Building it back up

Since I had no kids at home yesterday, I went to the YMCA early and stayed longer without going to the pool than I would have normally. I had already made the decision to do some interval running/walking on the treadmill, so I was looking forward to it. My plan was to run 8 minutes and walk 2 minutes 3 times for a total of 30 minutes. So, I got on the treadmill, found a comfortable pace and started running. I hit 8 minutes and felt great, so I decided to go for 2 more. Still felt great at the 10 minute mark, so decided to just go as long as I could running. I hit 15, 17, 20, 22, and tried to push myself to 26. At 24.5 minutes and 2.04 miles, my body said no more...you've pushed me farther than I wanted to go already. So, I stopped. I was very excited to run that long and that far since it's been a while. I decided to stay longer and do some lesser impact exercise. I cycled for 20 minutes and then headed home. I'm going again tomorrow to run again and possibly do some other machines. I'll have Kristin with me, so I may not work out as long before we get in the pool, but my goal is 30 minutes on the treadmill.

Fun day!

Today was an easy-peasy work day: 25 minutes of dictation! Should have taken me just over an hour, but with the kids needing things and me being distracted, it took longer than that. Whatever, I was finished in time to be at the church for the kids' scavenger hunt. What a hoot that was! Two teams to complete/find stuff on a list about 30 items long. One item was a secret hand shake...our team told the children's intern that our hand shake was so secret that we couldn't show him. Too funny! (Okay, so the adults told the kids to tell him that, but it was funny all the same...) Another item on the list was to say John 3:16 with no help...ours rapped it (from the VBS version, I'm told. I never made it to the rally to see what they did). The kids had a blast and I had fun helping. We headed to the YMCA after, but didn't stay as long as normal...I was getting a headache from not eating lunch and because of sinus stuff. Kristin jumped in the pool several times without a belt, though, and was able to tread water pretty well. I was impressed.

I'm looking forward to the next few days. Kids are with the grandparents tomorrow night and again Sunday night through Thursday night. Andrew is going to VBS with my MIL, so both kids are spending the night with them for the duration. (They don't have a class for Kristin). It will be nice to have a few days before vacation time.

More blessings!

1. Impromptu ice cream dates with friends during a storm!
2. Testimonies about what God is doing
3. Oldies (yes, a blessing because they're FUN songs! Well, most of them are...)
   
4. Seeing myself in a description of someone else and seeing that I need to work on myself in a couple areas
   
5. Catching up with old friends...not that we are old, just that we were friends a long time ago
6. Kid-free nights
7. Family nights complete with pizza and a movie
8. Kids' activities at church
9. Eating supper together as a family
10. Spending time with extended family...10 in one house!
11. Turning the TV off
12. Me-time
13. Godly people around me
14. Gulf seafood (looking forward to it on vacation!)
15. Sleeping children
16. Hugs and kisses from the kids
17. Late night talks with my husband
18. Just shy of 12 years of marriage...anniversary is next month
19. Being able to pick up where I left off with some friends
20. Indoor plumbing
    

That...was God

I just had a conversation with a friend from high school. She is a new Christian and just from her conversation, I can tell a difference in her. I appreciate her willingness to open up to me and tell me some of the ways Satan is attacking her and her husband. At the same time, God was nudging me..."See what she's saying there about her situation with her husband? That's YOU." And not on the good end of the situation. My eyes were opened to how a stubborn person can come across to their family. How the "I know what I need to do, but don't you DARE tell me I need to do it" attitude comes across as selfish and uncaring and when it concerns God's Word, backslidden. See, I'm stubborn. Always have been. I have been known to take pride in the fact that I'm stubborn. Maybe that's really not such a good thing. Maybe I need to back off from the mindset that I'm always right. And even when I'm wrong, I'm still right. Yeah. I know I do. And being in the Word? Yes. I know I need to dive in and live there. I hear it EVERY time I'm in church. Yes, every time. It comes at me in Sunday School and church. When I am in the Word, things aren't necessarily easier because I'm being attacked more by Satan. His attack on me is apathy. Apathy: absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. Yes, I think that hits the nail on the head. And now, the question is how does one become unapathetic? (I don't even know if that's a word or not). In the few days that I participated in the 40 days of fasting and praying, God showed me that what I do has to be intentional. I have to intentionally set aside a time to spend in his Word. I have to intentionally turn off the computer, log off Facebook, turn off the TV, whatever. I need a plan, not just open my Bible and start reading. That may work for some people, but I've never really gotten far with it. I need accountability. Someone to ask me daily: Have you spent time with God? Have you been in his Word?

Yeah, I'm putting it all out there tonight, but maybe it's time to admit that I'm not where I want to be and that I really have a hard time setting aside time to spend with God. Maybe. It's. Just. Time.

