My Ten Favorite Workout Songs (in no particular order):
1. Rocky Theme by Bill Conti (thats a no brainer:)
2. Sweet Child of Mine by Guns n' Roses
3. Pressing On by Relient K
4. The Sound by Switchfoot
5. Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO
6. Worth the Pain by Disciple
7. Kountry Gentleman by Family Force Five
8. Over the Mountain by Ozzy
9. One More by Superchick
10. We Won't Give Up by The Afters
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
A CAN or a WILL?
I have a poster in my classroom that originally had “YOU CAN
CHANGE THE WORLD.” Years ago I carefully crossed out the word “CAN” with whiteout and
replaced it with “WILL”. I hope students understand the power they have to
change the world, for good or bad. I hope that I have some small influence on
this world. How sad it would be to live your life and come to the end of it realizing
you have not made someone smile, or helped your kids find their way in life. I
want to be a ‘WILL” person, not a “CAN” person. What about you?
Thursday, January 12, 2012
A Pair of Blessings
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17 (NKJV)
Small bundles of frail life...so fragile, innocent, and beautiful. Nearly 20 years ago and just over 17 years ago, my world changed twice. Two life forms became an integral part of my life. I was 24 when Mauri was born and 27 when Caleb was born. Although I felt mature, I was not ready for the changes that would come our way. But oh what blessings they have been. Every diaper (wet or dirty), every spit up and long night of crying. Every worry of fever and hospital waiting room marathon. Every smile and every tear. Every gut-busting laugh and red-faced incidence of anger. Every hope and dream and concern. All worth it.
If I exceed all worldly expectations and become a model citizen, son, or teacher, it still will not compare to the accomplishment of being a father. I have the world's best kids. I know all fathers say that, but of course it is true for mine:-) They are not perfect, as none are, but they are a product of years of nurturing and development. We taught them from a young age to love God and had them at church almost every time it was open. But even religious children make mistakes, and I am sure they will make their fair share.
I remember driving with Mauri a few years ago (OK it was more like 14 years ago;-) in the car on the way home from work. I told her that I loved her and that I simply loved her because she was my daughter. She did not have to earn my love or do anything to make me love her. She only had to "exist". I also told her that there was nothing she could ever do to lose my love. Her little perplexed face caught a glimpse of unconditional love that day.
I also remember telling Caleb the story of me jumping three feet off the ground when he was born. He told that story over and over again, because he knew that I was happy for his arrival....and I still feel the urge to jump every time he stays with me.
When their uncle was married a few year's ago, Mauri danced on top of my feet. I spun her around the dance floor and it was a very special time. Year's later, they still follow in my footsteps. I pray I am teaching them to perserve, be strong, and have the confidence to accomplish the life of their dreams. Although they don't live with me anymore, every day I spend with them is a blessing and a chance to see the legacy I helped create. As they quickly approach adulthood, I pray they will remember how much they were loved...and pass that "spark" along to the next generation.
When you a fill a cup to the rim and keep filling it, where does the excess go? I am not sure, but I know this: my heart overflows with love for my kids. They will always be my legacy and my greatest accomplishment. They were worth it all.....every minute...every second.
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17 (NKJV)
Small bundles of frail life...so fragile, innocent, and beautiful. Nearly 20 years ago and just over 17 years ago, my world changed twice. Two life forms became an integral part of my life. I was 24 when Mauri was born and 27 when Caleb was born. Although I felt mature, I was not ready for the changes that would come our way. But oh what blessings they have been. Every diaper (wet or dirty), every spit up and long night of crying. Every worry of fever and hospital waiting room marathon. Every smile and every tear. Every gut-busting laugh and red-faced incidence of anger. Every hope and dream and concern. All worth it.
If I exceed all worldly expectations and become a model citizen, son, or teacher, it still will not compare to the accomplishment of being a father. I have the world's best kids. I know all fathers say that, but of course it is true for mine:-) They are not perfect, as none are, but they are a product of years of nurturing and development. We taught them from a young age to love God and had them at church almost every time it was open. But even religious children make mistakes, and I am sure they will make their fair share.
