Fearless...

by Max Lucado...just bought it today and I'm sure I'll read it fast...it comes highly recommended and for someone like me, fear is something I deal with, consciously and subconsciously, every day. Here's what Max says about his new book.

We fear being sued, finishing last, going broke, the mole on the back, and the sound of the clock as it ticks us closer to the grave. Every season seems to bring fresh reasons for fear.

And it feels dreadful. Fear sucks the life out of the soul, curls us into an embryonic state, and drains us dry of contentment.

Wouldn't it be great to escape it? What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats?

According to Jesus, this is possible. The one statement He made more than any other was: "Don't be afraid." In this book, Max Lucado invites you to consider Jesus' invitation to courage.

Fear will always knock on your door. Just don't invite it in for dinner. And for heaven's sake, don't offer it a bed for the night.

The promise of Christ and the contention of these pages are simple: we can fear less tomorrow than we do today.

Sounds good to me! Here's wise words on Wednesday:

John 8

Jesus condemns all sin, but He offers the gift of forgiveness to all who confess sin.

Receiving Jesus' gift of light---we have eternal life; rejecting Him---we walk in darkness and death.

True freedom is found when you believe and act on the truth of God.

Half and Happy

A half marathon is ENOUGH for me :) Rachel and I are DEFINITELY happy halfers...

We went to the 23 mile marker to see our friend Aimee and cheer her on and I can tell you, seeing the marathoners at the 23 mile mark is not pretty. Not at all. One man was completely bent over in a 90 degree angle from cramping and still running, every other man had blood dripping from their chaffed nipples, and all of the runners faces were disfigured with pain and sheer will to finish. I knew how I was feeling only doing half their distance and it isn't a feeling I want again any time soon...maybe ever.

Last night I vacillated between running and not running today. When I went to bed last night I was not running. But when I woke up and saw Rachel getting ready I changed my mind. I wanted to get this half over with...didn't want to train or sign up for another one when I was this close to being done with it. So, Kelly dropped us off at the American Airlines at 7 and we hung out in there with the other crazies. Took off at 8 and ran Turtle Creek, so pretty, and then uphill across 75, to Greenville, down the M Streets and back, down to Katy Trail...we ran the last three miles in 24 minutes...it was downhill and we were thinking maybe we could hit the 2 hour mark...didn't make it, 2:04, but we never cared about our time...only just at the end when we thought maybe we could do it...

Brooke called me after the race to ask me if I was missing her and to tell me that she worshiped and thought about God and how much He loves her today...she went to big church with Mimi and Papa to see Erin sing in the choir...Kyle taped Erin and boy, she LOVES to be on stage...she smiled so big and sang her little heart out!

Tonight I feel yucky and ready to go to bed...hopefully redeeming a gift certificate to Bella Renova tomorrow, if I can get in!

feeling...

GREAT today :) So thankful for all the well wishes, for a quick recovery, and for my parents who took care of my girls for two days! Being sick is a REALLY nice break...despite the sore yucky throat, fever, aches, and night sweats :)

I will take pictures this weekend with Rachel!

Getting nervous :)

it's...

strep, got a shot, and in bed...and running on Sunday is not out of the question :)

I'll know in a couple of days, after I'm feeling better, if I think I can do it...don't care about my time anymore, just want to do it...slow and steady wins the race!

It's the Climb

Prepare yourself, this is a cheesy post. Not my style usually :)

So, 102.1 is the temperature of my body....thinking it's the flu :( I had little energy this morning for our run, no appetite, and by 4 pm I was running a 100...which only climbed...

speaking of climbing, good segue, here's my thoughts tonight. Miley Cyrus' song, "It's the Climb".

There's always going to be another mountain,

I'm always gonna want to make it move

always gonna be an uphill battle

sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there

ain't about what's waiting on the other side

it's the climb

and that is how I feel tonight...I'm sad I won't be able to race White Rock in Dallas with my sister this weekend, but it seriously was all about the climb...getting there...running early mornings, in the hot, in the cold, in the humid, in the dry, on the treadmill, wrestling with our children to get to the Y, arranging busy schedules, ditching the Ipods to talk instead, pacing ourselves, pushing ourselves, sucking in exhaust, up Research Forest, down Lake Woodlands...

it definitely is the climb that I'll remember :)

Brooke...

Brooke and I took a nap together just after I finished a white chocolate mocha...caffeine tolerance? I think so.

