To Those Who Subscribe to My Feed:

This post is going out to those who subscribe to my feed, particularly in Google Reader.  The other day I changed my feed to only publish partially in the reader.  The problem is that Blogger doesn't seem to give that indication because it doesn't use ellipses.  If you didn't know it was a partial feed, you may not know you've missed about 3/4 of my last two posts because they ended with periods.  I don't know how the posts look in other readers.  I'll switch publishing format back to complete posts, and that way I'll be sure everyone is reading entire posts.  Sorry for any confusion.

Finding the Perfect Gift

I'll be heading over to church pretty soon because we're having a picnic fellowship on the grounds.  I am going solo, though, because Rich is working again.  Church is like family, so it doesn't matter really.  My folks are getting back in town this morning just for the picnic, so we'll be together. 

Yesterday was my dad's birthday, and I'm looking forward to giving him his birthday present.  Shopping for Dad is a toughy every year because I never know what to get for him.  He loves books, but since he's a pastor, he picks up any of the books he's interested in on his own.  I run the risk of buying him a book he already has, so I steer clear of the books.  A gift card would be fine, but whenever I go that route I feel like I didn't put any thought into the gift. 

This year, though, things are different.  I actually got an idea for his gift two months ago and wrote it down on a piece of paper so as not to forget, and Rich went and picked it up the other day for me.  I hope Dad gets much enjoyment from it.  I think I picked a winner.

It's the 4th of July but...

It hasn't been the most thrilling holiday a girl can have around here.  Right now I'm sitting on my front porch alone.  Seems like I should be out with friends or family, fishing or playing or doing pretty much anything else.  But I'm blogging. 

Yes, I got to sleep in and take a paid day off from work, but still....  Rich has to work 10 - 6 today, so I'm home alone.  Unless you count the cats and the dog, and I don't think we should.

I went for a run this morning, but let's not talk about it.  It was hard, and that's all I'm sayin'.  Then I tried to do that bike thing, ya know, the physical activity I've had a craving for?  But we're not gonna talk about that either because...well...I only rode half a mile and my knees already hurt.  So I'm not talking about it.

I treated myself to Taco Bell for lunch.  I had a craving for a burrito supreme, so I went with it.  (Pretty much knocks out the running, huh?)  I even ordered a Diet Pepsi just for kicks.  That probably sounds ridiculous to you, but I only drink pop about once every 3 months or so because I think it upsets my stomach.  Yep, I'm livin it up Liz-style!

Anyhoooo...

Then I came out here on my enclosed front porch because it's a comfortable temperature, and there's a nice breeze coming through.  I decided this would be a good place to groom the dog, which is an event all in itself.  Grooming is one of those things that Dixie has a love-hate relationship with.  She loves it when I say the word "brush".  She gets a gleam in her eye, her ears perk up, and her tail starts to waggin' while following me to where we keep the brush and the grooming spray.  Then she spends the next half hour running away from me when I try to brush her with the brush.  If anyone can explain a Sheltie to me, have at it.

I bought meat to grill tonight, and I had every intention of grilling before today.  Now I'm sensing more of a need to just get out and do something, so I can get a holiday feeling.  Why am I so much about the feelings?  I think my husband still owes me a dinner from a week ago that we never had.

I guess I'm going to try and read a book now.  Those library books are due in a few days, and I've hardly touched them.  And if you're a regular around here and know about my whole library books thing...you can STOP ROLLING YOUR EYES AT ME NOW.

Have a nice holiday.  Hope your weather is as gorgeous as it is in Indiana.

I Do Not Run Aimlessly

A week ago a friend gave me her old bike because I had mentioned I was interested in getting one.  She's getting ready to move and is trying to downsize.  So my other good friends decided that since I had a bike to ride, they would take me with them to a local state park to ride the trail and go fishing afterward.  Pretty relaxing, you think?  Well...not entirely.  Do you know how long it's been since I've ridden a bike?  I'm guessing it has been 20 years.  Granted, I feel like I'm fit enough, as fit as a girl can be who can run .7 mile.  Thank you very much.  But running and biking use different muscles.  Muscles I haven't used in 20 years.

