I’ve been on a blogging hiatus due to all of the transition going on in our lives. And, I’m not ready to jump back into regular posting quite yet. With so much swirling around our lives in this time of transition, I’ve determined to not get overwhelmed. So, I’m doing “focus triage,” and committing myself to a short list of endeavors I can give my attention to in these days, without compromising spiritual, emotional or physical health.

Here’s what’s been going on…

I have taken the job at Pulpit Rock Church (PRC) in Colorado Springs as full-time “Pastor of Worship Arts.” We are very happy about this outcome, though it has been a lengthy journey. Looking forward to settling in here and getting busy.

Meanwhile, we are splitting time between Westcliffe (where the kids are finishing this year of school) and the Springs.

Speaking of school and kids, we’ll be looking at various options for what each of them might be doing next Fall in the Springs, including some ideas that are somewhat “out of the box” for at least one of them. And, our eldest is headed to CalArts in the Fall.

We have found a house in the Springs, and are scheduled to close this Friday. I’ll be doing some work on the house over the next couple of months, until school is done in Westcliffe and we all finally, officially make the move.

Needless to say, we are looking forward to finally getting settled in the Springs. We love the house (built in 1909), and we love it’s location (on the northern edge of downtown Springs, just south of the Colorado College campus).

It has a nice front porch (see picture).

This is also Holy Week, which I don’t want to neglect in spite of so many potential distractions. We’re closing on our house on Good Friday, for crying out loud!

This year at PRC, we are having a Good Friday service, which I think is going to be wonderful. It will be a Tenebrae style service. Simple, but powerful. I look forward to a more robust approach to Lent and Holy Week next year at PRC. But, for this year, we’re keeping things minimal (see first paragraph above).

More regular blogging will return… at some point…

Until then… the peace of Christ be with you all!

I got my new kicks on Saturday and ran in them for the first time on Monday (10K). I’m switching over to the metric system, by the way, so that I don’t sound quite so much like the running noob that I am. Plus, 10K is shorter than 10 miles, but still sounds impressive.

I ran about 2K on Tuesday and Wednesday, along with some walking and weights, and took the day off completely today.

I figure I haven’t really broken these bad boys in yet, but they are already a significant improvement over the shoes I’ve had.

The guy at Runner’s Roost in downtown Springs was really helpful. He picked out several options for me, and we settled on the Brooks Ghost 4. I was hoping for something with a bit more flash. But, these definitely feel good. And, it really is better to feel good than to look good, right?

Sigh.

We talked about any number of other things like nutrition and hydration and joints and muscles, etc… But, the best news I got from him was what to consume after the run. We talked about everything from chocolate milk to various shakes and products and powders.

I said, “You had me at chocolate milk.”

“That’s the best anyway,” he said. “With a banana.”

Sold.

He also has a british accent that makes anything he says sound like absolute truth. And he has salt-and-pepper grey hair with a subtle fauxhawk. Yeah… I was man crushing. Just a little.

We also talked about socks. I hadn’t thought about it too much, but he said the next thing I should do is get better socks. Evidently my “bag-o’-socks” cotton, cheapsters from Walmart are not ideal for running. Who knew.

Well, clearly this discussion planted a seed in my brain because on Monday, for the first time, I was suddenly aware, in the mists of the 10K, that my feet were like clammy little furnaces. Like, you could have cooked a little cupcake in my shoes. Like little Easy Bake Ovens.

Got new socks on Tuesday.

I’ve also become acutely aware, while I am running, that I am carrying a tub of lard in front of me, bouncing up and down as I run. It’s starting to get annoying.

One more thing. I ended my 2K on Wednesday with a full-on 400 meter sprint. I think I need to do more of this. It seemed significant. And, hard to do on that little track in the Horn Creek Rec Center. I did almost throw up. And, do any of you ever have mild hallucinations when running? Yeah… uh… me neither.

Anywhoo…

Back to the crack… I mean, track… in the morning.

Cheers!

I wrote about our plans for last Sunday at PRC in my previous post.

The theme of the day, related to the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven in Matthew 13.31-33, was the kingdom of heaven/God being like something that starts in a way that seems small and insignificant, but grows into something big and all-encompassing.

In his sermon, Thomas showed a video of a surfer catching a wave. At first it looked like no big deal, but as the camera panned back you began to realize that this dude was riding a wave that was building into something enormous. And he did it. He came out standing.

