Lessons From a Run

Today is Amy's eighth birthday. She's still asleep this morning, but I have exciting news for her!

I also have a few lessons learned.

As some know, I am running my first 5k in a couple weeks. My intent is to run it in under 30 minutes! This would be awesome for me!

Before a couple weeks ago it had been years and years since I'd been out running -- pretty sure the last time was in 2003 -- that's twelve years ago!

In my recent running efforts, the most I'd run is about 2.8k. What is that, about a mile and a half?

This morning as I went out, I decided with confidence that I'd run 3k. I had complete confidence I could do it, even if I ran slow.

As I began running, I began toying with the idea of running my first ever, uninterrupted 5k. After all, the race is coming up quick! "We'll see," I thought.

As I ran, I got more and more desirous to do it! And yes, I absolutely believe it was inspiration working in me.

It wasn't long when I decided I would. I was tempted at one point to cut it at four, but then I thought of it being Amy's birthday and thought, how cool would it be to run my first 5k on her eighth birthday! (Eighth is not a word I naturally type with correct spelling, by the way! Sheesh! Silly English!)

A little after the 2k mark, I remembered a recent video of Kris Krohn training and feeding awesome positive thoughts into Gary Norris. These are two friends who both inspire me regularly, and this morning was no different!

I began feeding my own thoughts with awesomeness like "my body was made to run," "one of my gifts from God is a body built for great running," etc. I thought of my inspiring and ever-positive friend Kevin Clayson who has impressed upon me the power of expressing gratitude! I began to express that gratitude for my body, for the chance to be running in that very moment, and more.

Running around a half mile track, half the run was into a slight breeze. My natural impulse was to feel slowed by this breeze, but my thoughts were too strong. I began welcoming the breeze and thanking it for bringing air to fill my lungs, for bringing refreshment to what otherwise would be stale, etc.

I began thinking of flow and speaking to my mind of the strength and wholeness of my heart and lungs, that my blood flows freely through my veins and brings life and vitality to my body. That air flows through my lungs, that energy, life, money, and emotion flow through me abundantly.

I regularly thought of Amy and her birthday and how cool it was that I was reaching this goal on her eighth birthday!

And I made it! I did it! I ran my first ever full, uninterrupted 5 kilometers this morning!

After breathing hard and walking a few steps, I felt SO excited! Was it in my mind or was it out loud that I said: "I did it Amy! I did it!"

The idea came of posting this on Facebook with pride for my achievement (which I will with a link to this blog post)! I felt so good! Then the thought creeped in: "posting it on Facebook? It's kind of pathetic really, this is your first 5k? You probably were really slow anyway. ...sure you want to do that?" And my excitement and joy faded a bit.

But I caught it. Can we see here how comparison murders joy? I remembered this truth and rejoiced again in my pride of accomplishment! It is life and joy for me!

I'm so excited to tell Amy when she awakes! I don't expect a lot of reaction from her, but I'm excited to tell her nonetheless!

When I made it in the house, after walking around and breathing hard outside a bit, I looked at the app on my phone that tracked everything.

I saw the total time and felt a bit confused.

Previous runs often averaged around 6 minutes per kilometer. I figured with a run as long as this, I probably averaged around 7 minutes. My time was 29:20!

Say wha?

k1: 6:24 -- kind of what I'd expect
k2: 6:04 -- oh wow, I went a littler faster on that one, cool!
k3: 5:56 -- ...huh?
k4: 5:34 -- What the? How on earth?
k5: 5:21 -- A full minute faster than my first one??

This baffled me!

How could I have gone faster on these later ones? Isn't that completely backwards?!

My left brain didn't get it, and then I realized -- it was my self talk.

It wasn't just my self talk though, it was my belief in my self talk. I was choosing in, believing all that I told myself.

You see, no one is born a winner or a loser, we're born choosers.

What we believe affects what we create. Why? Because you will act as though what you believe is true regardless of its validity! We are living, breathing, self-fulfilling prophecies.

We choose what we tell ourselves and we choose what we believe.

I choose to believe. I choose to live!

