2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
The enemy tries to sow bad and difficult thoughts in our heads.
But by the power of God, we destroy those arguments and the thoughts that come to us.
Taking captive every thought that is not from Him and submitting it to the word of God and focussing our thoughts on all Gods ways.
Prayer: Lord I yield my mind and take every thought captive that it is subjective to the word of God and to God’s plan. I will not allow the enemy to make my mind rush into different directions and think different things. I yield my thoughts to Your life and let the Spirit of God renew it daily. Amen.
Things have been very busy in the running world lately, and internationally and back here in Rowan County. It seems every week that a new marathon record gets set and now that we are officially under two hours for 26.2 miles, how low can it go? American women did extremely well in the Boston Marathon, something they almost never do, this year taking four of the top 10 places. I am excited about all things running, just as I usually am. I decided to order a book offered on Amazon called The Runner Bucket List by Jeff Horowitz.
Bucket list items are special to me! In my mid-50s, I started making my own list and attacking it. Many of you remember my cross-country and regional bike rides, every one of them on my bucket list. Two were the best, Astoria, Oregon to Myrtle Beach over 54 days, and also first on my bucket list. The second was the bike ride from Carson City, Nevada to Anchorage, Alaska because it took me so deep into the unknown. My run across North Carolina in the winter was high on the list but only after good friend Ed Dupree asked me to do it.
Others that developed were biking in all 50 states, visiting all the 100 county seats in North Carolina and marathons in New York City, Montreal, London, Boston and plenty more. All of these are complete, with great memories and not a shred of regret.
On the list right now are at least a few of those super long Amtrak trips across the US, highlighted by many areas that can only best be seen by train. Another is visiting all the NC State Historic Sites. I’m getting that urge.
When Amazon sent me the offer on the Runner Bucket List, I ordered it, just to see what I have already done, and maybe a few ideas of runs that I can still do.
So here goes. This is a great little hardback book, and it’s very reasonably priced. I am now devouring it! Some of it is about bucket list items that superhuman athletes do, but most could be done by anyone. For the rest of this column, I am going to touch on a few things covered in the book that I have already done, just regular things that made the list. Some are big ticket items, and a few are available just about any day at little cost.
Take a coaching class, I did this through Road Runners Club of America and loved it. Then I did a level 2 class, another big win. Next, I read about running in bad weather, one of my favorite things. After getting caught in horrendous, lightning and wind filled thunderstorms many times on the bike when I was totally alone, little around here seems daunting. I will say it till the day I die; nothing beats running in snow during light wind, another item that made the list. Running in falling snow early in the storm is of course the best, while the footing is still good. Also on the list, join a running club, which I am sure was a great move that paid off almost 40 years ago.
Gear choices mentioned that I did right include various running logs and always having a good watch to measure distance, pace, time and now heart rate. I don’t care about much of that other stuff the $1,000 watches do.
In Chapter 10, under ways to give back, sits a segment called simply “Be a race volunteer” I know people who have run hundreds of races but have never once been a volunteer. There are always plenty of jobs to do, and most are easy. And not a single race will happen without volunteers. Certain runners seem unaware of volunteers, just focused on their own struggle or goals. Be a volunteer!
And finally, run at least one of the world’s major marathons. These are the big ones, London which topped out about 60,000 runners last week, Boston and New York are the ones I have done. Berlin, Tokyo and Chicago are the ones I haven’t done. I do have a Chicago half marathon along Lake Michigan, one of my all-time favorites races, but even more spectacular in the dark.
With that, I will save the items still on my bucket list and undone for an upcoming column.
An omission from last week’s column was Adalie Harrison’s finishing time for her Nashville Marathon time. Her time was 3 hours, 35 minutes and 35 seconds.
Our next race is the Ed Dupree 5K on May 16th at East Rowan High School. Proceeds go to the Ed Dupree Scholarship and Hospice. Look for this and other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org
Our hometown of Salisbury, NC is beautiful, especially Fulton Street. We drive that way often just to enjoy the view of homes and churches. As we circled a block so I could get a better picture of one of the homes, we passed this sign at a church.
Yep. That’s gonna cause a ruckus. Better get there early to beat the rush. But I guess just as I’m attracted to old homes with fern lined porches, others are drawn to the melodious sonnets of church organs. Different strokes I suppose.
On a different day, my husband passed this church sign and went back to take a picture.
Wow. Can’t you just feel the love?
This one conjures up images of ushers becoming bouncers as they toss visitors into the street for an inadvertent foot tapping.
“Hey buddy. God loves you, but don’t let that trickle down to your feet.”
It’s not just church signs that make me wonder. As we traveled south on I-85 David spotted an advertisement for a Jerky Outlet. It did NOT say “beef jerky.” I guess here in the south there’s apparently a large market for shrunken flesh of any kind, at least enough to fill an outlet store. Because you know… nobody wants to pay full price for jerky.
I think I have a solution to help these groups enjoy their diversity. Perhaps the folks with the new organ could invite the ones from the other church over for a time of fellowship. Organ music generally does not incite dancing. Even when played at a ballgame it only instigates the crowd to raucous singing and the buying of peanuts and crackerjacks. Perhaps the corruption could be kept to a minimum if folks from the Jerky Outlet would hand out samples at the gathering. With all the effort it takes to get jerky down, the service would be kept quiet and orderly… lots of chewing; no dancing. Friends would be made, bouncers could go back to being ushers, and the new organ would be thoroughly enjoyed by tons of well-fed visitors.
Of course the congregation would be reminded to keep their smacking and yummy noises low so as not to interrupt the melodious sonnets. If there were questions about the origin of the jerky, such as “Is this Turkey Jerky or Donkey?” ushers could field those questions as well, especially since their bouncer jobs have been taken away.