So this is the type of idea we were trying to capture in worship. Read the previous post to see what we did.

We took the subtle route and didn’t tell anyone what we were doing. My thought was that some would catch-on and appreciate what we did. But, that most would not, and my hope was that that would be even better. That there would be a deep, but subtle, reinforcement of what we were communicating without the distraction of recognizing the mechanics of what we were doing.

I guess we’ll never know how to quantify that. But I can say this – It was a great morning of worship. And in that, I am also thankful for the fine team of musicians and leaders at PRC that fully immersed themselves into what we were doing.

So, I’m considering the entire effort a grand success.

By the way, in my last post, I said that we ended the service with Hillsong’s The Stand, “just because.” Well, of course, it wasn’t “just because.” And it was a perfect way to end this very deep and powerful service.

In light of the idea that the kingdom springs from the life and work of the One, and that Jesus is the energy behind our journey with God and life in Him, consider these words that we ended the service singing…

You stood before creation
Eternity in your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
And carried the cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what could I say?
And what could I do?
But offer this heart, Oh God
Completely to You

So I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
I’ll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is yours

So what could I say?
And what could I do?
But offer this heart, Oh God
Completely to You

And it occurred to me in considering all of these things, and even in singing this song, that standing doesn’t necessarily mean the absence of motion or change. Like a surfer standing on a board, or a sail fixed firmly to the mast, sometimes movement requires standing in the right place.

I want to be in that place.

Cheers!

We’re still in Matthew 13 at PRC. This week, the kingdom of heaven, or journey with God, is like… a mustard seed and leaven. It is like something very, very small that grows into something very, very big. It is organic. It is progressive. It is expanding. It is advancing. It is taking over. It’s like a little part that gets worked into the whole until nothing remains untouched and unchanged. It is transformational.

Matthew 13.31-33

31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

33 He told them another parable.  “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

Pretty cool. Thinking creatively about this idea yielded the possibility of an approach to worship on Sunday that would model this dynamic.

The product would be a flow of worship that would be somewhat of an inversion of the typical model.

A lively facebook discussion ensued. And, this is what we came up with…

We will begin with Holy, Holy, Holy (piano and unison vocal only, just verses 1 and 3… verse 3 being the “though the darkness hide Thee” verse… Jeni’s excellent idea!) No call to worship before the song, only perhaps a subtle lighting cue to help mark the start of the service. White words on a black background. Small, simple, monolithic.

Next we will weave in and out of This Is My Father’s World and All Creatures of Our God and King, along with a reading of Matthew 13.31-32, subtly setting an earthy, organic tone to compliment the seed/growth/leaven metaphor. We will sing of the music of the spheres, the morning light, the lily white, and the rushing wind that art so strong.

The sonic texture will progress in complexity with the band and vocalists.

We’ll read the Lord’s Prayer, which speaks of God’s kingdom being done here on earth, as it is in heaven.

Then, we’ll sing, with full instrumentation, From the Inside Out, further connecting to the idea of something that begins inwardly, but expands outward. Transformation from within.

The final build will be into Revelation Song and then back to Holy, Holy, Holy, verses 2 and 4. All the while the visual imagery will also be growing in fullness and complexity.

Clearly, hopefully, the feel of the last two verses of Holy, Holy, Holy will be noticeably different than the two at the start. And yet I like the idea that while this whole set is meant to express the idea of forward movement, growth, and outward expansion, there is also a circular aspect. We will have progressed from very small to very big, while at the same time coming full circle.

Oh… and we’ll close the service, later, after the sermon, with The Stand. Just because.

I’ll blog about how it went next week.

Cheers!

Because inquiring minds want to know.

The new playlist has a “running” (hah) time of 2 hours, 2 minutes and 2 seconds. 26 songs total. So, I can start it with my warm-up laps (brisk walking) and then run at least 10 miles before it starts to repeat. Wednesday it started over in the middle of my post-run stretching. A recap of Mumford’s The Cave isn’t a bad way to wrap up the morning.

My philosophy for building the list is as follows. I need songs that have one or more of the following qualities…

- lyrics that engage my brain

- music/lyrics that touch move my heart/touch my soul

- high energy

- worshipful

There are numerous songs in the list that are not high energy. But, other than that, most of these tunes have some measure of all of these qualities. I try to mix things up so that I get the energetic moments spread out amongst the stretches of contemplation.

