Resting

by Kimberly | Jun 8, 2010 | Uncategorized

Flash back 10 years. I was 23, just finished my first semester of seminary, had already experienced the let down for failed relationship #1 in seminary, had made tons of new friends, didn’t know what the Fall held for me, knew that Kate Turabian was NOT going to be my friend for 3 more years, had just returned from Germantown, TN for OneDay 2000, and was getting ready to embark on summer #1 of staff with Centrifuge.
Why do I bring this all up? The first time you hear one of your favorite songs you remember where you were. Songs and music are very important to me. I remember the song my brother sang with his class at his Kindergarten graduation (I am a Promise). I remember the song I sang when I didn’t make the Ensemble my freshman year (My Favorite Things). I remember the song Angela and I sang for both Sr Homecoming and Graduation (bring on some Point of Grace). I remember George Strait’s first hit (Unwound). I remember singing Fishin’ in the Dark with my family at the Suwannee River when we had it on a compilation cassette tape with some Marie Osmond, Don Williams, and Dan Seals (gotta love Bop). So, the first time I heard Jesus I am Resting Resting (an old hymn by the way) – I fell in love with it. Years later this song was sung during a wedding that I was in and again – loved it. Unfortunately, this song isn’t sung as much in our churches or on the radio near as often – but hear the words. (We sang it this morning at staff meeting.)
So neat how God has been using discussions I’ve had in the last 2 months to directly point me to the truths in this song. I hope they are a blessing to you and you can REST in the truth:

Jesus I am resting, resting. In the joy of what you are. I am finding out the greatness – of your loving heart.
You have bid me gaze upon you. Your beauty fills my soul. For by your transforming power – you have made me whole.
Oh how great your lovingkindness. Vaster broader than the sea. Oh how marvelous your goodness, lavished all on me.Yes I rest in you Beloved. Know what wealth of grace is thine. Know your certainty of promise, and have made it mine.
Simply trusting you Lord Jesus. I behold you as you are. And your love so pure so changeless. Satisfies my heart.
Satisfies its deepest longings. Meets, supplies its every need. Compasseth me round with blessings. Your’s is love indeed.
Ever lift Your face upon me. As I work and wait for you. Resting neath your smile, Lord Jesus. Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory. Sunshine of my Father’s face. Keep me ever trusting, resting. Fill me with your grace.
Jesus I am resting resting. In the joy of what you are. I am finding out the greatness, of your loving heart.

Downhill at Dawn Half Marathon Recap

by Kimberly | Jun 7, 2010 | Uncategorized

My second half marathon is in the books. Here are the thoughts:
1. I beat my last time. My first half (Derby half last April in the ville) I did it in 3.00.07 and was very disappointed in my time. This year I did it in 2.51.00 – 13.04 pace for a mile. My goal is to almost always beat my PR (if I am doing the race for time).
2. I wanted to see how my self-motivation was. I ran this race knowing no one, having no one cheering me on at the finish line, no iPod. How was I going to keep up the motivation when the running got rough? Almost like preaching the gospel to myself every morning (and yes, the gospel is so much more important) I just kept talking to myself and being encouraging to others around me.
3. I am sore. I am definitely more sore than I was after the first half. My hams hurt, my biceps hurt (go figure), my hips hurt, I have a no-skin part of the achilles heel where I got a blister on Thursday and just peeled the skin off, went with a bandaid. I did notice the pain during the race, my feet hurt – the tops of them. My neck hurts and my abs hurt. Believe me – all over.
4. I ran with a 66 year old Navy kid who has taught for 41 years. I jogged, he was walking for a good bit – miles 4-9 about. That is definitely the farthest I had gone without taking many walking breaks. We talked about injuries, Joseph A Banks shirts at goodwill, other races he had done. He finished 32 seconds behind me. He was a good partner.
5. This race was held at Ridgecrest – Lifeway’s camp in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. Gorgeous. Mosty downhill. Not overly muggy like Raleigh has been lately. Since we started at dawn (actually 6.06am) – it stayed relatively cool – and believe me – in the sun – I was praying for shade and extremely thankful for it.
6. Part of the course was on gravel. Which I would have gladly changed for pavement. Bring on the pavement!
7. The registration was a little disorganized. But, at 5.15 what else would you expect?
8. Loved the shirts that we got! Long sleeve blue whicking (sp?) material shirts.
9. The whole course there were water stations, goo stations, and gatorade stations. I sweated enough to definitely need it – so I got 3 water cups at stations. No port-a-potty needed! They even had the Old Fort cops and the race director driving by with water.
10. Yes, I will be doing this one again next year. I did enjoy it. Anyone up for doing it with me? I also want to go to Jacksonville next March and do the Gate River Run. I’ve always wanted to do it.

