A runner's story

You learn a whole lot about yourself as a runner.....

Running in itself isn't just one foot in front of the other, or some mindless sport. Running is like a waffle, it has many different compartments. Each little square of it makes up a delicious treat.

Running brings out the best in me and the worst in me. But all in all, with God by my side, running along with me (when I invite him of course), God is using my running to change, shape and challenge me. I never would have dreamed in a million years that I would be doing what I do today. I read in a book once that when you take your first few steps as a runner, you really have no idea how historical those first steps really are until you have traveled some distance and look back at where you started.

Running for me can be defined as an outlet for many things. I run off steam if I'm stressed or upset. Or if I need some quiet time to just let my mind wander around and process my day, my feet will just go into auto pilot and my mind is able to destress. Sometimes I run with good intentions and sometimes not. As I get better and a bit faster, I am facing the challenge of the competitive nature that I didn't know I had! All of a sudden, I'm racing myself, to beat myself from the last run. I find myself more and more pushing the limits to see if I can go farther and go faster. The burn in my lungs that I get after a sprint has become a feeling that I love. Or the burn in my legs. I have to admit that the first time I finished my 5 km goal, I didn't even care that much. I was already thinking about the next course I wanted to conquer!

Human nature is so typical. The sinful part of us wants to live apart from God and be it's own god... the age old challenge....for me, it's a new challenge, only in a very different form that I'm not use to. I guess that's the way it goes no matter what journey God has you on. It's always a matter of making Him Lord over what you do.

I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT that He called me to be a runner. He placed this desire in me since I was a little girl. My one reoccuring dream that I used to have (and still do) is...me running endlessly....running without getting tired....without fainting..... Whenever we sing any song that refers to Isaiah 41 about those that wait on the Lord will run for miles and never get tired......MY SPIRIT wants to BURST!!!!! This is such a passion God has placed in me.

One of my dear mentors and spiritual mothers talked with me the other night. I told her, "I am such a different person, I don't even reconize myself!" She encouraged me and told me that God was going to use ALL OF IT. That through running, God will use the challenges to mold me on the potters wheel.....and that is my prayer.

So I run on. step after step. My running is a physical picture of a spiritual truth. It's about facing your giants, about running through pain, running through fear, learning to NOT run on your own strength, trusting God to provide the strength. It's about fighting the ugly pride that comes out when you do well, and about giving God the glory and thanks. And being open to allowing Him to use it all.

I am truly blessed and thankful that God has given me the strength to follow my dreams of becoming a runner. I know that these beginner miles are the first of many more to come......

What a great weekend!

The weather was beautiful
We spent all weekend as a family without running around all over
The girls and I painted my little planter in the front...we were covered in dark brown stain!
I bought 2 new hanging plants for my front yard
I put nice white rock in our window wells, nice touch instead of 3 foot weeds!

And most importantly, Joe and I think we have a simple plan to start building the playstructure!

What did you do this last weekend???

The firestarter has posted!

My hubby has finally written a new blog......It's on a much higher note....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJF50kwwRJE

happenings around here

Noah and Isaiah's piano recital on June 1st. They did so good! Tanya Bargen is such a blessing (their teacher)
I took Jonah for a picnic lunch over her lunch hour at school. We went to the weir at the river and tied some good strings. She has chocolate all over her mouth from the coffee crisp chocolate drink she picked out! Here we are on the train bridge.
A morning with Daniel. While upstanding citizens, Chris and Nin were giving blood, Daniel came to hang out a couple of weeks ago. he's always such a riot. Here's them jumping on the bed. But don't tell my sis that I let him jump on the bed!
Isaiah's ballet recital. She did super awesome! She was so beautiful! Here's her photo for the year.
Our little ballerina
Mom and daughter, can't you tell?
Noah's birthday party. We got some icecream and put a sparkler in it. Isaiah and Faith were in charge of the decorating. They made this "table" to eat on. Noah is now the age Caleb was when he passed

Ever tried blowing out a sparkler?

I'm starting to talk like forrest gump

Forrest gump: "Well, I figured since I've run this far, I'd might as well, just keep going.... and then once I got there, I thought, since I got this far, I'd might as well just keep going....."

That was me last night. My regular run is now to 7/11 and back which is 3.3 km. But my body was telling me it wasn't done. So I just kept running.
I ran till my body said, I'm done. I didn't map out where I ran last night, so I had no idea how far I was going.
I came home, jumped in my van to measure the route.

I was 300 stinkin meters away from 5 km!
Being that I ran in the wind and rain....I'm pretty happy with that.
God met me on Whelan in a powerful way. His beauty just hit me and it was nice to have His presence right along side.

It was awesome! When I am able to see things through my father's eyes, I am so blessed and encouraged and loved! Walking this road to health and fitness has had it's physical, mental and spiritual battles....to say the least.