I remember driving with Mauri a few years ago (OK it was more like 14 years ago;-) in the car on the way home from work. I told her that I loved her and that I simply loved her because she was my daughter. She did not have to earn my love or do anything to make me love her. She only had to "exist". I also told her that there was nothing she could ever do to lose my love. Her little perplexed face caught a glimpse of unconditional love that day.
I also remember telling Caleb the story of me jumping three feet off the ground when he was born. He told that story over and over again, because he knew that I was happy for his arrival....and I still feel the urge to jump every time he stays with me.
When their uncle was married a few year's ago, Mauri danced on top of my feet. I spun her around the dance floor and it was a very special time. Year's later, they still follow in my footsteps. I pray I am teaching them to perserve, be strong, and have the confidence to accomplish the life of their dreams. Although they don't live with me anymore, every day I spend with them is a blessing and a chance to see the legacy I helped create. As they quickly approach adulthood, I pray they will remember how much they were loved...and pass that "spark" along to the next generation.
When you a fill a cup to the rim and keep filling it, where does the excess go? I am not sure, but I know this: my heart overflows with love for my kids. They will always be my legacy and my greatest accomplishment. They were worth it all.....every minute...every second.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Going the Distance: Training (As a Walker) for a Half Marathon
"The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu
First, I want to make something clear. I am not a runner. I am a walker. I don't apologize for that and I don't have any disregard for runners. I think they are amazing athletes. They just don't look like they are having much fun. They also must have much better feet and knees than I do. Although I am only 44, I have the feet of a 64 year-old (whatever that means). They are long, wide, lumpy, and usually in some state of pain. However, I am inspired by my late grandfather, John Cowan, who walked 2 or 3 miles a day until he was over 70 years old.
Another reason I am a walker is because it is the only sport in which I do well (if you can call it a sport). I am a mediocre basketball player and I also stink at baseball. I am a decent pool and ping-pong player, but not good enough to "shark" anyone or compete against the Koreans. Therefore, I walk. I like to walk in 5K and 10K races because I am usually one of the only few walkers. In my first 5K, I finished fourth place behind a Canadian power walker, a 65-year old former runner, and an enthusiastic 10 year old. But I wasn't bitter. In my first 10K I finished both first place and last place in the 10K walking division (yes, you guessed it ..there wasn't one:-) Motorcycle cops were looking at me funny and I was stirred along by someone in a truck picking up the orange cones as I passed. That is usually what happens to the person in last place.
So this year I decided to go crazy and be a walker in the Run the Line Half Marathon, which is 13 LONG miles. I will undoubtedly be one of the only walkers and chances are I will finish very close to last place. But that's OK. I will walk with my phone loaded full of quick "walking songs" and move at a comfortable and steady pace. I will most likely cross the finish line in just under 3 1/2 hours. It is on February 19, so I may also be stirred along by a cold winter wind.
Since I decided in December 2011 to register, I had just under 10 weeks to prepare. I am in pretty good shape, so I had to decide my priorities. In a nutshell, here is my workout plan: walk a lot. That sounds simple, but there is a lot to think about when walking long distances. One of those is stamina. Although I thought my calves and shins were in good shape, I soon found out they are not. So I am walking a few times a week, running bleachers, working legs twice a week at the gym, riding the seated recumbant bike, and doing hundreds of shins lifts and calf raises. I have cut back on lifting weights to one day a week and cut down on the amount of weight. Finally, I hope to lose 6 or 7 pounds by the day of the race to be a little lighter on my feet. A week or so before the race, I will do an 8-mile walk to set my timing and test my stamina. The last four days I will simply relax my muscles, stretch, and drink lots of water.
If you want a copy of my workout plan, send me your email address to mcdsparks@gmail.com and I will be glad to send you a copy in Excel. Until then, I'll be walking...and walking...and walking......
"The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu
First, I want to make something clear. I am not a runner. I am a walker. I don't apologize for that and I don't have any disregard for runners. I think they are amazing athletes. They just don't look like they are having much fun. They also must have much better feet and knees than I do. Although I am only 44, I have the feet of a 64 year-old (whatever that means). They are long, wide, lumpy, and usually in some state of pain. However, I am inspired by my late grandfather, John Cowan, who walked 2 or 3 miles a day until he was over 70 years old.
