Priorities

Graduation came and went, and already my first wedding of the summer has passed us by! (Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Brown!!!) I enjoyed a wonderful visit with my sister and parents, and now I just have to settle into the summer swing of things. The kids have one week left of school, and I have one week left of quiet at home. I'm actually really looking forward to spending more time with these great kids, since we only have 2 more months of time together. We've been reading The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis together, but we have to keep moving if we're going to finish the series before I go.
Life is still pretty crazy, but I'm enjoying it. At a certain point you just have to realize what your priorities are. For me, it's the people in my life, and the ministries I'm a part of. But even ministry can get in the way of what's really important: my own walk with God. I'm spending time tonight in prayer and the Word, but I realized that it's been a while. Why does my quiet time go on the back burner? Do I really have my priorities straight?
So, before I write any more, I'm off to spend more time with God. He's my priority tonight.

Run with Perserverance

I've never been an athlete. I still wouldn't call myself one, but I am proud to say that I ran my first 5k on Saturday, and I did far better than I had anticipated. My friend, Abbie, ran with me, and we snapped this picture afterwards:

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When I signed up for the race (maybe 6 weeks ago?), I also downloaded an app on my phone that gave me a training plan. That plan had me running most days, anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. The idea was to build up endurance and prepare for the race. However, I got sick 3 weeks before the race, and couldn't run for an entire week. I had to re-work my entire training schedule! In my training, my pace was just over 10 min/mile. However, on race day, my pace was just under 9 min/mile. I suppose with adrenaline racing, and rain falling, I was super duper speedy.

Isn't that how life is, though? We make plans, and prepare, and then a curveball hits us right in the stomach. Oh, you thought you would raise enough money to go to Germany in 4 months? Nope. Try again. But then we pick ourselves back up, and with strength that can only come from our Creator, we press on and rework the training plan.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

This Sunday is graduation! Yes, I know what you're thinking: Didn't you graduate last August. Yes. Yes, I did. But, I also wanted to participate in the graduation ceremony with my friends. So, almost a year after graduating, I'll walk across the stage in a dorky cap and gown to finally feel like I graduated. I have the diploma, I have a job, I haven't taken a class (for credit) since last July, but I never felt graduated. So here we go. Come at me, world!