strength by being brave enough to place one foot in front of the other the same way we all can.   

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline" 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT.

What Does Your Weather Map Show?

Training day for the ducklings

Spring is here! And it seems every year when it arrives, summer is too fast behind. But before all those hot days arrive, we can indulge in this season of warm rain, sprouts of green, and blooms of pink, blue, and yellow everywhere. We’ve had our fill for now of snow and cold; of dragging coats and boots out of the closet, just as the sun bursts out.

No matter our age, we are ready for splashing in puddles with the kids, along with the young ducklings who must jump out of trees and head for the water to survive! And fat little fledglings have their say at the top of their tiny lungs, too. Ahhh, Spring!

Clean and Clear

The rain is so welcome because it washes away all the dirt and grime of the city streets. It irrigates farmlands and plains, nourishes mountains, and brings welcome relief to deserts. Showers purify and feed all living things creating God-inspired greenery. Vegetation nearly jumps up and shouts, “Thanks, Lord!”

We need all of this natural cleansing and care to save us from the accumulated garbage. But the most fun in Spring is when gardeners get out, dirty their hands in the soil, and start planting with uncontrolled enthusiasm. We simply can not survive without rain. Things start blooming like crazy!   

Out From Under the Trash

In the same way, we need cleansing from all the dirt we’ve accumulated from the past. Relationship pollution and trash have weighed us down; kept us from finding the momentum to move forward. Like cleaning out a closet, we just don’t need all the stuff that doesn’t fit. We want to make room to breathe.

As single-again women, we all have leftovers, but this rubbish is different for each one. Taking an honest assessment of our lives will make sense of the nonsense. It will take courage because it is not easy to look at things we are not proud of; words we want to take back; things we should have done and those we did not do.

Getting to this point in our journey took that same kind of fearlessness. So, it’s there deep inside each one of us, it’s just asleep. We can revive our steadfastness to create an amazing new life. Just remember, spring cleaning will clear out any doubts of how to live with passion, power and purpose. Our possibilities are endless!

What Kind of WORD Are You?

We didn’t get to our destination by accident. We were watched over with the care and concern of a loving God. He hated what we went through. The Bible says He collected all our tears in a bottle! Can you just imagine that? Some of those bottles were immense and some are still being filled.   

Because our God believes in new growth, He has given us cleansing rain. He has delivered us into a new land of “milk and honey” where we can sprout and become who we were meant to be: God’s WORD - Women of Renewed Devotion! (c)  

"He covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, and makes the grass grow in mountain pastures" Psalm 148:8 NLT.

Get the Ball Rolling: Five Simple Invitations

Wrap yourself in kindness

We all know someone who is the perfect picture of a natural helper. They jump at any chance to assist others no matter the cause or the results. We sometimes describe that person as one who would “give the shirt off their backs” to a neighbor or even a stranger. They are completely selfless and, apparently, always think of others first.

Some would say the ultimate, extreme example of selfless love would be the Roman Catholic nun, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India. No matter which faith we are part of, we can recognize that as a humanitarian, she gave her whole being in service to the poor, homeless, and orphans. Mother Teresa died at age 87, but not before receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

Yet, amazingly, those of us who willingly help our friends, neighbors and even family can endure uncalled for criticism from others. Even Mother Teresa received much public blame and disapproval for her “encouragement” of suffering and pain with no solutions. This type of misplaced judgment of others belongs not to humans, but only to God.

Five Simple Invitations

There are so many ways to help others it’s impossible to even list. Extending our resources, time, gifts, and talents to those in need is an individual act of kindness left only to our own imagination. On a daily basis, lifting a hand to someone is not that hard and is always encouraged. But how could we enlarge our thinking and make sharing a permanent way of life?

• Find what we are good at doing. We all have favorite activities we can use to make life easier for others.
• Schedule our week. Be willing to set aside a small amount of time to make a big difference participating in a worthwhile cause.
• Clean up to help out. Regularly getting rid of clutter in our homes and donating it to an organization or a needy family will encourage someone else.
• Be available and attentive. Some people are shy about asking for help, so if we keep tuned in to their talk or manner, we can recognize a need and readily fill it without being asked.
• Multiplication. If we have been blessed with financial abundance, we can challenge ourselves to make anonymous offerings to a charitable organization, who then turns around and helps those in need.

Doing the Right Thing

After getting into the habit of sharing ourselves with others, we will naturally want to do more and more. And that’s the right thing. God will smile down upon us! Where we must proceed with caution is not letting our pride get in the way and taking all the credit for doing good. Or expecting some kind of heavenly “reward” or “pass” when we leave this world.

Jesus is our only perfect example here. He came to earth to willingly serve with a selfless love. Yet, He suffered in the worst way for doing so. We are unlikely to die on a cross as He did, but we may be criticized for our efforts in serving and giving. If that happens, we are probably on the right track!

"If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought" 1 Peter 3:13-14 The Message.

Getting Rid of Troubles

There are a couple interesting shows on TV about how we all eventually reach a point in our homes when we cannot ignore the numerous piles of junk any longer. Most of us even have the typical “junk drawer” where every bit and piece of our belongings end up in that one spot.