More blessings

1. Music - love it!
2. Time with family
3. Anticipation of vacation
4. Time with extended family - looking forward to it!
5. Ice cream
6. Support groups - currently weight loss group
7. Books
8. Magazines
9. Comfortable furniture
10. Chocolate milk
11. Being debt free - outside of the house
    
12. Popcorn and caramel sauce
13. Friends
14. People who "get" me
15. Love
16. Peanuts and chocolate chips
17. Time to relax
18. Vacation planning
19. Blue sky
20. Water to swim in

I'm well on my way to my 101 things I'm thankful for post that I do every year as a note on FB.

Plans made

Well, loose plans anyway. I skyped with my brother and sister-in-law last night and we talked about what we're going to do on vacation. Yes, we vacation together every year. We stay with my parents in the house we grew up in. We always have a good time. On our list this year is canoeing (possibly with the 3 older children!), bowling, NAS air museum, the beach (more than once, hopefully), fireworks, cooking out, spending lots of time with family, professional pictures of the 4 kids, sleeping in, staying up late, Baskin Robins ice cream "date" with my sister-in-law (it's a tradition now), and 8 nights in a small 3 bedroom house with one bathroom for 10 people, well 9 people. The baby doesn't need the bathroom except for a bath. I am SO looking forward to it! The only big question right now is do I try to run while on vacation or not?

I've got the itch

The itch to get out and run, that is. I'm glad to say that I haven't lost it after taking another week off to heal. I started back running last week. Took it easy the first day...15 minutes on the elliptical and then 3 minutes walking on the treadmill and 5 minutes running. The second run was 0.1 walking and then 0.9 running, with some changes in speed toward the end. I ran again yesterday with 0.1 walking and 1.0 running, again with changes in speed throughout. I'm feeling good so far and thankful for it. I've finished my workout each time by swimming with the kids. It's time to either start working on strength training with the machines at the YMCA or start back up on the Wii Fit. My running plan is to add between 0.1 and 0.25 each time I run and stabilize at 3 miles for a good while. While I've lost about 23 pounds overall, I put part of that back on and still need to lose about 20 pounds in addition to what I put back on over the course of 2 weeks. In order to do that, I'm going to have to add strength training or some other type of cross-training to my routine. I wonder if racing the kids to pick things up off the floor of the living room would count...

Count your blessings

Music is a big part of my life. I almost always have some song going through my head. This morning it was This is the Stuff by Francesca Battistelli. The line that stuck with me is "In the middle of my little mess, I forget how big I'm blessed." That song morphed into "count your blessings...name them one by one...count your blessings, see what God has done." So, counting my blessings, big and small (and in no particular order)...

1. Family
   
2. Air conditioning
3. A house
4. Coffee
5. Bananas
6. Eggs
7. Two working vehicles
8. A job I love
9. Church family
10. Toothpaste
11. Healthy children
12. Hot showers
13. Music
14. Worship
15. Cold drinking water
    
16. Hot lunches
17. The ability to run
18. Weight loss
19. Comfortable bed
20. Medicine when needed

That's just the tip of the iceberg. He has TRULY blessed me.

What if?

I'm struggling tonight. Moved to tears by the song Blessings by Laura Story. Actually, it was more like bawling. Tears streaming down my face. Me desperately trying not to make noises since my children are asleep. Listening to the words and taking them to heart. "What if the trials of this life are your mercies in disguise?" What if, indeed? What if what I see as a trial in my life is God's mercy on me because the alternative (whatever that may be) is much worse? What if my trials are to bring me closer to the God who loves me? What if what is so heart wrenching in this life is meant to glorify him? What if it's the one thing that truly allows me to see him and his mercy and his love toward me? What if? Then, it's worth it. To be filled with a peace I cannot begin to comprehend, for God to show his mercy and his love by giving me that peace, it's worth it. For me to know that he hears every cry of my heart, big or small, it's worth it. I serve a God who loves me. I serve a God who knows my every need and my every want. I just have to remember that his timing is not my timing. His timing is perfect. Mine is not. Clinging to the peace that has invaded my soul tonight.

Starting back up

I spent a little time at the YMCA today. I dropped the kids off in the Child Watch area and headed toward the fitness center. First up, elliptical. I did 15 minutes on that machine. Next, the treadmill...and my first attempt at running since the doctor told me to take a week off. I decided not to push it and start with a few minutes of walking. At the 3 minute mark, I was bored, so upped the speed to running. I managed 5 minutes of running. I think that was a good start since I'm getting back into it. I ran with no pain and haven't had any pain for the rest of the day. My goal is to get back to 30 minutes of running and stay there for a good while. I may plan to do a couple 5K runs during the fall months and a 10K or 2 in the spring. I did take a meloxicam this morning, so I don't know if that helped me not have any pain or if I'm just doing better. I'm testing a theory tonight and not taking the Tramadol. The last few nights when I've taken it and gone straight to bed, I've been freezing and unable to go to sleep quickly. I'm skipping it tonight and hoping that I'm not freezing when I go to bed. (Which will be soon). After I spent my 30 minutes in the fitness center, I got the kids and we headed to the pool. I did not hurt when swimming this time, which is good. I'm very hopeful that I'm well on my way to recovery and I can work my way back up to longer distances.

