On the parts of my route where I jog the whole section, I don't count my steps.  This is the time when I can pray or think.  On the parts where I do count my steps, though, I also have a focal point in the distance.  It helps me stay focused (hence the name :-)).  I make my focal point something God-made, like a tree, rather than something man-made, and I make it the highest thing I can see.  On one section there's a massive oak tree directly in front of me, so that's my focal point.  I actually use the trunk of the tree for the first half of my count and then move up to the leafy part for the second half.  That breaks up the counting and (here's where the spiritual/life lesson gets good) reminds me to keep going and reach higher.  I've been doing this for a long time but just recently realized that above and beyond that massive oak tree, which God put there so it's a good thing, there's another tree, higher than the massive one but not as visible.  That's what I focus on now.  There's nothing wrong with the massive tree, but it's not as high as I could go. 

There's an old song by Steven Curtis Chapman that I partly identify with - See the Glory. Here are the pertinent lyrics:


I never did like the word mediocre

I never wanted it to be said of me, oh, no

Just point me to the top and I'd go over, over

Looking for the very best I could be

Philippians 3:14b-16 - “I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.”

(Thanks to my daughter, Brianne, for editing this picture. :-X)

Glorious?

5:30 a.m.  Uuuuunnnnhhhh.  I do NOT want to get out of bed. 

You'd never know I went to bed at 9:30 and was asleep before 10, would you?  Almost 8 full hours of sleep.  (Thank You, God!)  But I still didn't want to get out of bed this morning.  And my lower back hurt.  It would've been so easy to just skip jogging today.  As I sat on the edge of the bed I wondered how this is supposed to give God glory.  Wouldn't it be more glorious if I jumped up and could barely contain myself as I got dressed and put my shoes on?  Wouldn't it be glorious if I was so excited I started running in place in the living room as I waited for it to get light enough to go outside?  Maybe.  It certainly would be exciting and fun to write about.  But that's not what happened this morning and it's not what has been happening for quite a while now. 

Is drudgery glorious?  Is doing what I know I need to do and what is good for my body even when I don't feel like it glorious?  I...think...so.  As I jogged and walked, God encouraged me to blog about this.  The good, fun, exciting times and the blah times when I feel like it makes no difference. 

Stephen Curtis Chapman's new song that's all over the radio is called "Do Everything."

You’re picking up toys on the living room floor



for the 15th time today


Matching up socks and sweeping up lost


Cheerios that got away


You put a baby on your hip and color on your lips


and head out the door


And while I may not know you I bet I know you


Wonder sometimes does it matter at all


We’ll let me remind you it all matters just as long as you






Do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you


Cause He made you to do


Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face


And tell the story of grace


With every move that you make


And every little thing you do






OOoh ooooh oooooh





Maybe you’re that guy with the suit and tie


Maybe your shirt says your name


You may be hooking up mergers, cooking up burgers


But at the end of the day






Little stuff big stuff in between stuff


God sees it all the same


And while I may not know you I bet I know you


Wonder sometimes does it matter at all


We’ll let me remind you it all matters just as long as you do






Everything you do to the glory of the One who made you


Cause He made you


To do every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face


And tell the story of grace with every move that you make


And every little thing that you do






Well maybe you’re sitting in math class


Maybe on a mission in the Congo


Maybe you’re working at the office


Singing along with the radio


Maybe you’re dining at a five star


Or feeding orphans in Myanmar


Anywhere and everywhere you are


Whatever you do it all matters


So do what you do and don’t ever forget


to do






Everything you do to the glory of the One who made you


Cause He made you to do


Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face


And tell the story of grace as you do


Everything you do to the glory of the One who made you


Cause He made you to do


Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face


And tell the story of grace with every move that you make


And every little thing that you do






Ooh oooooh


Every little thing you do

So I'll keep getting out of bed or dragging myself out of bed if necessary and jogging, helping Brianne with math, transcribing, thrift shopping, and doing whatever I do to the glory of the One who made me.  Some days it will be by sheer faith that I do it because I can't see how it can possibly be glorious.  I'll just trust God that it is.      :-)