Ambition

by Kimberly | Jun 6, 2010 | Uncategorized

I haven’t done a real personal blog in a while, so this is what you readers (hi very few people) get when I have been awake for 90 minutes and its not even 530am yet. My Dad always said that if you sleep till the sun comes up you’ve wasted half the day.
Much has been on my mind this week; it hasn’t really had time to stop. When I awake in the middle of the night, country music starts playing (I’ve been in the car a lot this week). When I go to sleep, my brain is still in full gear and my stomach usually empty or not feeling well – take your pick (would rather take the empty).
Ok – enough random…Reason of post…
I’ve been in Raleigh 2 months. For the 2.7 years before then (and probably even longer, maybe since Thailand) – life seemed in a holding pattern. Yes, I moved to Louisville, got a great job, worked with fabulous people, had amazing friends, lost 60 lbs, started running, etc. But…what was my life pointed toward? I really think for a lot of life, my life was pointed to myself. I tried to get involved in ministry that I was excited about – but none ever seemed to come to fruition. Sure, I had a few times to speak, write, disciple – but my life wasn’t pointed in that direction. I spent much of the last 3 years focused on me: getting out of debt, losing weight, honing skills, etc.
Now that I am in Raleigh – my life looks totally different. I am busy A LOT. My boss constantly tells me it is about balance. Maybe in July it can be about balance (definitely not June). Thursdays are my day off and they are usually full (researching and hanging with friends and doing a longer run – or sleeping past 6am). Monday -Wednesday night is usually full of ministry things. This weekend that is almost over was definitely full with a drive to the mountains for a half, then to Knoxville to talk about writing, then driving back (an 8 hour drive is not a wise idea for someone just having done a half – sore hip!). Today is a full day at church and with friends. (Sleep would have been nice to get either night.) Next weekend – looking forward to being in town, running a 5k, and seeing what might come up, not having a lot on the agenda once I leave the office on Friday.
Anyway…title of this post…
Ambition: the act of soliciting for votes (literal). “Desire to achieve a particular end” Thank you Merriem Webster.
I’ve been thinking much about this term this week. Is my life pointed in any direction? Do I have ambition and if so, what is the object of my ambition. Am I passionate enough about the things in my life so that when people look at my life they would see those things? And if so – what are they?
Am I more than just a foodie? Am I more than just a person who cares about exercise and eating right? Do I care for more than Gator football (praise God we are approaching football season)? Do I love to travel? Do I love people? Do I care for more things than my job? If you were to tape all of my conversations during the week (emails, texts, chats, coffee times)…what would you hear that I am passionate/ambitious for?
God gives us many things in life to be passionate about. He gives us hobbies and things that bring us much joy. My thought is – do I point them all back to Him for his glory? Do I use food to bless people? Do I hang out with people to love on them and be loved? Do I travel and thank God for the beauty and the incredibleness of the world He has given (sunset in Winston last night, Blue Ridge mtns, storm clouds, DC flowers and history, Alaska whales and mountains and islands, Sentosa Island in SE Asia, the Atlantic ocean, airports, my cute little PT cruiser, the Black Sea in southern Russia, Red Square and all of its history and ornate design, Boca Grande’s birds, Salt run in St. Augustine, southern GA red clay, lighthouses, surf, sand between my toes, intricate design on flowers, the quite and amazingness of NE Ga, the Appalachians, the Rockies, Chicago covered in snow, the splendor or seeing a sunset from the sky, the darkness of flying over the pond at night in a plane so high above it, lightning from the safety of a metal plane, the pinkish orange sky that appears in the morning, hurricanes, tornadoes, black thunderclouds…I could go on).
Back in seminary days…I remember having a class with Dr. Reid. We sang a song almost every Friday morning (Michelle on guitar, April on the egg) – Give me one pure and holy passion, give me one magnificent obsession, give me one glorious ambition for me life…to know and follow hard after you. To know and follow hard after you, to grow as your disciple in your truth, this world is empty pale and poor, compared to knowing you my Lord, lead me on, and I will run after you, lead me on and I will run after you.
April stood up one day and said this. Is it? Is this world empty pale and poor?
Ambition. Run hard. I think of a Helen Keller quote I read today:
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.