Cynthia

A lady I've known for years through Bible Bowl just passed away. I don't know any details about her passing, but it certainly seemed unexpected to me...she was not that old- early 60s maybe? I thought about her all day, how sweet she always was, how she was such a joyful person all the time. I don't know much about her other than that she was a missionary for a long time and that she has helped with Bible Bowl in the Indianapolis area at least as long as I've been involved (almost 13 years now?...wow, that's a whole other blog post!). I couldn't help but remember how sincere she was in her love of the Lord, and it brings a smile to my face. I know she is with Jesus now, face to face, just as real and tangible as you and I are here on this earth. Eternal life! So thankful to know she is happy. So thankful to have that joy to which to look forward.

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:27-28

Cuteness

Ben's sister and family were in town last weekend. This is our niece Vera, sitting in a little camping chair just her size (which we had to buy for the beach vacation later this year, of course).

Could this picture be any cuter?

Why do I torture myself?

Despite the fact that I made my sister swear up and down last year that she would never, EVER, "no really, I'm serious- if I say I'm going to do this, remind me how awful it is and don't let me do it- seriously", let me train for the mini-marathon again...I find myself training for the mini-marathon again. Some people are just gluttons for punishment, I guess. Or my sister is a push-over. :) The worst thing really is just that I don't have a lot of time to train with work, school, and Bible Bowl; but, just like anything you really want, you just have to make it a priority. (Did I just claim to "really want" this?? I suppose I want the thrill of saying I did it, and the motivation to work out. Can't really think of any other reasons...hmmm.)

My training has been pretty weak up to this point...only a day or two of running a week. Starting this past Monday, I've decided that I have to run at least 3 days a week or I'll never survive 13.1 miles come April 30...especially trying to run with my sister Jenn who is in way better shape! I'm also trying to do the workout video from hell (30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels) 3 days a week (although I've already missed a day this week so guess it'll only be 2 this week...) for some cross-training. Jenn and I are running 6 miles on Saturday...our first day training together this year, and also our first day running outside this year!! I know, pathetic...but we've both been running indoors...we're wimpy like that and don't like cold weather!

Tonight, as I was running around the track at church (which gets really boring...9 laps to a mile!) trying to get a couple miles in after school, I noticed a girl about my age who would run a lap, walk a lap, run a lap, and so on. We were the only 2 on the track. The gym was about to close and I was about to do my last lap around...when I suddenly got the notion out of nowhere and asked her to run the last lap with me (since I was passing her right at that moment). She said okay, so we ran and chatted. Turns out she is a new mom, new to running, and is trying to work up to running 1 mile without stopping. She apologized for how slow she was running and how she's never played a sport or anything, but I didn't mind...I was there not too long ago (plus it was only one lap...like I really cared how fast it was). I remember trying to work up to running a mile a little before me and Ben got married, and being someone who has never played sports either, I remember well how hard it was to push myself and build up to that and feeling like no one understood how hard it was for me. Running that one lap with her really made me see how far I've come over the years...not that I'm in any way a great runner now, but I've definitely improved.

As I was leaving and walking out to my car, the girl pulled up in her car and asked if I ran up there every Thursday night. I told her yes, so she said maybe she'd try to start running Thursday nights as well. Guess I made a friend, have a little motivation now to actually go to the gym on Thursdays even when I don't want to, and hopefully motivated her as well!