Moab

I'm doing a Bible study on Ruth....the Kinsmen Redeemer. Ruth is one of my favorite books and I love looking at it from all different perspectives. Recently, a friend of mine wrote a book on Ruth, focusing on the aspect of the famine that the people are enduring.....in this Bible study, we are focusing more on Boaz and what his relationship represents to Ruth and for us as well. And there are many other nuggets of truth tucked all through the pages of this story.....I love it!
As I studied the first chapter last week there was one small point that kept tugging at me....something I knew needed to be applied to my life in a personal way......
It all centered around the fact that Elimelech left Bethlehem (a portion of the promise land) to go to a land that God specifically commanded that he not be a part of....in fact, his ancestors before him were supposed to completely wipe out these people, not leave a remnant at all. But instead, they were allowed to remain, and now Elemelech has decided to go and live among them.....all because of a famine. But it's not just any famine....it's a famine, in the PROMISE LAND....the land they had to wander for 40 years before they were allowed to enter....the land God specifically set aside for His people....a land He promised to prosper. But here is a man, trying to decide the best way to care for his family. In some ways, i sympathize with him.....it was the man's responsibility to care and provide for his family....and here he is, in a dry and barren land, watching his family get weaker and more discouraged as the days dragged on. I'm sure there are many men who would have done the same thing....at least entertained the idea. But nonetheless, he packed up his family and moved them to this land where apparently the 'grass was greener'.
Well, to make a long story short, possibly because of his poor decision making skills, he died....he and his two sons....leaving his wife and 2 daughter-in-laws without any means of provision, in a land where they are foreigners. In many ways, it's a sad story....if it were to end there. But fortunately, we serve a perfect God who can even use the mistakes and poor judgement of sinful man to accomplish His purpose....but we will save that for another day. The question that seemed to keep popping up in the back of my mind was: "Where do I go when things get tough?"....where do I turn and were do I head towards when things get uncomfortable? I'm not proud to admit it, but I dont' always stay in the place God has provided for me. Sometimes that place doesn't look very "promising" to me.....sometimes it looked a little dry and barren to me. And again, I'm not proud to admit it, but it doesn't always have to be a famine that causes me to look across the river to the greener pastures of Moab.....how quickly I forget the promises and faithfulness of God.....and the discipline of God. The whole reason they were in a famine to begin with was because of their sin....it was during the period of the Judges and we all know the "theme" of that time: everyone did what was right in their own eyes! This was not a time of rejoicing over the rewards of the promise land, but a time of selfishness and unrest....what a shame. And what a shame that I too, seek what is right in my own eyes too.
But it makes me even more grateful for the faithfulness, the provision, the promises, and yes even the discipline of God.
The very cool part of the story is that for some reason, Naomi, Elimilech's widow decided to "return" to where the Lord was.....when things got really bad, she turned to the Lord....again, i have to ask myself: where do i turn when things get bad? Do I turn to things specifically forbidden by the Lord? (my own strength, others, distractions, escape, etc)....or am I more like Naomi, and do I turn to the Lord? (His Word, His promises, prayer, etc). I know which one I want to be like, and from now on, since I finally listened to the nagging voice during my Bible study, I'm going to strive to be a Naomi!

Still fat, but I can run a mile w/out passing out

So, it's been a week now, since I started running (I only ran 3 days out of that week, though!). I am up to a pretty confident mile and I don't feel like my lungs are going to explode by the end of it....yeah me!!!
But the sad news is that I have gained weight in the past week....3 pounds to be exact! UGH!!!
BUT I am trying not to focus on the numbers....health and accomplishment are my focus points for this journey.....keep reminding me that I said that!!! :)
Although Saturdays are busy with basketball and not so "routine" as the weekdays, I am still going to try and run tomorrow (again, remind me that I said that!!).