As we got ready to start the bike ride, I was told that the trail was 3.3 miles, and we would have to ride to the end and back.  They were just saving that little tidbit of information until it was absolutely necessary to inform me.  That means I would be riding a total of 6.6 miles.  I was thinking, Uh yeah...I'm game!?!  The ride was grueling!  There were lots of hills and some steep ones, at that.  There were moments I thought I would die because of the searing pain in my knees and quads, but I just kept going.

When I woke up the next morning, I felt like I was sick.  My body ached, my head was cloudy, and I was so tired.  But it was Sunday, and there surely is no rest for the weary when you're in ministry.  I was finally functioning by the time I got to Sunday school, so I was glad of that.

Despite the discomfort of the challenge, I found myself wanting to ride my bike again.  I kept thinking about when the next time might be when I could do that.  That puzzled me.  Why wouldn't I dread it?  It was hard!  As I was out for my run on Monday, though, the thought came to me.  I like being physical.  I enjoy pushing my body hard, exerting energy, and striving for a goal to see just how far I can reach.  It brings me a satisfaction I don't get from other things in my life.  Suddenly, everything clicked in my mind, and I understood why I like playing tennis, golfing, biking and running.  It's because God made us to be physically active people.  He gave us muscles that we might be bodies in motion.  He puts it within us to do the grueling thing that we might learn to be disciplined.  Of course I find satisfaction in being physical.  I'm using my body the way God intended it to be used.

This is the last thing I ever thought would come out of my mouth.  I have always hated exercise.  That's why it confounded me when I started to crave going out to run.  I learned to be disciplined in my running, hoping that it would flow over into my spiritual life.  So I kept working at it.  Today I guess I feel like it's come full circle.  The spiritual is now effecting the physical.  I finally see God's purpose in the physical, and I believe they work hand in hand.

If you're not a physically active person, find a friend to help you get there.  It doesn't have to be like gym class when they made you do what the teacher planned and then gave you a grade.  Pick an activity that you're curious about or that you've always wanted to try.  Ask a friend to teach you how to play, or just ask them to take a walk with you.  That's where it started for me, and I can testify that a pushy friend is even better at helping you do the hard thing.  Just get out there, and do something.  You just might love it after all.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27a

25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control....

I Need To Go...ANYWHERE

Something just hit me like a ton of bricks a minute ago.  Everybody is traveling.  Everybody but me, that is.

I'm not just talking about the holiday weekend.  I'm talking about vacations, weddings, conferences and quick trips to see family.  And when one trip is done another one begins the next weekend.  It's all over the blog community.  It's all that people have written about in the last two weeks. 

I never go anywhere.  Never.  The last time I went out of town was for a funeral, and it was just a one day trip.  I really don't think that counts.  Before that, Rich and I took an overnight getaway to Grand Rapids, and it was so long ago I can't even remember how long ago it was.  Three years?  And we don't even have kids.

There's various reasons we stay home.  First there's the car.  Very unreliable, or maybe it's more like we're not sure what it would do if we took it out on the open highway.  I mean, it gets me to work and around town, but it's got some issues. 

The second reason is church ministry.  It's hard to get away when I'm both church secretary AND church pianist.  If I'm not there, the choir doesn't get to rehearse.  So they lose one Sunday of singing because they wouldn't have accompaniment, and lose the following Sunday because they didn't get to rehearse on the Sunday I missed.  It's quite a tricky situation when I'm the only one who plays piano.

The third reason is money.  Obviously, everyone is feeling the budget crunch these days.  Yet all of you are traveling in spite of it.  How do you do that?

I can't but help feel a twinge of jealousy toward all you travelers.  Everyone seems to have somewhere to go.  But not me. I just keep going to work and then come home and do all the same old stuff.  Over and over again. 

I want a vacation, too!  (I really needed to get that off my chest.)