Another reason I am a walker is because it is the only sport in which I do well (if you can call it a sport). I am a mediocre basketball player and I also stink at baseball. I am a decent pool and ping-pong player, but not good enough to "shark" anyone or compete against the Koreans. Therefore, I walk. I like to walk in 5K and 10K races because I am usually one of the only few walkers. In my first 5K, I finished fourth place behind a Canadian power walker, a 65-year old former runner, and an enthusiastic 10 year old. But I wasn't bitter. In my first 10K I finished both first place and last place in the 10K walking division (yes, you guessed it ..there wasn't one:-) Motorcycle cops were looking at me funny and I was stirred along by someone in a truck picking up the orange cones as I passed. That is usually what happens to the person in last place.
So this year I decided to go crazy and be a walker in the Run the Line Half Marathon, which is 13 LONG miles. I will undoubtedly be one of the only walkers and chances are I will finish very close to last place. But that's OK. I will walk with my phone loaded full of quick "walking songs" and move at a comfortable and steady pace. I will most likely cross the finish line in just under 3 1/2 hours. It is on February 19, so I may also be stirred along by a cold winter wind.
Since I decided in December 2011 to register, I had just under 10 weeks to prepare. I am in pretty good shape, so I had to decide my priorities. In a nutshell, here is my workout plan: walk a lot. That sounds simple, but there is a lot to think about when walking long distances. One of those is stamina. Although I thought my calves and shins were in good shape, I soon found out they are not. So I am walking a few times a week, running bleachers, working legs twice a week at the gym, riding the seated recumbant bike, and doing hundreds of shins lifts and calf raises. I have cut back on lifting weights to one day a week and cut down on the amount of weight. Finally, I hope to lose 6 or 7 pounds by the day of the race to be a little lighter on my feet. A week or so before the race, I will do an 8-mile walk to set my timing and test my stamina. The last four days I will simply relax my muscles, stretch, and drink lots of water.
If you want a copy of my workout plan, send me your email address to mcdsparks@gmail.com and I will be glad to send you a copy in Excel. Until then, I'll be walking...and walking...and walking......
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Making a Joyful Noise?
“A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” Maya Angelou
In 1990, I sang my first solo in church. I believe it was "Friend of a Wounded Heart" by Wayne Watson. My knees were knocking and my voice was shaking. But I made it through. Since then I have led music part-time and sang many solos and never turned down an opportunity to sing when asked. I have sung in choirs and musicals and quartets and in praise bands. However, the greatest joy I have is when I am driving back from work and I click off the radio. I lift my voice and sing a hymn or two...sometimes "Amazing Grace" or "It is Well With My Soul". Sometimes I sing a worship chorus or just whatever comes to mind. It is so much better than singing along to the radio. There are no rules. There are no critics and no audience listening. It is only me and God and a joyful noise. It is liberating and exhilarating and it takes all my cares and concerns and throws them out the window for a few minutes. What a gift it is to sing..and in this case you don't even have to be able to sing...because NO ONE cares and no one is listening. So give it a shot.
There is nothing else that I would rather do. If I had to have all my talents taken away and left with one, it would be my voice...no doubt. In 2007, I penned a poem about music and singing. I have to warn you ahead of time. My poems don't usually rhyme and this one is simply a series of questions with a defining statement at the end. So make a joyful noise..or a "holy racket"!!!
The Story of a Song
What moves in us to open our mouths
and produce a rhythm of poetry and prose?
Is it not enough to write it down or speak it?
When did the first human discover the releasing
power of their voice in controlled cries of inner passion?
Is it a part of the fabric of human expression?
Why do the groanings of meager mortals change the spirit
and lift the emotions of a hardened heart?
Is it necessary to bridge the gap between heaven and earth?
How can the flowing prayers of mankind reach a heaven so high
and bring a smile to omnipotence?
It is a story that can only be told in the angelic language of song.