Yep. I think it could work! Now if we can just agree on a dress code…
Hmmm… that could be a deal breaker. I bet nobody’s gonna want to get dressed up to eat jerky.
Steve Hartman talks about a school principal who retires and then decides to return to the same school as a…handyman! Educators…and I am speaking from experience here…don’t know how to stop… ENJOY!!!!!
Early Monday morning, I was shocked and saddened to see that an older couple had succumbed to the flames of a house fire in Rowan County just before midnight Sunday. Life taken in such a way is nothing short of tragic.
Yet, later in the day, as reported online by the local paper, I saw the couple’s church – Homestead Baptist – post encouraging scripture and announcing a prayer vigil. My husband and I were honored to serve this family for a couple of years at that church when we were young in ministry over 20 years ago. To call them pillars of their community is an understatement, as many attested at the prayer vigil Monday evening.
What struck me most, in the midst of tears and sorrows, was that there was still talk of God’s goodness. Indeed, the night ended with CeCe Winans’ rendition of The Goodness of God. This church is clearly clinging to the verse they shared – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 – “that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”
But what about others?
Being a Christian and a minister’s wife has given me unique opportunities to be by bedsides, in funeral parlors, and in homes of many who grieve. While many profess to know God, not all who profess such things grieve with hope.
Anger is a common response to the death of a loved one; in fact, many recognize it as one of the stages of grief. Even righteous Job in the Bible sat in this stage, believing God to be an unjust tyrant for a season. But while some can still say or will eventually remember that “God is good,” there are many who will live much of their lives believing “God is cruel” for taking a loved one, regardless of age or situation.
In tragic losses, how can we still see God as good and not a cruel tyrant? It may help to begin with questions about the faith system we lean into:
Do my beliefs point to an eternity manipulated by mankind? Does heavenly assurance have more to do with works on my own behalf or prayers said and works done on behalf of another? What if the way I view the scales when my works are weighed is different from my god’s point of view? Could he mercilessly revoke earnings? If so, it would be easy to see why I could believe that God could be cruel.
Do my beliefs reflect confidence in God’s grace and mercy—given through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus and leading to eternal peace—or do they reflect confidence in my own efforts to earn a place there? Do I realize that breath is a gift from God that He gives and can take at His will for His glory? If so, then whatever death befalls me or my loved one may be the result of living in a fallen, sinful world, but the gift available for eternal life reveals a good God.
Next week, the headlines will reflect more tragedies, perhaps one close to you. Once past the shock and natural stages of anger, will you, too, be able to say, “God is good”?
I grew up watching the Brady Bunch and Leave it to Beaver. These were iconic families. They were perfect families. We watched because we enjoyed the show but I think there was a small part of all of us that wished our families were like those families. We wanted the perfect mom and dad and lots of love.
No one had that kind of perfect childhood. No parent, no matter how hard they try or want to be, is perfect. As adults we all make bad choices because we live in a fallen world. Parents have to try and do the best they can in each situation. Sometimes things turn out great, other times things aren’t so great.
I feel lucky and blessed to have grown up in a home where my needs were met. I had good food, nice clothes, and a good roof over my head. There are many people who aren’t so lucky. I grew up in a safe and stable environment. My parents were not perfect but they did the best they could for our family.
Since Mother’s Day was last weekend, I was thinking specifically about my mother. My mom was a stay-at-home mom. She has always been active in the community and until recently she was active in church. Mom has always loved a bargain and passed that love on to her four children. Mom has always loved gardening and still loves planting flowers and growing vegetables. She has also been an avid reader. She would sometimes have several books going at the same time. Both my parents could be found reading when we went on family vacations.
Mom has a green thumb and she knows how to revive those plants that are on the discount table. Mom is a very creative person. She ran a flower business when I was a kid and arranged the flowers for my wedding. Her creativity wasn’t limited to flowers; she could write, too. She writes an annual Christmas letter to family and friends, a tradition my brother and I maintain.
My mother taught me right from wrong. Switches were out of style when I was coming along so she used the metal spatula. Sometimes all she had to do was rattle the drawer that held the spatula to get us back in line. Mom believes in treating people right and she modeled that for us kids. She taught us to believe and look for the best in people and I really appreciate that and try to practice that as I teach my students.
I feel lucky that my mom is still with us. I have been reflecting on the idea that sometimes God gives us “extra” moms. Naturally, a mother-in-law becomes extra mom. My wife and I found a special person when we were in college who became like an extra mom for us. She and her husband gave us some home-cooked meals and took us on adventures. I told my Dad’s significant other that she was like an extra Mom. I believe we can’t have too many people investing in us, caring about us, speaking words of encouragement, and helping guide us through the many ins and outs of life.
The Bible encourages us to honor our parents, and it’s nice that we set aside a day in May to honor moms and a day in June to honor dads. If we are lucky enough to have good parents, we can receive great deposits from them. I’ll admit that sometimes we pick up our parent’s quirks within those deposits, but that is part of what makes life interesting. Still, we should stop, reflect, and appreciate all that our parents did to raise us and encourage us to spread our wings and fly. My mom did a good job raising her four children and helping each of us grow into responsible adults. I honor her for the good job that she did with each of us.
I want to encourage you to reflect on your life and consider the impact your parents, especially your mom, had on your trajectory in life. Remember to be thankful for all that she did and sacrificed for you. Take time to express that thanks to her. If your mom has passed then let the seeds she planted in your heart grow and produce a harvest in her memory. Moms live so selflessly all their lives, wanting to make sure that their kids grow up to have a positive impact in their little corner of the world. Thanks, Mom, for a job well done. I hope we make you proud. I love you, Mom!