Today is the day

Or at least is supposed to be the day. I am supposed to start running again today. Unfortunately, I don't know that I am going to have time. You see, VBS started last night and that will take my entire evening. I also have to work during the day. (I'm doing that now, can't you tell?) I'm already tired, so I'm thinking attempting to run will be put off until VBS is over. So, I'm aiming for Friday or Saturday right now. I'm also still hurting a little, so I probably do need to rest a little longer.

One of my favorite times of the year

Yes, it's VBS time! I love VBS. It's exhausting, but rewarding. I am in charge of food...for the 4th year. I love coming up with a menu and then working on those foods all week. I enjoy the busyness and how hectic the kitchen can get at times. But, I was reminded earlier this week that VBS is not about the food we serve. It's not about the games the kids play. It's about reaching others for Jesus. It's about the kids who already know Him becoming closer to Him. It's about planting a seed in the young minds and hearts of the kids who attend. Yeah, the food is good. The games are fun. The real message, though, is Jesus.

So far so good

We're almost 2 weeks into summer vacation and so far everything is good. The kids have been fighting some, but for the most part it's gone well. Each day, they have to pick up and put away 5 things in their bedrooms. Generally, they've been putting away more. It may take all summer long for Kristin to get everything put up, though. We've been spending at least an hour a day at the YMCA in the pool. Once I'm able to start running again (Monday!) then we may be there a little longer so I can hit the treadmill before the pool. Counting down the days until our vacation in Pensacola with my parents and my brother and his family.

Good, relaxing day

We spent the morning with the in-laws today. It was a nice, relaxing, enjoyable morning. We had to leave not long after lunch for a birthday party. The party was for a 3-year-old and a water party. The kids had such a good time playing in the little pools and with the water guns. I enjoyed sitting under the tent with some couples from my Sunday School class just watching the kids and talking. It was just a nice time. I'm closing out my day with an episode or 2 of Hoarders and will get a glass of chocolate milk just before bed.

Finally gave in

I finally gave in and made a doctor's appointment for my hip. X-rays were done and showed that I do not have a stress fracture or arthritis in the hip. Yay! That's good news. I've been given 2 anti-inflammatory medications to take. One is stronger for nighttime and the other is a once a day that I will take in the morning. I will be taking a week-long break from running and taking the prescriptions around the clock for the next 2-3 weeks. I am able to start back running after a week, but I am to start back at the 5K level. If I still have pain, then my family doctor will refer me to the orthopedist. I am fortunate that my family doctor also runs, or jogs, as he told me. In fact, he told me that he did the White Squirrel race a couple years ago. I'm glad that he is a runner and understands the love/need to run and how much I want to get back to it. All non-impact exercises are a go. I can swim, use the elliptical, and the bicycle. So, I'm hoping that Monday I can get to the equipment room at the YMCA and do one of those things. I would love to be able to maintain my weight until I'm able to start running again. I've lost 22.7 pounds, although my weight on the Wii is evidently not my correct weight. My mother-in-law's scale and the scale at the doctor's office are the same, which means the Wii has me about 9 pounds lighter that I am, so I just need to add about 9 pounds to my total amount that I need to lose. I'm about halfway there if I add the 9 pounds.

Spiritual discipline

Why is it so hard to be spiritually disciplined? Certainly it's because man is fallen. And maybe it's because being disciplined is hard anyway. I was thinking about this the other day and came to the conclusion that if I can be disciplined to run 3 times a week, then surely I can discipline myself to keep my house clean or spend time with God in His word and in prayer. Yet, it doesn't happen that way. I prayed the other night that I would be woken up early to spend time with God before all the goings on of the day got started and I got too distracted to spend good, quality time reading my Bible and praying. God answers prayers. I'm not so good at the follow-through, though. Yesterday, He woke me at 7:10. I got up and then crawled back into bed for another hour and a half of sleep. Today, it was 6:10. I got up and once again crawled back into bed for almost 2 more hours of sleep. Why is it so hard for me to be faithful in this? He wakes me up early when I ask for it and then I don't follow through. Why is He still so faithful to me when I don't hold up my end? Why does He love me so much that He keeps answering prayers and being faithful to me. Evidently I love sleep more than I love my God. But, He is faithful and will continue to be faithful even when I fail Him.