“A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” Maya Angelou
In 1990, I sang my first solo in church. I believe it was "Friend of a Wounded Heart" by Wayne Watson. My knees were knocking and my voice was shaking. But I made it through. Since then I have led music part-time and sang many solos and never turned down an opportunity to sing when asked. I have sung in choirs and musicals and quartets and in praise bands. However, the greatest joy I have is when I am driving back from work and I click off the radio. I lift my voice and sing a hymn or two...sometimes "Amazing Grace" or "It is Well With My Soul". Sometimes I sing a worship chorus or just whatever comes to mind. It is so much better than singing along to the radio. There are no rules. There are no critics and no audience listening. It is only me and God and a joyful noise. It is liberating and exhilarating and it takes all my cares and concerns and throws them out the window for a few minutes. What a gift it is to sing..and in this case you don't even have to be able to sing...because NO ONE cares and no one is listening. So give it a shot.
There is nothing else that I would rather do. If I had to have all my talents taken away and left with one, it would be my voice...no doubt. In 2007, I penned a poem about music and singing. I have to warn you ahead of time. My poems don't usually rhyme and this one is simply a series of questions with a defining statement at the end. So make a joyful noise..or a "holy racket"!!!
The Story of a Song
What moves in us to open our mouths
and produce a rhythm of poetry and prose?
Is it not enough to write it down or speak it?
When did the first human discover the releasing
power of their voice in controlled cries of inner passion?
Is it a part of the fabric of human expression?
Why do the groanings of meager mortals change the spirit
and lift the emotions of a hardened heart?
Is it necessary to bridge the gap between heaven and earth?
How can the flowing prayers of mankind reach a heaven so high
and bring a smile to omnipotence?
It is a story that can only be told in the angelic language of song.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Finding God in the Everyday
“…And there's so much beauty around us for just two eyes to
see….
But everywhere I go…. I'm looking…” ~Rich Mullins from Here in America
But everywhere I go…. I'm looking…” ~Rich Mullins from Here in America
Where do you find God? Only in church? Only when listening
to Christian music? Only in the lives of the religious people and ordained
ministers? If that is our limit to recognizing God, we are missing the point of
the Christian life. I see God in both in religious and secular music, in both
Christians and Non-Christians, and especially in nature. The point is not: Is
God there? The point is: Are we willing to see Him there? We compartmentalize
the holy and the secular and we think that it is so easy to always tell them
apart. Is it possible to be so focused on finding God that we miss him when
He’s right in front of us?
I see God in a colorful sunset… in a newborn baby…. in a
stranger stopping to help someone change a flat tire….and in a 65-year mother
taking in her divorced son when he had nowhere else to go. Stop trying to put
God in a box. Stop trying to be so strong and prove to the world that you have
it all together. I believe in going to church as much as possible and I am a
faithful member. I believe in prayer. I listen to Christian music more than any
other kind of music. I serve God by singing in a praise band at my church. But I know that God can be seen in so many
other things. I feel His presence when I am doing right or when I fail, when I
sing, or dance, or laugh. His presence supersedes all the visions and
perceptions I have of Him; his presence is the only reality I need. He is so
much more than we could ever believe or imagine.
As I said before, after 40 I have more questions than ever.
Here are a few. Are people with money and possessions blessed by God and poor
people cursed? If we pray and God
doesn’t answer our prayer the way we want Him to, did we do something wrong? Why do some people with cancer beat it and
live a long life, while others don’t survive? Having doubts and questions is common
to all believers.
Do we truly believe Jesus loved everyone or just the ones
who acted right or repented? In my Bible He hung out with tax collectors,
criminals, and lepers. Yet he chooses to hang out with us. Do we believe in the
polished, clean Jesus who had white skin and shining blue eyes or the one who
laughed and cried, had dirty feet, and died a cruel death so covered in blood
that it was hard to tell he was human? I believe in the Jesus of the Bible and
I’m not sure I believe in the “holier than thou”. People who say they have it
all figured out scare me to death.
I don’t have God figured out and neither do you. But I know grace is reality and so is the
reality of God all around me. I pray, like Rich Mullins, that I never stop
looking.
