2009 Atalanta Victory Run

This is me on the home stretch of this year's run.  We raised over $400.00 to sponsor women to our annual retreat.  Thanks everyone for your support of women in Humboldt County!

My friend, Christian, at the Atalanta Victory Run.

My friend, Carol, walking in the Atlanta Victory Run.

SPARK YOUR LIFE!

I am so happy to introduce you to SparkPeople! I joined this FREE online weight-loss, change your life, create a new vision for yourself, website over 3 years ago.  Since then I have lost 70 lbs.  *Scroll down my blog to see my before and after pics* I gained a lot of confidence in the ability to make good choices and to know that if it's in my heart to do it I can step out and make it happen.  

Now this amazing website has produced a book called "The Spark". I've preordered my copy (to be available in January). You can also check out (or join) this amazing website here.

If you decide to join SparkPeople, make sure you look me up - my username is Purelyshell.  Oh, and use my username as your referral (I will get a little credit for that).

When Life Comes to a Screeching Halt make a Large, Tall Glass of Lemonade.

Well, here I am. I cannot believe it has been so long since I wrote a blog. My life has become, well, LIFE. Let me explain.

In June, my husband became very sick and that turned into 2 weeks in our local hospital and then 2 weeks at UCSF. Thankfully, he is home now and on the mend. A good mend. We have high expectations that all that he's been through will now make him better than before. An underlying problem that has now been taken care of. Yay!

So, what about running? Well, I think I ran 3 times during the 1 month of hospitalizations.  If you are a runner, I don't have to tell you how nurturing, how stress relieving it is to run. But what happens when you're facing life and death situations and you can't run? There were days where the fact that I wasn't running was tugging at my mind and my heart. Knowing that I could sure use the stress relief. I could use the cardio. I could use the hospital cafeteria calorie busting, BUT... sometimes you just gotta let it go. And that's what I did. I let it go. I told myself that I was actually creating more stress by stressing over it. I had to give myself permission to not run during this period of time because there was just no way to do it. 

So, we are home now and I am getting excited about getting back into my running routine. I'm starting off slow and working it out. This is great! And then it happens. A test ordered by my doctor that points to a hysterectomy is in order for me. Are you serious? NOT NOW!!!!

This is where the power of choice comes in. I can choose to totally be depressed or I can choose to (once again) look to the Lord, process my healing (which has already been accomplished, In Him) and look for the gold. 

So here I am, in bed, writing this blog. My uterus is gone (no tears there) and I am processing a positive attitude to get myself back to my running routine as soon as my doctor releases me to do so and I believe that it will be in short order -- like 3-4 weeks. Hey, it's a whole life-time we have so it's what we do over time that counts. I'm choosing to cultivate a healthy mental attitude during this time. I'm going to read some on running and other interests that I haven't had much time for lately. 

Maybe you are facing something that seems so insurmountable. Maybe life is not turning out the way you had planned. We have a choice to languish in self pity or we can look outside ourselves and choose to see the tender mercies of the Lord in the midst of our battle. If this is you, I pray that my words will be to you as Proverbs 16.24 - Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. Basically, I'm making some lemonade. A large, tall glass of lemonade and there's more than enough for everyone! 

Approaching 50+

I never thought I would be here.  I bet you didn't either.  Well, I sort of knew I would get here but somehow I thought it would be different.  Luckily for me it is much better than I expected.  Approaching 50 is a very perplexing thing.  

We live in a society that worships youth and beauty and all things shiny and new.  We are constantly reminded that we are not thin enough, our teeth are not white enough, we need the latest iPhone and we have to drink the latest designer water.  WATER!!!!  Aren't there people in third world countries that don't even have safe drinking water and here we're trying to decide which bottle makes us feel better about ourselves.   God help us! 

Since we live in such a disposable society wouldn't it be natural that we feel the same way about who we are and our value as we approach our jubilee years?  What ever happened to celebrating where we've been and where we are now?  What about wisdom?  What about grace?  What about older women teaching the younger women?  WHAT'S WRONG WITH BEING 50????

I've noticed a trend in the church in the last few years.  Progressive churches everywhere want young faces representing their ministries. They're promoting younger men and women into places of prominent and key positions in the church. That's generally fine but where are the matured, godly men and women who've "stayed the course", "run the race" and "mellowed like a fine wine"?  In our pursuit of appealing to the masses, maybe we've overlooked our best (and best kept) resource -- those men and women who are 50+.

If that sounds like you, then you're the one I am speaking to.  Have you felt passed by and overlooked?  Well, God wants you to know that He has not overlooked you.  His hand has molded you and shaped you.  You've walked through fires and you've looked to Him and taken his hand and walked with him and in that, you've created a place of worship.  Worship is your warfare!  You've created a pathway for others to follow in the Spirit.  Don't say in your heart that what has been accomplished through you is too little.  Everything counts. Everything counts!  It Counts -- It counts to God and if it counts to Him in Heaven, then it counts to Him on the earth.  Too many older christians have decided that they've done all there is to do  -- oh, so maybe we're the ones at fault?  Could be.  Have you decided that it's time to let someone else do something because you're tired of always doing it? 

What does the scripture say…something about "and let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."  What an awesome Word! That Word is to you and to me.  We are not to be defined by the world and it's systems but by a loving and powerful heavenly Father.  He sees your value and He has promised you a land of good things.  After all He does say 50 is our Jubilee!  God let Your favor come!

My first Half Marathon -- WooooooHoooo!

Here I am crossing the finish line!  What a feeling of accomplishment.  

I signed up for the Humboldt Redwoods Half Marathon a month ago when my training for it was going well.  Then I got sick.  For two weeks I was unable to train and we all know what that means, right? Next thing I know it is off to Kentucky to meet with my friends for the Susan Komen run (see below) and I was exhausted when I got home. I started psyching myself out over doing the half. Well, I finally just decided to do it and quit worrying about it and the training I had done would be enough -- afterall, I wasn't looking for a great time or a PR -- naw, I would be happy to finish.  

Running in the Redwoods is so exhilarating!  If you ever have the chance to do a run here I encourage you to do so.  The course is relatively flat, the temps in the 50-60's, great people, great running club & sponsors and just an all around good feeling. Now to go get my tattoo!