When I woke up, Brooke never fell asleep, she said:

Mom, while you were leep I was melling you, like this (sniffs my face starting at my chin all the way to my eyes) and you melled lalicious.

She cracks me up.

and she's off...

with occasional set backs...she's about 50/50...50% crab crawl, 50% walking :) I'm glad she's walking, but really loved having her on my hip...felt like she was still my baby. So no rush, Kameron, no pressure, mom is happy to carry you as long as you'd like!

here

I

come!

my snuggles...does looking at Brooke in this picture make you laugh too?

It's 2 am and I'm

sick...got in the shower and threw up. I'm thinking it's 'Mom's Tomato Basil Soup' I bought today at Kroger's or a virus. I shared some with Kyle last night, and right now he's doing fine, sleeping in a nice warm bed...me, not so much.

Watching Red Eye and typing a blog. Trying to keep my mind off the nausea. I'm just half a second away from from selling Buicks...that's what Kyle used to say in college...when you'd throw up it sounded like, "BUUUICK". So funny, almost made me laugh.

Hmm. What to do...trying my hardest not to visit the porcelain.

Maybe it's time to look at Facebook, get a blanket, some cold water, and try to figure what to do with my wet hair...

wise words...

John 6

Stepping out in obedience to Jesus is the process thru which faith grows.

Walking in faith doesn't mean a life free from storms, but trusting God in the storm.

The first step in having a satisfying life is to believe in Jesus.

Satisfaction is found in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus securely holds all those who believe in Him.

I am...

thankful.

For so much.

For my Savior and Friend, for Kyle, my children, my parents and in-laws, my sisters and brother, my family's good health, my good health (enough to run a 1/2 in a few weeks), freedom, loving friends and neighbors, a great church and awesome ABF teachers, Ms. Betty, a warm home and reliable cars, for Fox News, good healthy food, and not so healthy food, cold water, and cold pepsi in a can, sweet hugs and kisses from my girls, unsolicited 'I love you' from Brooke, creative artwork from Erin, and steps taken by Kameron...

overwhelming thankful that God is here, with me, always, until the end of the age.

this is where...

we've been :) The best Market in the Junior League history and chaired by my sister Rachel :) She blew attendance, fundraising, and morale out of the water!!

ticket booth in the front of the convention center at the Marriott on the Waterway...

the closers (except Amber)...so many, many dedicated and hard working ladies make this show successful!!!

Okay, so wise words...I know you missed that!

John 4

Jesus Meets Our Needs

The greatest need in a life of a believer is to know and do the will of God.

Each one needs to know Jesus first hand, not second hand.

Faith is the will to act in a positive way despite uncertain feelings...faith is not how you feel, it's what you do.

Jesus knows our greatest need is to believe His Word, not just His works.

I love animals...

particularly dogs, more specifically pugs :) We lost Ginger, our pug, three years ago and it was tragic and it hurt bad.

But I love children more...

Every time I see the the Humane Society commercial to 'stop animal cruelty', which is terrible, sad, and should be stopped, I cannot help but be infuriated. Where is the commercial to 'stop killing babies'? The pictures of the dogs, cats, horses, and cows being mistreated and abused could so easily be replaced with the hundreds of babies that deserve a chance at life. The captions could all be the same too...just read the list below and tell me that each baby in their mother's womb isn't saying the exact same thing...

What did I do wrong?

Why did they hurt me?

Why did they abandon me?

Will I die today?

The narrator goes on to say that thousands of animals a day are tortured, neglected and even killed. She also says, they can't speak up for themselves, but you can, you can make a difference between life and death, and if these animals could talk they would say they desperately need you to save them right now...all so true for the unborn baby.

The Silent Scream, is a website and a book written by a doctor who aborted 65,000 babies until he saw it on ultrasound. The baby, at 11 weeks, would move from the probe entering the mother's uterus, and literally would open her mouth, to cry, when she was ripped from her mother's womb. Just so you know, at 11 weeks, her heart is beating, she has brain waves, she can squint, swallow, and can make a fist, she has fingerprints and can kick, she is sensitive to heat, touch, light and noise, she sucks her thumb, all her body systems are working, and she could fit comfortably in the palm of your hand.

The last question on the commercial is this and it is so true for the baby too...

Won't you help me?

The humane society rescues hundreds of animals a year, and so does the 40 Days for Life...this fall 450 women changed their minds because of the silent peaceful prayers around the gates of Planned Parenthood. We will begin again in the Spring, for 40 days, and you are invited!!