The Mother of All Research Papers
"The pages are still blank, but there is a miraculous feeling of the
words being there, written in invisible ink and clamoring to become
visible." ~Vladimir Nabakov
On a previous post I wrote about mountains we choose to climb. Well this
year I'm climbing Mt. Everest! (so to speak). After 72 credit hours of course
work, 16 hours of written comps, 2 hours of oral comps, and countless hours of
writing, testing, driving to Commerce, Texas and checking for APA formatting,
it all comes down to one BIG research paper. To call it a massive undertaking
would be an understatement. After submitting a few more details on my research
proposal, I will be sending out my research surveys to three engineering
departments at colleges in Texas. In a month or so, I will crunch the
statistics. Then the writing begins. A dissertation can be anywhere between 100
to 800 pages. It can include over 100 references. The only thing it cannot do is
take longer than 6 years to write. That is the time limit I have to finish.
When it came to the coursework, it was so much easier to coordinate. I had deadlines,
notes to take, facts to memorize, and tests to take. I knew the class had a
textbook as well as a beginning and an end. I also knew how many classes I
needed to take before comprehensive exams. I pretty much had my schedule
dictated for me by professors, committees, and syllabi. Now it is all on my
shoulders, and that is where it gets scary. I have Attention Deficit Disorder
(ADD), which makes concentration a challenge and writing a research paper an
adventure. Knowing I have 6 years left does not necessarily help, since it
feeds my inattention and procrastination tendencies.
I know I will get it done, but the sheer magnitude is daunting to say the
least. I have the support and reassurance of many I love, plus the confidence
that it CAN and WILL get it done. (Another problem I have is not wanting to
finish on an odd year, which has a tendency to make me want to work faster)
When it comes to writing, I am much like an old muscle car. I take a long
time to get started and warmed-up, but once I get moving, it’s a great ride!
Well I guess its time to start living on 5 hours sleep again and working from 10-11PM
every night like I did when I was doing my coursework. It’s time to start
climbing Everest!!!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The End of an Era
"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.." Eph. 5:19 (NIV)
In the fall of 1990, I was a young Youth Pastor at Redwater First Baptist Church. The church held a youth rally and I invited the youth praise band from FBC Texarkana (Moores Lane) to lead out in worship. We met in the high school cafetorium (yes, that is a word:) and they did a great job. It was the Solid Rock Band and its fearless leader was David Crowder. He looked much like he does now, minus the audacious gotee, and his music was a little rough around the edges. Nevertheless, he played the set with wholehearted joy and enthusiasm. Honestly I didn't even fathom the idea that he would be a Christian music superstar someday, but I knew his heart was in it.
In 2012, the David Crowder Band will call it quits after releasing its seventh project (the number of perfection by the way) entitled Give Us Rest or (a requiem mass in c [the happiest of all keys]). The band will definitely end on a high note and give us a collection that music lovers will not soon forget. My daughter Mauri had the opportunity recently to attend the last DCB concert at the 2012 Passion Worship Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. I have to admit I was slightly jealous.
David Crowder Band will undoubtedly go down as one the best Christian worship bands of this generation. In my opinion, their recording A Collision will also go down as one of the best recordings ever, not only in Christian music but in all music genres. I am confident it is not the last we will see of David and the members of his band, and I look forward to hearing their individual projects. I am happy that I was able to be a part of history and enjoy, along with so many others, their amazing music. I will be ordering my copy of Give Us Rest as soon as possible.
My thanks go out to David and his band for being this generation's worship band and challenging the Christian music industry to produce better music. Whether it was giving us amazing albums with unique themes and cover designs, leading youth and worship conferences, playing in Blues clubs, or leading out in worship at University Baptist Church in Waco, DCB reached millions with the Gospel while creating unique and inspired music. We are all the better for their legacy.
"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.." Eph. 5:19 (NIV)
In the fall of 1990, I was a young Youth Pastor at Redwater First Baptist Church. The church held a youth rally and I invited the youth praise band from FBC Texarkana (Moores Lane) to lead out in worship. We met in the high school cafetorium (yes, that is a word:) and they did a great job. It was the Solid Rock Band and its fearless leader was David Crowder. He looked much like he does now, minus the audacious gotee, and his music was a little rough around the edges. Nevertheless, he played the set with wholehearted joy and enthusiasm. Honestly I didn't even fathom the idea that he would be a Christian music superstar someday, but I knew his heart was in it.