Part of My Jogging Route

 

A few months ago I said I would try to post pictures of my jogging route. I can't take the camera with me when I'm jogging and I'm always too busy to go out and take pictures another time. Or it's too hot. Well, I finally did it the other day. This is two of 36 jogging sections on my 3-mile route. From where I'm standing to the end of where the road appears to be white is 2 sections, about 300 steps. I jog that, turn the corner, and this coming week will jog 30 more steps. Then I'll walk for the rest of that section and jog another two sections like this plus 30 more steps, etc. for 3 miles. Anyone want to join me? ;-) Really.

God is better than Dr Pepper!

Have I learned yet? For the last several months, the Dr Pepper I used to LOVE just has done nothing for me. Occasionally I'll get it when I'm out somewhere but it still does nothing for me. I bought some for the girls' sleepover last night and this morning (after my jog) thought I'd try a can to see if maybe it was different. Soda does taste different depending on what kind of container it comes in or if it's from a fountain. I had maybe 1/4 of a can that I had poured into a glass with ice. Nope. Nothing. It tasted like Dr Pepper, sure, but there was no "Welcome home!" rejoicing of my tastebuds. I poured the rest out. Psalms 19:10 (my version) God's Words are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than Dr Pepper, even Dr Pepper in a glass with ice. :-) I can stop looking for that elusive taste I used to crave. God took it away!

Competitive?

I never thought I was competitive.  I never was on a sports team growing up, and when playing board games I don't mind if other people win.  When my daughter was younger, I had to stop the Punch Buggy game because if someone else saw one before she did, she'd get furious!  The game wasn't worth her attitude. 

At exercise class this morning, though, as we were running around the cones for warmup, I happened to start out ahead of everyone.  It wasn't like we were all together at the beginning, I just started first.  On the last leg the second time around, I heard footsteps behind me and realized it was my daughter.  I said, "Don't even think about it, little girl!"  But she thought about it.  She pulled ahead and finished just before me. 

Hmmmm...maybe there is some competitive spirit inside me.  We'll see at my first 5K.

Battling The Flesh

The last week or so has been very "light" spiritually. I miss my heavy spiritual days. I feel distant from God and heavy and bloated physically. I've been feeling hungry a lot lately so I've eaten more. Small amounts at a time but probably more overall. I just don't have time in my schedule to plan sit-down meals or meals at all. We have food but not meals. I'm missing sleep, but that's nothing new. I'm looking forward to next week when I'll have some time off from work for the homeschool convention and just in general. SLEEP!  

I remember back when I had the most success with losing weight. It was when I was relentless in denying my flesh. I got tired of that and thought I could loosen up a little. I guess I can't. Yesterday I decided to stretch my denying time to two hours after I first feel hungry. I'm going to read back over old posts, blogs, journal entries, and Bible verses to rekindle the spark I used to have.

I need more of Jesus and less of Michele!

2 Miles!

I'm now jogging 2 miles and walking 1!  : )

It's still not 2 miles all together, but I'm getting there!  I used to wonder what it would be like when I had only one section to walk and recover between jogging sections.  Now I know.  It's not so bad.   On the other hand, these last two days of jogging 2 and walking 1 have been difficult to actually jog.  I feel sluggish.  It's probably the few pounds that have crept on.  : ((((  Yes, I've gained a few pounds because I've been compromising and eating small amounts more than I need to lately.  I'm back on track but feeling the consequences of those decisions.  Siiiigggghhhh.  Just being honest.  Thank You, God, for forgiveness!

Another reason for the gain is very likely lack of sleep.  I've also asked God to keep showing me how to make wise decisions with my time so I don't have to be up so late and early working.  I have some off time coming up later this month to go to the homeschool convention and I'm looking forward to sleeping more than 4 or 5 hours a night!

More of Jesus, Less of Michele.  More of Jesus, Less of Michele.  More of Jesus, Less of Michele.  : )