Stacks of magazines we keep for years thinking that after the first reading we will go back someday and re-read them. We justify that kind of hoarding as “reference material” and it makes us feel better than if we called it trash. Many of us gravitate to weekend garage sales (yep, I’m raising my hand too) and purchase another person’s junk they no longer want. Some of it is very useful but, occasionally we buy items just because they look like something we might be able to use. Then we throw them into a box in the garage, forget about them, and they end up in our own garage sale the following year. Oh, my!

Spring cleaning will soon arrive, and we start thinking of what we can do to clear out all the rubbish. If we never, ever discard anything--fearing we will need it someday--we could become a candidate for one of those hoarding shows. It’s like trying to claw our way through a jungle that is about to devour us.

Stress-Free Answers

Those are all lifeless objects that we think we need, so we keep them. It appears our hoarding gives us a sense of security, which of course, is false. But the same thing goes on in our brains, emotions, and spirits. We get bogged down worrying about every little thing, most of which we can do nothing about.

Money, or the lack of it, causes us much stress as most of us know. Don’t get caught believing money provides happiness. It does not! How many famously rich millionaires do we know that are truly happy? It might appear that way at first, but an excess of money generally brings an excess of responsibility, which equals excess stress. Think of all those lottery stories of winners one year after their big win. Many of them are worse off than if they had never gambled because they cannot keep up with all their new possessions. Believe it or not, many fall into bankruptcy when the money is all gone!

Of course, money is not the only worry in life. We can get overwhelmed by relationships that have gone wrong, working in a job we hate, trying to survive after divorce, dealing with child custody, health issues, finding supportive friends, car repairs, anxiety, dieting, disappointment, and doubt. And on, and on, and on.

This is exactly why God commands us [Matthew 6:25-28] not to worry! Notice, it’s not a suggestion. He is serious about this subject. Why? Because worries are endless; they consume us. Only God knows our anguish when worry devours us. He never wants us in that state of unhappiness and mental chaos. And better yet, He has the answers to our dilemmas. He is just waiting for us to come to Him with our concerns.

Beauty Personified

God's world is a thing of beauty!

If we find ourselves completely worry-free (really?), the opposite problem may be our enemy. Pleasure. Too much of the wrong thing can steer us into a state of denial. We find ourselves hanging with an unsuitable crowd. Doing what we never thought we would. Ignoring our standards and principles. Filling every minute of the day and night pursuing bodily enjoyment, earthly treasures, and worshiping ourselves.

Please don’t get the incorrect idea here. God wants us to be happy and content. He is all about us finding our joy. Joy and love in friendships and close relationships. Discovering His plan and purpose for our lives can be the very best kind of pleasure. A fulfillment of everything we hope for. Living in God’s world, where He is ready and able to handle our worries and concerns, will provide us a way to grow stronger and stronger every day. Now, that’s a thing of beauty!

“This is what the story means: The seed is God’s message. The seed that fell among the thorny weeds is like those who hear God’s teaching, but they let the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life keep them from growing and producing good fruit” Luke 8:11, 14 NCV.

How Can We Break Hostility?

Striving for harmony

Family relations are all important to each of us. That is because our family is permanent and we will forever be part of them. But these connections are not the same for everyone. We may treasure all the time we can get with family members and stay as close as possible with them. Living in close proximity to each other--so we can enjoy fun activities and outings together--is attractive to many of us.

But this closeness is not always the case with others. Family relations may be strained and lack affection and love. They don’t contain ingredients of harmony and peace. In fact, in some situations, two or more parties within a family may even be exhibiting hostility for various reasons.

Get the Snow Shovel

It’s difficult to determine what brings discord among family or friends. Usually, one particular event involving the other person has set off the cycle of irritation and frustration, that then “snowballs” into a monster of a storm. Just as snow is beautiful as it is falling, it can become a hazard quickly if the accumulation is not kept from piling up. Eventually, someone has to be willing to shovel it away.   

If we stop and think about the relational fallout, we can see that it required two to keep the anger going back and forth. And it requires two to come to an agreement. An unwillingness on either side to forgive the other will result in, perhaps, a lifelong break that will affect all others they each come in contact with during their lives.

Excellence in Friendships

Reconciling with a family member or developing a relationship with a new friend is motivated solely by love. Without that one element, all other characteristics we claim to have, such as peace, patience, joy, kindness and goodness among others, lack honesty and authenticity.

Since we are humans, obviously, we will not always like what others do or say. This is where patience comes into play. We will be called on to be kind and give the other person the benefit of the doubt. It requires listening with both ears to their side of an issue; to put ourselves into their shoes. All of this is part of love. So we can see, without extending love, there is no receiving love!

Can we really afford to throw out all the love we can get along with the trash? Let’s not even talk about the other person here. Let’s see what happens to ourselves when we casually discard what God intended for us.

Most of us have heard the beautiful Biblical verses from 1 Corinthians 13 normally used at weddings (but they speak to any type of relationship including family and friends) that begin, “Love is patient, love is kind… .” But many of us don’t ever remember what that passage says about the results of choosing not to love another. It might help us to place these reminders on our walls:

Without Love. . .

• 

  Make your life like beautiful music

  We sound like resounding gongs or clanging cymbals.
• We are nothing.
• We gain nothing.
• Envy, boasting, and pride will grow in us.
• Rudeness and selfishness will be a part of us.
• We will display anger and keep a record of wrongs.
• We will ignore the truth.
• We have no protection, trust, hope, or perseverance.
• We are imperfect.
• We are childish.

Renewed Momentum. . .

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love! 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. Proverbs 18:24 (The Message)