In 2012, the David Crowder Band will call it quits after releasing its seventh project (the number of perfection by the way) entitled Give Us Rest or (a requiem mass in c [the happiest of all keys]). The band will definitely end on a high note and give us a collection that music lovers will not soon forget. My daughter Mauri had the opportunity recently to attend the last DCB concert at the 2012 Passion Worship Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. I have to admit I was slightly jealous.
David Crowder Band will undoubtedly go down as one the best Christian worship bands of this generation. In my opinion, their recording A Collision will also go down as one of the best recordings ever, not only in Christian music but in all music genres. I am confident it is not the last we will see of David and the members of his band, and I look forward to hearing their individual projects. I am happy that I was able to be a part of history and enjoy, along with so many others, their amazing music. I will be ordering my copy of Give Us Rest as soon as possible.
My thanks go out to David and his band for being this generation's worship band and challenging the Christian music industry to produce better music. Whether it was giving us amazing albums with unique themes and cover designs, leading youth and worship conferences, playing in Blues clubs, or leading out in worship at University Baptist Church in Waco, DCB reached millions with the Gospel while creating unique and inspired music. We are all the better for their legacy.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Power of a Goal
“Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense”~Winston Churchill
Why do people climb mountains? Or jump out of airplanes? Or run marathons? Until 4 years ago, I didn't understand the power of a goal..and I had few to follow. There was a mountain in my life that I had to climb. It was my weight. I had resigned to the fact that I would be a big, tired, unhealthy person the rest of my natural life. In the summer of 2008, I set a goal to lose 55 pounds and mapped out a plan to do it in 6 months. To meet this goal my weapon of choice was walking. At first I could barely walk half a mile without being out of breath and exhausted. By the end of the summer I could walk two miles, then three miles. I discovered bleachers to run and hills to climb and I started to believe. I also had to tell food that it had no control over me anymore. I had to stop eating for fun or pleasure or anger. I started eating to live instead of living to eat. By December of 2008, I had lost the weight. I reached the top of my mountain. Ultimately, I have learned that fitness is a constant fight and I picked up weight lifting and other types of exercise.
Goals are all around us, and we all have goals that are unique to each person. There is something empowering and electrifying about reaching that weight, climbing that pinnacle, or crossing that finish line. Goals motivate us, inspire us, and guide us to finish something that seemed insurmountable at one time. But the journey didn't end in 2008. I decided to try to maintain my success by entering a 5K in the walking division. Since then I have completed two other 5K's and 2 10K's. In February 2012, I will walk a Half Marathon. It is scary and exciting at the same time. My goal is not only the finish but to finish strong. Even though I will be a walker in a mostly runner's event, I will not give up until I cross the finish line in under 3 and 1/2 hours.
So what is your mountain? What is your obstacle? What is something you have always wanted to do? Take a chance and set a goal to acheive what you never believed to be possible. Life is a series of challenges, and we may not reach every goal we set. But that's alright. Struggle and fight and never give up.
I will be sharing more about my journey to the Half Marathon in the next few weeks including examples of my training. It's never too late to take your life back and get in shape. Get out there and get started! Oh and here's a picture of me finishing my first 5K:-)
“Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense”~Winston Churchill
Why do people climb mountains? Or jump out of airplanes? Or run marathons? Until 4 years ago, I didn't understand the power of a goal..and I had few to follow. There was a mountain in my life that I had to climb. It was my weight. I had resigned to the fact that I would be a big, tired, unhealthy person the rest of my natural life. In the summer of 2008, I set a goal to lose 55 pounds and mapped out a plan to do it in 6 months. To meet this goal my weapon of choice was walking. At first I could barely walk half a mile without being out of breath and exhausted. By the end of the summer I could walk two miles, then three miles. I discovered bleachers to run and hills to climb and I started to believe. I also had to tell food that it had no control over me anymore. I had to stop eating for fun or pleasure or anger. I started eating to live instead of living to eat. By December of 2008, I had lost the weight. I reached the top of my mountain. Ultimately, I have learned that fitness is a constant fight and I picked up weight lifting and other types of exercise.
