God Bless Our Troops

Monday, July 7, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
Route: Deadend/back/loop
Time: 30 minutes

Type: Walk/jog
Average heart rate: 126
Maximum heart rate: 140
Calories burned: 236
I’m up 3 pounds from last Monday
Got out on the road at 10:06 this morning. I headed down to the deadend. To the right were round hay bales. To the left was a soybean field. It was slightly overcast this morning, a little muggy. On my way back I saw something I never, ever see out on the road. Another walker. As I came over the small rise heading west, there was a lady ahead of me. I was jogging, she was walking - and she was making better time than me. LOL! But I’m out there doing it. For me, the hardest part of working out is the transition. It's the getting started. So, part of my morning routine now is to make the bed the minute my feet hit the floor (thanks, Flylady) and then immediately get into my exercise gear. Once I have that done, the workout is pretty much guaranteed.

On the home front:
We had a cookout at Melisa and Justin’s last night.
Today is Melisa’s 30th birthday. I can't believe how the years have flown.
I have set out a schedule for myself for today. On the agenda are bills, laundry, soap, stockings, inventory at the school, and a few other things I need to get done. I have to set a schedule for myself or I lose focus.

Word of the day:
Matthew 9:18-26
While Jesus was speaking, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well." Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, "Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district.

Reflections from the cornfield:

The story of the hemorrhagic woman has always fascinated me. In the same account in Luke and Mark, Jesus remarks that he feels power going out of him. It is an intriguing thought that faith can summon power. We know from numerous accounts that all of Jesus' healing required faith from someone. It is mind-boggling to think about how faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. What could we accomplish with an increase in faith? Take a look at those who achieve monumental things in life. Somewhere along the line, faith had a part.

I often get a chuckle out of the people who ridicule Jesus. One wonders if their eyes are ever opened, and if they are - what are they thinking? How many times are we deterred in our efforts because of the laughter or ridicule of others? And what does the laughter and ridicule reveal about others? And what does our reaction to it reveal about us? The older I get, the less I am affected by that kind of thing. If anything, laughter and ridicule just makes me that much more determined to succeed.

Both of these healings were witnessed by others. Word spread. It's still spreading. Spread the Word.

God bless the troops!

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