My "to do" reading list

I was thinking......instead of pouring out my heart here on this new blog, I thought I would just maybe (for awhile at least) just use it for more informative purposes right now.....that could be fun, right? :)
So anyways, i was chatting with a friend :) online the other day and we were discussing our latest reads....along with our big pile of 'want to ' reads (that big pile of books taking up a large portion of my bookshelf, that only seems to increase!). Well, I thought I would take a minute (between my turns at DDR) to share that list with you......

Self Talk, Soul Talk.....Jennifer Rothschild
Lessons I Learned in the Light...... ""
Lessons I Learned in the Dark...... ""
The Knowledge of the Holy.......AW Tozer
Velvet Elvis..... Rob Bell
Here I Am Again, Lord.....Carol Mayhall ?
Authority in Prayer.....Dutch Sheets ?
Bringing Up Boys......Dobson
Praying God's Word......Moore
Jesus, the one and only.....""
Voices of the Faithful......""
Extrodinary Women.....Julie Clinton
God at your wits End....Marilyn Meberg
The Journey....B. Graham

fiction...
Light series ......Blackstock
the Rescuer.....Anderson
The Gifted.....Blackstock

currently reading
Celebration of Discipline.....Richard Foster
The Green Letters....Stanford
Leadership 101.....denise Vaneck
Peacemaking Women :)
Dine Bizaad; speak, read, write navajo.....Goossen

That's it in a nutshell...i have a few more tucked away but honestly too lazy to get them off my other bookshelf (sad but true!)

If you have any comments or critics on any of these books, i'm mostly open to hear them....JK! of course i am! bring it! ;)

Gotta get back to my late night aerobics....

My journey to the 5k

So I need to get in shape....desperately! Soooooo, i came up with a brilliant idea to train for an upcoming 5k (one for a good cause, Breast Cancer Awareness). I really do hate to run....that is why I had to set a specific goal......and then on top of that, i need the accountability aspect. So I invited my friend Betsy to join me in my journey. For some insane reason, she agreed....so here we are, embarking on the adventure of a 3 mile run. To many that may not sound like much, but to a 35 year old, lazy, selfish mother of three young children....it's a mountain! As if my life schedule isn't enough of a deterrence, my health sometimes gets in the way too. But one quality I do have that should work in my favor is my stubbornness.....just the fact that the odds are against me drives me even more.
So, I began today...the running part, that is. On average I swim 4-5 miles a week.....I like the pool.....no sweating (at least none I can recognize!) But I started my "land" training today....ran a mile and it wasn't pretty. Actually, I ran 1/2 a mile, walked 2 laps, then ran the other 1/2 mile. I had a hard time breathing, my lungs hurt, my legs felt like rubber and i could barely speak....but I was proud of my accomplishment!
My race is tentatively May 3rd, but I may possibly have to wait until the one in July (impending move to a different state). My goal is to increase a mile a month.....if I did the math right, I should be up to 3 miles by the end of March....from there I will just work on making it through without throwing up or passing out!! :) I'm not in the race to win, just to finish.
One other small reason to pursue this particular race is in honor of a dear friend who just passed away from breast cancer....Sue Murphey was a mentor of mine, many years ago. Although we had fallen out of touch the past few years, her role in my life for the short year we spent together still holds a special place in my heart. Although I have some hindrances I will often complain about along the way, I also have a sweet motivation that I will often cling to during the journey as well.
And of course, if along the way, i lose a couple of pounds.....that is just an extra bonus! I'm overcoming a very prideful fault of mine right now.....but as of today, my current weight is 192 pounds........I would love to lose the 20 pounds i just gained back from this summer!!! I'll keep you posted!

I'm here...a deal is a deal ;)

Well, I've finally carved out a little niche for myself...a place I will be able to empty out my overloaded mind every now and then, and share the sweet provisions and lessons from my Savior. I look forward to it....and hopefully, others will glean a small drop of encouragement when they stumble across this little 'niche'.
It took some prodding, but I am thankful for this little spot where I can journal...thanks 'stretched out mom'.....you are mostly good for me! :) ha!!!