An Observation of Reaction to Dissent

There are no inherently wicked people, only wicked ideas and people who promote and/or follow them. (And thus, we are all wicked to some degree.)

One of these wicked ideas is that when there is disagreement, the opposition must be wicked.

Another is that we must destroy wicked people.

Put these together and we see why the wicked shun, pursue, and hunt dissenters.

One better idea is that, when there is disagreement, those who oppose our view are people with hopes and dreams and worth just like us. Even if they are promoting wicked and evil idea, they are still people -- children of God.

Another better idea is that we love and care for the well being of those who pursue wickedness.

Put these together and we see why the righteous feel sorrow for the loss of dissenters.

Lest I be misunderstood, I am not making commentary about when war is appropriate. I am simply seeing understanding between the frequent reactions I see played out in scripture.

Choosing to Believe, Another Angle

"Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them." (Alma 33:20)

When I read this I generally think: "Really? I mean really? That's ridiculous! This is so sad to me!"

And then I wondered... how often am I not willing to look because I do not believe.

Verse 21 continues: "if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?"

How often is this me? How often do I simply not want to believe because it sounds like work? How often do I not want to change myself, who I am, what I believe about myself because I don't feel like it?

How often will I not be healed because I don't believe?

I choose to live!

Believing is a choice!

I choose to believe!

And when I falter, I choose to believe that He helps my unbelief.

Choosing to Believe

There was a change of schedule. I had a week's notice to put something together, which is far less than my preference. A month would be nice, a week? Stress.

The evening arrives. The night before I practiced my presentation with my family. It was a perfect presentation... for young children. It was not at all appropriate for my adult audience.

Walking down the stairs leaving my day job I feel weight on my shoulders. I know the content, but can I present it in a way that provides value, that's interesting, that is useful and helpful? I've had a few loose ideas about how to change it for an adult audience, but it's rather scattered. I begin reviewing it again as I get to the bottom of the stairs. My mind scatters around ideas as I traverse the hallway to the side door near where I parked the car.

As I push open the door and step outside a light, lovely rain greets y skin and a gust of refreshing wind -- you know, the kind that smells like heaven -- shatters my thoughts into a lovely calm. I look up to give thanks and feel a warmth in my heart.

I remember a recent realization -- God is fully engaged in supporting my life. I am the one lost sheep of the ninety and nine. He is dedicated to me. (John 4:19)

I take confidence in this belief. I choose it. By so doing, my way of being regarding this evening has shifted. I have become consciously aware for myself that it is believing, in this case, that will make the difference.

Yes, I still have a presentation to give, and yes, I still have last minute preparations to do. However, it is the believing, the trusting, that will make success of those efforts.

Doubts try to creep in as the evening progresses -- while I seek some details of information, while I print out my content, while I realize after printing I want to have a little more something at hand so I have to write it onto my paper -- but through all these activities I push out those doubts by choosing to trust, by choosing to believe.

I look back after the presentation concludes. I didn't know exactly the course it would take, but I'm very pleased with it. Feedback tells me it provided significant value at least for some.

I feel so grateful.

Yesterday was my turn to speak at Weekly Whys.

I loved it!

I'm so glad I did!

Who did Christ live for?

We regularly hear that Christ died for us, and that even if there had be just one of us, He would have suffered the whole, infinite Atonement just for you or me. I believe that to be true... and I have another question:

Who did Christ live for?

Might I suggest that He lived the gift of His life for Himself? I believe He also lived for Himself -- for the purpose, meaning, and mission that was His.

How could I say that? I mean, didn't He give His life to all of us?

Let's consider a change to that common comment -- instead of asking: "if there was only me, would He still have done it?" might we consider the question: "if He were to know that no one would choose Him, would He still have done it?"

I believe yes. It was His mission. I believe that Jesus lived first and foremost for Himself and that only by so doing could He also live for us!

By living for Himself, He thus lived for His Father and also for us.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Could it be that laying down your life doesn't mean dying for them? Could it mean you live your life mission and that only by so doing can you truly give your life to others?

He is our Exemplar. He lives!

Who are you living for?