One of them was to see all the runner's doing the 10k, and 5k and just think that we aren't "real runners" we' re just "wannabes" BUT NO! Nin and I have poured our HEARTS out this WHOLE YEAR working, persevering, through rain, snow, sickness, discouragement, physical pain(and there's been lots of that!) schedules and time......we did it! It wasn't about running the "2KM" it was that we didn't give up and we will KEEP GOING! All our lives growing up, we were never active. we were the family that sat on the couch and ate junk food all day. If we did do anything active it was only cause we HAD to not EVER cause we WANTED to!

Next year, Nin and I will be running the 5 k and I believe that someday, I will run a marathon. The journey isn't over, and it doesn't end here...... And like I said, it's not about "the marathon" it's about God planting and watering seeds of love and encouragement into my spirit. It's about faith, trust and hope. When I really truly reflect on the whole thing.....it's so barely physical at all (even tho there are GREAT benefits to running!) I hope and pray that God is glorified by me not giving up. I NEVER in my wildest dreams would have thought that me and nin would be in a city run! Here are my little cheerleaders and my biggest fans!

update on the waldherr's

Me: Feeling smothered by extended family these days. doing well in our own little family, I just pray we can set up some clearer boundries with family so that we can grow and excel as our own little family. I shreaded my parents treadmill last night. I beat my time by 8 minutes making it a 20 minute run with a recovery of only 45 seconds! physically feel the best i've ever felt. Spiritually, God is faithful, and good...what more do I need? He recently gave me a "banner" through a spiritual mother saying "Approved by God' Allowing that to sink and soak in........ Looking forward to wrapping up the year, handing in my school reports and organizing and decluttering a few more rooms and closets.(Me and my super cool nephew.....He is such a card, a dude, my little man. love him so much!)

Joe: doing well, very proud of him. He's riding his bike to work. He's wrestling through lots of very good quesitons and God is faithful to answer him. I am just praying and asking God for help to be his helper. I see some growth and breakthroughs here. My prayer is that Joe and I would be a greater team, work together better and use our God given bents to serve him.....I see this happening. There's a perseverance in Joe that I admire.

Noah: Still Mr. Sanguine! He is growing and maturing. He's showing some good charachter. He's always been a struglle to raise just with how busy he is and how "all over the place" he can be. When I think of Noah's heart, right away, I melt. He is a good kid.

Isaiah: She's a constant. Her highs and lows are the most level of all of us. But lately, she seems to be struggling with the number of kids in this house. She thrives on one on one time, and she could use some right now. Her ballet recital is coming up and she's very much looking forward to it! So are we!

Faith: The order of the home. The justice. Growing up just isn't the phrase to describe her. The way she talks, plays, communicates with her siblings just blows us away! She truly has a special channel. I pray we can keep on the right path. There is such a strength in her! So mature for her age.......I ponder often what God will do with her life!

Elishah Pishah: Each week, her ability to communicate gets better and better. She plays barbies, dolls and puts her toys away now! I was reading in the paper this morning that in a couple of months, she will have as many as 50 words to say! They grow so fast! She's walking and doing alot of baby sign language. says, "please, all done, all gone, more, frog, bunny, baby, bye bye, hi (she'll actually say that), bottle, num nums....

the menu

This weekend, I felt I needed something to get me back on the eating track. I made a little menu for myself to stick on my fridge. It definetly has helped. If any one has any other healthy (mostly clean) ideas, please share them! Or if anyone has any thoughts on this menu, please share too!

Breakfast ideas:

Boiled egg and dry toast
Egg whites with broccoli and sprouts in a half a pita or dry toast
Omega 3 cereal (half a cup) with low fat milk
Oatmeal with berries on top and maple syrup (half a cup)
Piece of fruit and a boiled egg
Cream of wheat with berries and maple syrup

Lunch ideas:

Romaine lettuce chicken and a piece of dry toast
Deli meat (low fat) sandwich on bread or half a pita
Pita pizza (a pita split in half) :toppings-peppers, onions, feta, pizza sauce, pinapples, deli meat, chicken, mushrooms, bean sprouts)
Salmon sandwich or pita(half) with pickles, beets and fresh veggies
Tuna sandwich or pita with pickles, beets and fresh veggies
Clear broth soup with rice in it or noodles
Chili and a whole wheat bun
Egg salad sandwich or pita

Snack ideas:

Smoothie: yogurt, low fat milk, berries, mangos pinapples, cottage cheese
Cottage cheese combo
3 thin slices of low fat cheese on crackers with pickles and beets
A cup of shrimp with sauce and crackers
Half an egg and a half a piece of bread
Fresh veggies with cheese
A piece of fruit

Supper ideas:

Baked potato with chicken breast and veggies
Stirfry on brown rice
Greek salad and small piece of lasagna
Low fat meat and potato or rice or pasta
Fresh rolls(rice paper with rice noodles extras: cucumbers, shrimp, chicken, beef slivered carrots) and stirfry veggies
Pita pizza
Chili with ww bun
Chicken meat balls with rice or pasta
One burger
Stirfry toppings: shrimp, chicken, beef, bean sprouts, mushrooms, peppers, onions, cabbage, broccoli, hotsauce.