Those that know me well may wonder. Where’s the Radiohead? What about Delirious, Sigur Ros, Toad the Wet Sprocket or Ray LaMontagne? I don’t have an explanation. Maybe at some subconscious level I am saving these for a future list. The half-marathon list perhaps?

At any rate, I call this playlist, “Running 1.”

I know. Pretty creative.

Here it is…

The Cave – Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More

Raise My Voice – Robbie Seay Band – Rich & Poor

The Setting Sun – Switchfoot – Nothing Is Sound

Delicate – Damien Rice – O

Golden – Switchfoot – Nothing Is Sound

Cannonball – Damien Rice – O

You Never Let Go – Matt Redman – Beautiful News

Take It from Me - The Weepies – Say I Am You

The Stand – Hillsong – United We Stand

From the Inside Out - Hillsong – United We Stand

On Fire – Switchfoot – The Beautiful Letdown

Weight of the World – Chantal Kreviazuk – What If It All Means Something

Your Love Is Strong – Robbie Seay Band – Miracle

The Blower’s Daughter – Damien Rice – O

Holy – Matt Redman – 10,000 Reasons

Poison & Wine – The Civil Wars – Poison & Wine

Big Strong Girl - Deb Talan – A Bird Flies Out

Leaving On A Jet Plane – Chantal Kreviazuk – Armageddon

Lead Me to the Cross – Hillsong – All of the Above

Let Go – Frou Frou (Imogen Heap) – Details

Time – Chantal Kreviazuk – What If It All Means Something

More Than Fine - Switchfoot – The Beautiful Letdown

I Was Made for Sunny Days – The Weepies – Be My Thrill 2010

Hard Sun – Eddie Vedder – Into the Wild (Music for the Motion Picture)

Hosanna – Hillsong – All of the Above

Christ Is Risen – Matt Maher – Alive Again

There are great moments sprinkled throughout this list that hit me at just the right time, like when it finally comes to the big, octave-up chorus in From the Inside Out. When this climactic moment hits I will admit that I am lifting hands and pointing into the air like it’s Tebow Time. Then I cry for about the next quarter mile…

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades!

Or, from The Civil Wars…

I wish you’d hold me when I turn my back
The less I give the more I get back
Oh your hands can heal, your hands can bruise
I don’t have a choice but I still choose you

Oh I don’t love you but I always will…

Matt Redman’s Holy…

Your name alone has power to raise us
Your light will shine when all else fades
Our eyes will look on Your glorious face
Shining like the sun
Who is like You, God?

These are the types of moments that move me deeply, and Damien Rice or Eddie Vedder prove to be able to take me to worship just as well as Hillsong. Or, perhaps it is the juxtaposition that creates that magic.

How did people run before iPods anyway?

I’ve been off the last two days recuperating from Wednesday’s 10 miler, but I’ll be back on the track in the morning, rocking this playlist once again. And, I’m hoping to get some new running shoes tomorrow. Monday will, theoretically, be my first run with the new kicks! I’m sure I’ll blog about that.

Meanwhile… don’t forget to feed the Bloguss Fish.

Cheers!

No run or workout yesterday. I spend most of the day on Tuesdays in the Springs anyway. So, I took a full rest day, looking forward to today’s run.

This morning, I was back on the track at 7 AM with fresh legs and a fresh 2 hour long playlist.

2 hours, 10 miles, a steady pace, a better water bottle, and no bathroom break. Perfect.

10 miles!

In the words of saints and angels (along with Leonard Cohen, Rufus Wainwright, and Jeff Buckley)… Hallelujah!!!

This is the first run I’ve had where I was really feeling it in the joints and muscles at the end. My heart was good to keep going, but I knew it was time to stop. It reminded me of riding the MS150 a few years ago. In that case it wasn’t my legs or heart giving out at the end as much as my shoulders and elbows and wrists. Two days is just a long time to be on a bike, especially with commuter style handlebars. Yeah, I know. Seriously.

But, today’s run was great. I’d love to start getting the time down. Nearly 2 hours for 10 miles seems a bit on the slow side, but that’s where I am right now.

The euphoric experience of slipping into the zone in mile 3 was not nearly as dramatic today. The law of diminishing returns? I wondered. There was a shift, but unlike previous runs it seemed more like I was entering into a rhythm that alternated between challenge and relative ease about every half mile. Around mile 7, I finally got that “runner’s high.” It was great. This stuff is like crack. Well… as far as I know.

