running is my favorite

Last week I reflected with a circle that I don't smile that often anymore....well I'm not what I consider a perpetual smiler. Kenley smiles almost all of the time...well it seems like it. Calvin, Kenley, Marcia and I think Jason P are perpetual smilers...there was something new who I added to the group, but I forgot who I said it was. Anyway, I realized that I wasn't smiling very often...but in the past week I've caught myself smiling at random moments. Last week I was smiling while walking to meet a friend. And then today...I saw a hill on my run in KY. I'd already run about 2.5 miles and needed to get my last .5 in.

So, it's me and this hill.

I felt my insides smile...I was at the top of this hill, needed to run down it and back up and still finish my run. My smile from the inside came out in the form of a real smile...my Itouch happened to start playing a song with the lyrics...watch my feet...watch my feet. And I was off. And SMILING!

I made it down and up the hill...and on my last push at the end of the run I had two running mates. I imagined some of my dearest friends Nick and Noemi...both gym friends who always push and inspire me. Nick was running beside me and Noemi was running in front of me. I finished faster than I started...and was drenched in sweat and smiling. This is going to be a good day. We're celebrating our NE wedding in KY and going ot see friends and family.

So thankful!

Doing what you gotta do....

After subbing for a few classes and also teaching my own...a late night with our dog on Tuesday night, I had a friend sub my Wednesday morning class...then Thursday we left for our first part of our trip...and I needed to work out, get my blood moving...exercise always helps me work my stress out.

K told me that our hotel wasn't near any gym, park or running route. I even looked at mapmyrun and the closest runs were back in STL...we're outside of STL in Illinois. So, my best bet was to suck it up and do what I had to do...use the empty parking lot next to the hotel. Fortunately and sadly this parking lot was home to a Circuit City, Bally Fitness and other stores that also have closed...so I had a full parking lot to just to run. 1.5 miles later....I was drenched in sweat. I would sprint up the hills...recover/jog back...do plyos, pushups and lunges...and I kicked my own you know what. It felt good to make up an impromptu routine and enjoy the outdoors...it was quite, the sun wasn't completely up and I felt strong. RAR!

my 445 post

now this is an important number. sike.

just wanted to write that. k and i arrived in a city outside of stl. we're heading to lex for our wedding reception for our peeps in the bluegrass.

i'm searching right now for running routes or gyms nearby that i can workout in...but i think that i'll have to be creative and run in the parking lots next to the hotel...i'm sort of imagining running up and down the stalls...doing some sprints...we'll see.

What do you hear? (part three)

I am so excited to cut my hair...it's a weird moment in my life. I've had shoulder length hair all of my life...hair that is easy to comb/negotiate/manipulate...hair that makes me feel good...hair that sometimes makes me mad.

So this week I bought something special for myself...a Sari Bari scarf. It's not a head scarf, but when I saw a particular scarf it stood out to me. I am continually inspired by the freedom that the women of Sari Bari choose...and the ways that God continues to show God's grace.

I have freedom tattooed on my arm...it's a daily reminder of the freedom that God gives us. Freedom is what I'm hearing today.

What do you hear?

my city

If you didn't already know this...but Tennessee is my state. Franklin, Tn is what I would consider my hometown. We moved there when I was in the second grade...went to Liberty Elementary, Freedom Middle, Franklin High and then finally Centennial High. I don't talk about Franklin very much, but Franklin is the city that raised me. Nashville was the friendly aunt who also raised me when Franklin was tired of me.

Nashville/Franklin is the city that got me through breakups, college decisions, soccer matches, band practice, acne, trips to SATCO, times at church and youth group, drivers permits, licenses, too many gerbils, Joseph Ellington Conrad Sturdivant - our first dog, my first job at TCBY...Old Navy and Banana Republic, my Y membership....there are too many memories to even try and write, but middle Tennessee raised me and it makes me sad to see and hear all of the devastation that is happening there. I haven't been back there since a wedding a year and a halfish ago and I just want to be there, but I can't. I will do my part for my city and pray and offer my support. Oh Nashville.

presence and boundaries

today i had this epiphany...i have pretty tight boundaries on certain areas of my life. i've always felt like i needed to apologize for that way of how i've lived. but today i realized that my whole desire in having boundaries is to be loyal in the presence of others and in situations. i know that i will bring my cellphone out in meals...i try not to. i'm known to sometimes need to call/text someone in the middle of a meal b/c my companions and i are stumped on an issue or definition or something. i try not to do it that often.

so i was teaching at the gym today and realized that for the past hour or so i hadn't thought about anything else except being present to the class. i wanted to make sure that they were doing the exercises correctly. there are times when i won't be paying attention and boom...class is all crazy and confused. presence is important.

i think being presence is essential in good health, whole health. we sometimes allow distractions to dictate how we respond to situations and that's not fair to us or to others. so this week i choose to be present with you, my friends, my family, my feelings and even the weather :)

weeding

This weekend I decided I would try to get rid of a majority of our dandelions. They are everywhere...no really, they are. I'm amazed at how many connections there are between weeds and our lives.

Natural connections...sometimes weeds/sins/temptations/issues seem harmless...maybe even quite beautiful and manageable. Then, there's a moment of realization, if I don't get this out of control, my issues will spread everywhere...and then more issues will happen.

So, I was in the yard and our soon garden pulling dandelions with all of my might and allowing God's grace to reach into the deep places of my soul. Happy May!