Todds first sled

This was our youngest child, Todd, first opportunity to go sledding in the snow. One reason is because South East TN doesn't get a lot of snow. When we do it usually less than 2 inches and is melted by the afternoon. This was the largest snowfall since the Blizzard of 1993. By night time our house had close to 10 inches of beautiful snow.

Christmas Snow - Boys LOVED IT!

We've had a little snow in November or early December. We may get a little in January. But this is the first Christmas Day snow since 1968 in South East Tennessee.

My Race

When I was in Elementary school, I entered every running contest I could.  I LOVED Field Day.  This was when schools in my area competed in various outdoor activities.  There were sack races, tug of wars, relays, softball throws, and many more.  I loved to run. As a teenager I would run 3-5 miles a day just because it was fun.

After I was married and had 2 small children, I considered a job as a security guard.  One of the requirements was to be able to run a mile in 6 minutes.  At this point in my life I hadn't run since college.  I put my running shoes on and took off running.  On my first test run, I ran a mile in 8 minutes.  Not bad for a Mom of two.

Later when I was in my 30's we adopted our third child.  When he was two I opened a Home Day Care.  For my mental health, I started back at walking/running 4 days a week.  I got to where I ran 2-3 miles and walked 2 miles.  I enjoyed running again.

My daughter and son in-law can tell you more about running challenges than I can.  They accomplished something that I had never tried.  A marathon. They trained for several months.  Wore out a few pairs of shoes.  Injured and felt pain in areas they've never had pain before.  (To read about their experiece read H20 Runners.

The writer of Hebrews 12 talks about a race.  A race that each believer is in.  Yes, if you are a person of faith and a follower of Christ you are a runner.  This passage goes into detail, in the first couple verses, about how to best run your race.  But for this moment I want to skip over that and focus on the end of verse 1.  Hebrews 12:1b "...the race that is set before us,"

When my pastor preached from this passage Sunday night.  I was encouraged about two things. 

1. God puts us in our race.  "...the race that is set before us," God chose a race for me.  You have your race.  I have mine. 
2. My goal in this race is not to win.  But to finish.  When my daughter and her husband ran a marathon, had they ran 26 miles, and stopped with 325 yards to go...then they wouldn't have finished the race.  All they would have accomplished was running really far.  A marathon is officially 26.2 miles.

I am in my race.  You are in yours.  I want to finish well.  Do you?  How are you doing in your race?  Sometimes I'm not doing so well. In Hebrews 12:12,

 "Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;"

Sometimes I'm not strong.  Sometimes I don't think I can make it.  Marathon runners struggle with that.  I'm told the last 4-6 miles are the hardest.  Sometimes I have to pick up my hands and get off my feeble knees and start again.  Pick up and keep going.  I need to finish my race.  I Corinthians 15:58 is my life verse.

 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

My race is different than yours.  Some believers are running on a track that is level and smooth.  Others, the track is hilly and hard. The long stretches can be very difficult.  Our track conditions can change at anytime.  We need to help one another by encouraging each believer to get up, keep going, and finish.

I want my kids to see their Mom finish with strong faith.  I want my grandchildren to hear stories of how their grandmother loved the Lord and served Him in spite of difficulties and challenges.  I want my friends to know that I truly do love the Lord with all my heart, soul, and body.  I want to be like Paul,

II Timothy 4:7, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:"

2011 Goals

We are expected to make New Year Resolutions.  And it's also acceptable if you break them within 60 days.  Instead of setting "Resolutions" ... I prefer "Goals".  Is there a difference?  Thanks for asking.  I think so.  Resolutions are more like a promise or a contract where you are bound to keep your end of the deal.  Where as goals are ideals and intentions that you want to strive with good planning and good intention to keep.  Breaking a resolution almost sounds illegal.  Setting a goal gives you something obtainable.  If you don't quite get there...you got closer than you would have had you not had something to work hard towards.

Last year I set out  not be on a diet but to have better health.  I did want to loose 60 lbs and get into a size 10 jeans.  I kept myself accountable to friends.  I posted pictures each month beginning with March to show and share my progress.  It helped me a lot. 

Did I meet my goals?  Yes, I met my goal of better health.  My cholesterol dropped 50 points without medication.  My blood pressure is also down without medication.  In spite of starting 2010 recovering from shoulder and hand surgery and ending the year with neck surgery ... I do feel better.  I did manage to loose 35 lbs.  And I can wear size 12 is almost all my clothes.  YAY!!!

So what do I do in 2011?  I continue where I left off.   I need to reset my goals and try to add a few new ones.  Here they are:

1. Continue working on better health ( I don't think this one never stops)
    * Better eating choices
    * Loose 30 lbs
    * Get into size 10 jeans :)
    * Get my cholesterol 25 more points lower

    * Keep a regular exercise program going 

2. Organize and declutter small areas of my house
    The spring of 2009, I went through my house (kitchen cabinets and closets)
    and did a serious purge of stuff and junk.  I have no idea what                  possessed me to do that.  After having the auto accident in June 09, I am soooo glad I did.  It proved to be very helpful for me and to friends/family when they had to come over and help me.  Now I need to go a little deeper. 
    * Clean "junk" drawers
    * Clean closets
    * Go through my clothes
    * Donate toys
    * Repaint a guest bedroom

Hall Closet (before)

Hall closet (after)  I painted these closet in Spring 09.  They just needed a little attention.

This closet is in the boys bathroom.  It's the home of towels/wash clothes.  It is also where all the games, crafts, and school supplies live.

Now we can see which game to play next.

3.  I want to write more.  I keep LOTS of notes.  I have LOTS of words in my head and on my heart.  I just don't sit down and write.

4.  Trust God.  Give Him "me". My body is weaker and more feeble.  What I have I want Him to use.  Trust Him with my diagnoses and recoveries.  I need to NOT be afraid.  That's a big one for me.  Fear is a whole other discussion in the future.

5. Last but not least, I want to enjoy turning 50 this year.  I know you are all shocked.  And would have never believed that I was this old.  Hahaha  I will turn 50 on May 6th.  I plan to celebrate the rest of the year. 

Set some goals not resolutions.  Don't set yourself up to fail.  But give yourself enough of a challenge to strive for a better you in 2011.