That sustained me for the remainder of the run, until I started to feel the previously mentioned joint and muscle fatigue in the last mile.

I am not going to run for the next two days. I’ll do some walking and upper body work, and then hit the track again on Saturday.

Meanwhile, I have determined 2 things I need to do…

1. Get new shoes. My Nike Fusions aren’t bad, but they still lack the arch support I need for these kinds of distances. I am 6 feet tall, weigh over 200 pounds, and I wear a 9-1/2 shoe (small for a dude my size). I also have arches that you could drive a mid-size pick-up through.

Basically, I have the feet of a fairy princess.

They’re precious – but, not great on long walks, hikes or runs without the proper support. This was never an issue on the bike.

At any rate, I don’t need glass slippers, I need to find a place in the Springs that can actually get me fitted with a running shoe that has just the right amount of support.

2. Lose about 30 pounds. No explanation needed. And, I really don’t want to talk about it. But, it’s got to happen. I’m sure this is the biggest key to getting my pace up.

That’s the update on the new hobby/obsession.

Cheers!

Pulpit Rock Church (PRC) in Colorado Springs has begun the new year with a series titled “The Journey With God Is Like…” This is an introductory series to a year long, over-arching journey in the parables of Christ. Thomas, the pastor, is using journey language for kingdom language throughout the series. So, in Matthew 13, Jesus’ phrase, “The kingdom of heaven is like…,” becomes, “The journey with God is like… .”

As Interim Worship Pastor at PRC, this idea has provided much grist for the creative mill. It is not as if we are abandoning the term kingdom altogether. We’re still using it as well, but the journey language is helpful for a number of reasons.

For one thing, we Yanks have issues with the idea of kingdom. Most of us have never experienced what it is like to be in one. Furthermore, what we do know about them from our history books is generally cast in a negative light. And, yet, our current form of government is no substitute for the concept of the reign of God.

“The Democratic Republic of God is Like…” simply will not work!

Does “Journey With God” work? It’s not a perfect substitution to be sure. But, I do think it works.

I like the fact that the word journey implies movement. It suggests that life with God is not static. It is more than just a place of being, or a place to get to. It is both now and in the future and everything in between. This is powerful. And it’s not just about a governmental system of authority. It is about walking with Someone.

Here’s a small slice of what the creative process has been like, thinking through this concept…

We thought of paths, maps, dusty roads and mountain passes, guidebooks and guides, signposts, perils and companions, the fear of getting lost, the refreshment of a helping hand, the need for provisions and fuel, etc…

I thought of the line, “Jesus, be my vision, be my path, be my guide…” from the classic Michael Frye worship song, Be the Centre. This was an especially good fit Sunday before last as we were discussing the seed that fell upon the different paths from Matthew 13.

I thought of the great hymn, Be Thou My Vision.

I also thought of that great line from the bridge of Hillsong’s Hosanna, “Everything I am for Your kingdom’s cause, as I walk on* earth into eternity.”

*I’ve always changed the original word “from” to “on” here. A subtly different emphasis with theological implications. Ask me about it if you’re interested.

It also struck me that the “Our Father,” or Lord’s Prayer is a great fit for this theme. Not only does this “prayer that Jesus taught us” represent a great companion for the journey, it also asks explicitly that the kingdom, or “reign of God,” would be present and real in this place now. Not just in some heavenly future, or alternate reality, but here on earth. 

And so we’re learning songs like Matt Maher’s As It Is In Heaven and Jon Foreman’s Your Love Is Strong.

Your Love Is Strong is especially interesting as it not only quotes the Lord’s Prayer, but also speaks of “the kingdom of the heavens now advancing,” and being “buried treasure.” So, there are multiple connections.

Since Your Love Is Strong was new to PRC, this past Sunday we rolled right out of it into Matt Redman’s Blessed Be Your Name, which worked brilliantly since it has the same feel and only a slight change in chord pattern. That allowed us to move right into a song the community new well. Then we went to Wonderful Cross, using an arrangement reflective of the version from the Robbie Seay Band’s 10,000 Charms album. Again, going for familiarity, but also a great tie-in to the message.

We were in Matthew 13 discussing the parable of the wheat and the tares, so we also read Romans 8.18-25 as a companion passage in the context of the worship set. The Romans 8 passage really brought together the themes of present suffering, future glory, the revealing of the children of God and the hope that we have. This pulled everything together.

