Pressing On

  This is the time of year we all sing praises for living in Arizona. Cool enough in the morning and evenings to call for a light jacket and/or patio heater while the perfect temp midday allows doors and windows to be open letting in the fresh air. Ah, Spring! It also makes for a great morning since the sun comes up a little earlier. Annie loves it too since I can once again, take her with me on an early morning run.   I’m still somewhat of a chicken to run in the dark alone even with her. But these crisp mornings have been great and sunrises are my favorite. So, off we went the other day just as the sun was rising.   We did our typical run through the neighbor that has become so familiar to not only me but Annie as well. She even has the same spots to relieve herself. She likes to lead and I like to let her think she is, but I do have her on somewhat of a short leash. Mostly, because she is stronger than I am and I really don’t want any more road rash than she’s been...

  A dear friend of mine in Houston posted a photo of her daughter and friend walking either to or from school. At least that is what I assumed. It was a great picture of friendship shared between these two young teens. I recognized the path in the Woodlands. I’ve always loved the woods and that’s one of the many reasons why I loved living there. The massive trees, smell of bark, the rustling sound of fallen leaves and the warmth of the sun peeking through those shade covering trees. Nature is one of my favorite places to connect with God. I had many conversations with Him running on those paths.   I messaged my friend, “Ah. I miss those paths.” And she quickly replied with, “The paths miss you.” Haha. I think what she really meant was….. I am missed and it made my heart smile. I miss a lot about various places we have lived over the years. I am often asked, “Of all the places you have lived, where is your favorite?” My response is usually, “I have favorite things about eac...

  It’s been thirty years since I got breast implants. Having birthed and nursed two babies my boobs were left looking like tube socks sporting tennis balls in each one dangling from my chest. At twenty-eight years old, living in the world that put so much importance on outward appearance, I thought that I needed enhancement to feel better about myself. Looking back, maybe it did serve its purpose for a while. But, I was never truly comfortable with them. They were larger than I wanted and I’m fairly modest so I don’t like the attention I thought they brought in my younger years. Shopping for clothes, especially swimsuits has always been a challenge for me. All those cute summer dresses made me look pregnant and bras were very uncomfortable. I’m not anti-plastic surgery, implants or whatever. I’m just older and in a different stage in life and view things from a more Godly perspective now that I seek His ways for my life. I’ve known for several years that the implants in my body nee...

  I was in my normal spin class the other day and was surprised when I walked in and saw a substitute teacher in our regular instructor’s spot. Who is this and where is Susan? I have become somewhat structured in my old age. I know what I am going to do on each day of the week. That includes my exercise routine. Wednesdays I spin with Susan. I know what kind of a workout I am going to get. It’s going to be tough. The music, while not always my personal choice; will be loud and motivating. I will walk out with noodle legs, entire body drenched with sweat and feel   exhilarated for having accomplished a rigorous workout by 6:30 am. Who is this stranger filling in? Is she qualified? Does she have a certification to lead us? What kind of music is she going to play? Has she been vetted? I was tempted to leave but I didn’t want to be rude. I had my reservations and with an eyebrow raised, I adjusted my bike. I started my fitness tracking watch and began pedaling with a less than w...

  It sounds a little melodramatic to say that I am grieving running since my silly little stress fracture. But I do miss it. It’s been nearly three months since I last went for a run. Running became a part of me some twenty five years ago. Holy cow have I really been hitting the pavement that long? I started running to clear my head at a time when our marriage was in a rough spot. It helped numb some pain, sweat out toxins, burn calories and allowed me to escape the chaos of fighting kids for at least thirty to forty minutes a couple of times a week. I began to look forward to this activity and increased how often I would head out the door with my running shoes. I found that I almost needed it and that morphed into a habit and eventually a lifestyle.   Several years later when God grabbed ahold of me and Jim started running with me, it morphed again. It turned into a space for my time with God. Jim had taken our running to the next level of racing and doing long distance train...

Shortly before Mother’s Day I was out running with Jim and Annie. It was a regular day and I was finally starting to feel good physically and emotionally. The Covid Stay Home order had been lifted. Staying put isn’t one of my strengths. Especially if someone tells me I have to. I’m typically a rule follower but I don’t enjoy being told what do when it goes against my temperament. However, I had stayed home and even embraced it for the first few weeks like most everyone else.  While our gym was closed I took advantage of the at-home workouts offered via Facebook live. Not giving much thought to the fact it was on hard tile in my little den/study. Or that I was still wearing my running shoes. But I loved working out from home this way. I still somehow felt connected with this community of women. I moved furniture around. Annie would join in and try to steal my mat but I still got a good workout every day I wasn’t running.  I can’t say it was an event or a “all of a sudd...

I’m on day 26 of my 30 day detox from social media. A lot has happened in twenty six days.  I had made the decision for this 30 day experiment when I found myself habitually gravitating to my phone and absentmindedly clicking on my Instagram App throughout the day. I am not sure when or even how I allowed this device to consume most of my day but it had and I knew I needed to make a change. Starting with the amount of time I spent scrolling. So it was just days before the toilet paper hoarding began that I had logged off of my social media sites. I guess you could call it Social Distancing in a way. I can’t say it was easy. In fact, like any other habit it had many challenges in my breaking it. I had serious  FOMO for the first week or so. What would I be missing and would others miss me? I doubt it but it’s a nice thought.   It has been a very freeing experience. I’m embarrassed to admit that in some ways I feel like I got my life back. I am connecting more...