Goals are all around us, and we all have goals that are unique to each person. There is something empowering and electrifying about reaching that weight, climbing that pinnacle, or crossing that finish line. Goals motivate us, inspire us, and guide us to finish something that seemed insurmountable at one time. But the journey didn't end in 2008. I decided to try to maintain my success by entering a 5K in the walking division. Since then I have completed two other 5K's and 2 10K's. In February 2012, I will walk a Half Marathon. It is scary and exciting at the same time. My goal is not only the finish but to finish strong. Even though I will be a walker in a mostly runner's event, I will not give up until I cross the finish line in under 3 and 1/2 hours.
So what is your mountain? What is your obstacle? What is something you have always wanted to do? Take a chance and set a goal to acheive what you never believed to be possible. Life is a series of challenges, and we may not reach every goal we set. But that's alright. Struggle and fight and never give up.
I will be sharing more about my journey to the Half Marathon in the next few weeks including examples of my training. It's never too late to take your life back and get in shape. Get out there and get started! Oh and here's a picture of me finishing my first 5K:-)
The Journey Begins
"We are not an accident--we are the legacy that we leave--the footprints and purpose of a life well-lived."
When you first decide to write a blog, a few thoughts go through your mind. Do I have anything important to say? Will anyone read it? Does it really matter if anyone reads it? What will the format be?
All I know is that I have a few things to say and I can't seem to find the right format for these thoughts. Many things have changed since I turned 40, so many that it is hard to fathom them all. Do I live in the past? Do I live a life of regrets and lost chances? Or do I move forward? Life after 40 is an adventure..but only the adventure that I make it.
I have stopped making predictions about the future and learned to embrace the present. I have learned that every day is a gift. I have learned that I am not a perfect person, but I am not the monster some portray me to be. I am a human pure and simple..with weaknesses, frailties, hopes, dreams, and illusions. I am a Christian, with all that entails. I used to understand exactly what that meant as well, but the perceptions of that life change every day as well.
In short, after 40 I have more questions than answers. But that is alright.
Since turning 40, I have lost weight and gotten in shape, went back to school to pursue my doctorate, and gone through a divorce. I have had humbling experiences and dipped into the lowest parts of my life, but in a sense I have grown stronger. I have learned that I have something to offer the world, and that I am worthy to be loved. The questions continue, and the quest for the person I seek to become. It may sound cliche, but I have learned that life is a journey and not a destination. I will never arrive, and that's alright too. But as Paul said, I "press on", which makes every day another adventure and another footprint in the sand.
"We are not an accident--we are the legacy that we leave--the footprints and purpose of a life well-lived."
When you first decide to write a blog, a few thoughts go through your mind. Do I have anything important to say? Will anyone read it? Does it really matter if anyone reads it? What will the format be?
All I know is that I have a few things to say and I can't seem to find the right format for these thoughts. Many things have changed since I turned 40, so many that it is hard to fathom them all. Do I live in the past? Do I live a life of regrets and lost chances? Or do I move forward? Life after 40 is an adventure..but only the adventure that I make it.
I have stopped making predictions about the future and learned to embrace the present. I have learned that every day is a gift. I have learned that I am not a perfect person, but I am not the monster some portray me to be. I am a human pure and simple..with weaknesses, frailties, hopes, dreams, and illusions. I am a Christian, with all that entails. I used to understand exactly what that meant as well, but the perceptions of that life change every day as well.
In short, after 40 I have more questions than answers. But that is alright.
Since turning 40, I have lost weight and gotten in shape, went back to school to pursue my doctorate, and gone through a divorce. I have had humbling experiences and dipped into the lowest parts of my life, but in a sense I have grown stronger. I have learned that I have something to offer the world, and that I am worthy to be loved. The questions continue, and the quest for the person I seek to become. It may sound cliche, but I have learned that life is a journey and not a destination. I will never arrive, and that's alright too. But as Paul said, I "press on", which makes every day another adventure and another footprint in the sand.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)