We ended the service with You Are So Good To Me and Amazing Grace, moving back and forth between those two songs.

This is all a great example of nurturing the seed of an idea and letting it sprout into multiple directions and connections using all the creative means at hand, including, but not limited to, scripture and music. A pastor who really gets this, as Thomas does, will then go back the other direction, weaving ideas and phrases from the music and/or other arts elements back into the message. Add the integration of visuals, experiential elements, communications and ministry opportunities in the community, and you start to realize a holistic approach to proclamation and practice that is powerfully formational. It also makes for some great worship.

At any rate, the seed metaphor is fitting given our topic for this coming Sunday. “The Journey With God is Like… a mustard seed.”

Well… so is the creative process.

Cheers!

When I spun bloguss back up a few months ago, it was my intention that this time Amanda would join me in creating posts. Not that she would post as often as I would – she’s the one who has a real job right now, after all, so you have to realize her time is limited. Smile.

But, back when I was posting regularly on the first iteration of bloguss, she was also posting on a separate blog. She had lots of great things to share about life and family and being a mom and more.

That was back when we had 5 kids. Now we have 6, with multiple teenagers in the house and one headed to college this year. Maybe here. Or here.

I know, I know… aren’t you guys a little young to have a kid about to go to college?

In the words of Phineas Flynn, “Why, yes. Yes we are.”

(If you aren’t familiar with one of the finest kid’s shows ever produced, Check it out. It’s brilliant. I don’t care how old you are.)

Anyway, I’m just thinking it’s time for Amanda to do some blogging again.

Incidentally, the picture is from the airport in Seattle last year, on our way back to Colorado after attending two great conferences in Seattle and Portland. We had a great time especially at Q. It reminded me of so many of the great, mind expanding, conference experiences that I used to enjoy when I was hanging out with my fellow leaders and friends at Irving Bible Church.

But, I realized that Amanda and I had never been to a conference like this together. Listening and discussing these types of stimulating ideas with her was good. Very good.

In some ways that trip marks the beginning of our current journey. And, we’re in it together.

So, I think my best friend, and very favorite person in the whole world, should start writing again.

The world awaits.

I appreciate everyone’s feedback on my new running adventure. It’s been great to get so many messages via facebook, email and texts. I’ve received lots of great encouragement and advice. I’ve even heard from several acquaintances that I hadn’t connected with in years.

So you’ve been facebook stalking me all this time. Nice.

Without a doubt, the most common, and most helpful, message I’ve heard is to slow it down a bit. I’ve been treated to numerous sad stories of shins and calves and knees and arches.

OK. I get it. I hear you.

I ran 5 miles on Friday and 7 miles on Saturday. Yesterday I took a day off, and had originally planned to run 10 miles this morning. But, after reflecting on the advice of so many, I determined to run only 5 miles today, and stick with that for at least the next week.

I ended up running 7 miles this morning.

Here’s the story. Today was my roughest start so far. Clearly my 7 mile run on Saturday occurred before the full effects of the 5 miler on Friday had kicked in. It was sort of a “freebie,” if you will. But, this morning, I was feeling the effects of my two earlier runs. I know this is true, because my struggle has always been more cardiovascular. But, this morning, it was my calf muscles giving me the challenge. I decided to keep going and see what would happen, wondering if I might even cut today’s run down to 3 miles.

Instead, right on schedule, the calf sensitivity melted away along with everything else at about mile 3. So I kept going. At 5 miles, things just felt too good to stop. So, I went to 7. No sprinting this morning, I kept my steady pace right to the end, and sure enough, I felt like I could easily have kept going for a few more miles. And I really wanted to. But, I am taking everyone’s advice to heart. And, I needed to get home and take care of Lily so Amanda could make a run (not literally, she took the car) to Pueblo this morning.

Carolyn, you’re right. Long distance running is a drug. No question about it. Hopefully it will remain every bit as legal in Colorado as certain other options.

One more matter.

It doesn’t seem to matter what I do, somewhere within the first 2 miles, I need to go. You know what I mean? I need to go. I’m thinking the body should suppress this urge under the circumstances, and maybe it does after a while. But, I find it very distracting to the early part of my run when I’m trying to get in the zone as quickly as I can. It’s such a mental thing at this stage. I’m running these early laps, and with every pass I can see the door to the Rec Center restrooms downstairs, calling to me.

Sheesh.

