Another half

So I was on such a high after finishing the last half marathon, I went ahead and signed up for another one. Which is tomorrow. I had already decided it was a "fast-walk" race since I didn't train well this season due to my summer injury. I felt really good after the last one but didn't train as much as maybe I should have. Still, I finished with a time that was not too much off from previous years. Plus, as I said to 2 teachers who ran it HARD (one half and one full) and then couldn't walk right for a week - "Yeah! That's the difference between you and me. I KNOW I'm not going to win, so I'd rather just finish and be able to teach without pain the next day."

Tomorrow is more of the same, although I've done a lot more distance to get ready. In fact, I walked ALMOST every night this month, at least 3 miles but often more. I've dropped an insignificant amount of weight, but since I've been stalled out for so long, maybe I'm kicking myself off of my plateau.

The funny thing is - when I STARTED this post, I was really not looking forward to tomorrow and was weighing how guilty I would feel about wasting the entry fee if I just slept in and skipped it. 15 minutes later I'm loading up on pasta and getting ready to call it an early evening. The race starts at 6:13. Wish me luck!

Hope deferred

Proverbs 13:12 "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."



Discuss!

Center of the Track

A friend once said that in life, there is such thing as good times or bad but rather that they co-exist in parallel like train rails and your perspective is dependent on the rail on which you choose to focus.

I've felt times in the past where the train just jumped the track and life was completely out of control.

I think it's more like driving a car. You focus on the center of your line rather than the lane markings.

Right now, it seems as though I'm in Kansas driving west, which in case you didn't realize, is VERY flat and the road and rails are VERY straight. The ride is smooth and automatic. It's almost like driving on cruise control. The problem is that sometimes when you're on auto-pilot, you don't pay attention to the little curves in the road until you suddenly realize you're off-course and then you steer to overcompensate and crash.

Or worse, you hit Colorado and those mountains come at you from out of nowhere.

I'm praying for more Kansas, although if there is an amusement park, I'll stop for a few roller coasters.

Delight/Desire

Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."

This was part of my study today and although I've read and heard it so often, I stumbled over it this time.

I'm learning in puppy school (as are the dogs) that when they do what I'm asking, they hear the click and get the reward that they desire. This works much easier when I know they are focused on me and they know that I have the clicker and the treat bag handy. Queso will THROW himself into the "down" position before I even ask, since he knows that's what we're working on this week. That immediate submission only happens with treats in hand, though. I have to reinforce the behavior until they follow the command not because of the reward, but because it is so ingrained in their nature that to not "Sit" when told would seem wrong. If I need them to obey (for their own safety or the welfare of others) and I don't have treats, I need to know they'll do the right thing.

Unfortunately, we often treat God like a vending machine. We misunderstand Psalm 37:4 to me "If I do everything right, He'll give me what I want." I've found that to be a struggle because even when I think I'm following what He wants me to do, there is no clicker and definitely no treat bag. At least, not full of the things I desire.

I have to get to the same point that I want The Pastelitos to be at: complete submission due to ingrained nature, not because of anticipated rewards.

So much for that idea

I thought that I could make it a point to walk at least 3 miles every night for the month of February. I'm doing another half marathon on March 1. I'm still not ready to run full out, but can walk like last week's race. I knew today was going to be tight on time to get it in, but then my right foot/ankle started acting up. While I can't decide if it's swollen or not, I do know for a fact it's throbbing, tingling and at times a bit numb. This makes the second day in a row. Perhaps it's time to buy new shoes to wear at school. Perhaps it's time to call the orthopedic surgeon. It's a parent at school. I have their cell number.....