It’s so frustrating. The last thing I want to do at this stage of the game is stop. But the discomfort is too much of a distraction. So, at some point, I peel off from the track, run down the stairs and across the gym to the bathroom – all the while keeping pace. Once there, I try to keep my legs moving. Sorry for the mental picture, but just let me say that evidently the body is not meant to work like this. It’s like, “Oh, we’re still moving? Batten the hatches!”

I can report that it is possible, though it requires no small amount of mental effort. I never knew that running was so much of a mind game. Once my work there is done, I run back across the gym floor, up the stairs, and right back onto the track.

I don’t know how to account for any of this in my mileage, so I just pretend like it never happened. Which, at any rate, is probably for the best.

Cheers!

I know. From this title, you are expecting some deep metaphorical content related to life and spirituality.

False.

This post is about running. Literally.

I’ve decided that I want to do some serious cycling and hiking this summer. I admit that I’m still picturing Colorado in my head as I envision this future hope. But, wherever I actually am come June, I don’t want to spend half the summer just getting into shape. I need to start the journey now.

With that goal in mind I started a new work-out regiment. My first day was Monday, December 27. Since that time, most days, I’ve spend about an hour working out. Nothing terribly intense. A mix of interval running/walking mixed in with some light to moderate weight training.

I’ve aways been a terrible runner. I can hike all day long at a moderate pace. In college I used to ride my bike 100+ miles a weekend. I rode the MS 150 in Dallas just a few years ago. But, I’ve always been terrible at running. It’s never been a leg/muscle issue for me. It’s always been a heart and lung thing. I get about a quarter mile and my heart and head say, “Well, surely that’s about enough of that!” I guess you could say it’s always been a head and heart thing.

That’s what makes yesterday so peculiar. I got up to the Horn Creek Rec Center yesterday morning per my new routine, and I decided to just hit the track running. No warm-up walk. I didn’t even stretch first (I usually do).

Now, there are certain types of music and groups I tend to listen to when I’m working out. Lately: Switchfoot, Imogen Heap, Linkin Park, Lady Gaga, Yes, Mr. Mister. Not my regular fare to be sure (I wax nostalgic when my heart rate is up). But, I had just made a new playlist of worship songs – things I want to start doing at PRC. It’s a mix of great worship songs, many of which they have not been familiar with before.

Yesterday, I decided to start that mix at the beginning (14 songs total), and just start running. And that’s when it happened.

I ran 5 miles.

Non-stop.

I know that would be no big deal for a lot of you, and may even seem somewhat comical. But, for me it really is remarkable, almost to the point of being weird. Like, where did this come from? I’m quite confident that I’ve never run even two miles non-stop in my entire life.

My pace was moderate to say the least. It took most of my PRC playlist to get that far. Over an hour. In case you are wondering, a mix of songs from: Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Matt Maher, Robbie Seay Band and Hillsong. I’m going to write a separate post about this music and some of its effects on me during the run.

After yesterday’s, surreal 5-mile event, I was scared. What would happen today? Would it be the same, or back to status quo? A quarter-mile in would my body be screaming at me that that thing that happened yesterday was a fluke – a really bad idea?

Nope.

This morning’s start was a little rough. It was a bit of a mental game dealing with my fear of failing to repeat yesterday’s milestone. But, once I got over that (it took about 2 miles), I started to settle in. And then, at about the 3 mile mark I hit the zone. This is the place where I stop thinking about running, and start to think about other things, enjoy the music, worship. It’s at this point that I start to feel like I could do this all day long.

I ran 7 miles today.

I ran hard the last quarter mile which definitely put a period on things. I was done after that. But, I think that had I kept my regular pace (which I figured out today was varying between 10 and 12 minutes per mile), I could have gone another few miles pretty easily.

This is new ground for me. A totally new experience. This is like the most exciting and powerful physical experience I’ve discovered since sex. Mark Driscoll told me it was Ok to say that.

What does it all mean? Like, thank you, Jesus… but what the crap!? Mark Driscoll said it was OK for me to say “crap” too.

I’m not sure, but I’m excited about it. I’ll be off tomorrow (Sunday), but I’m going for 10 miles on Monday. Huzzah!

Oh… I also discovered it’s a really good idea to pee right before you start your run (more on that in a future post).

And, I need to take one of my biking water bottles. The wide mouth Nalgene is a sloppy mess when you are determined not to stop.

I crave advice and encouragement.

Cheers!