Bits & Pieces of Me

Monthly Archives: April 2011

Honor Your Mother & Your Father

At 53, I sometimes wonder how I can do this. I want to obey God and I want to honor my parents – not only because He said so!

My mom recently had a stroke. We are grateful it was small and after almost two weeks in the hospital (which included a week-long stay in the rehab unit) she’s back home. At 75, my dad still works nearly full-time. She doesn’t want him to work less and she doesn’t want me “mom-sitting” as she calls it. So, we are doing the best we can to respect her wishes. I go over a few times a week for short visits and we talk daily.

Sitting in her living room the other day we were remembering – this is a favorite activity of our family – we have had some good times together! She said, “When these memories come up, you should write about them and share them.” I agreed that would be a fun way to write.

I’ve also been scanning in old negatives and saving them on an external hard drive and putting that in a fire proof box. They are safe there and available for me to print when I start my next scrapbook. Thinking about Mom’s words, I realized I have a lot of photos that go with those memories.

And idea was born. I will honor my mom’s idea and our life as a family here on my blog now and then. Then, I’ll take my computer to her and share the stories “in print.” Some of them will be about times before I was born. I mean really – there is some good stuff to write about – a history that includes prayer warriors and whiskey runners, as well as women of God and a whorehouse madam. There are pet dogs, cats, and even a jealous rat.

We don’t have a perfect history – we are a flawed bunch – but we also have a testimony – a legacy of faith in lives. So, I get to honor God and Mom & Dad. How cool is that?!

Julie Thomas

I hope you’ll join Kelly Clinger and I tomorrow at 2PM Central – we have the privilege of talking with Julie Thomas on In Your Delay at www.blogtalkradio.com/inyourdelay 

Here’s a little bit about Julie. . .

Julie Thomas is an international pro-life missionary and serves on the Advisory Board with The Justice Foundation out of San Antonio, Texas. She is the Georgia State Leader for Operation Outcry which is an organization of women and men that speak out on how their abortions have hurt them. She also works with legislators on the local and federal level to help change laws on abortion. She helps to change hearts by giving her testimony of how God rescued her from the pain that her abortion caused in her life. She volunteers at her local pregnancy care center and facilitates a post-abortion Bible study at the center. She was born and still lives in Atlanta, Georgia and is the mother of two grown children and grandmother to two granddaughters.

 

Born to Run?

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I read Michael Hyatt’s blog – religiously. (www.michaelhyatt.com) I check in with him every day and consider him my sort of secret mentor – since he has no idea who I am, it’s a secret to him!

Hyatt started running not long ago at about age 50. The other day, he mentioned being influenced by a book titled, Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. I got the impression just reading the book might be an adventure although since I can barely walk these days, a book about running – ultra running – was going to be a huge stretch for me. I bought it anyway. I’m about 1/3 of the way through it.

As a Minnesotan, it was fun to read about Scott Jurek who grew up in Protor, MN and who is now considered America’s greatest ultra runner. I stopped reading the book to check out Scott’s website (www.scottjurek.com) fascinated by his story.

Then, I returned to my Kindle and Born to Run. This part of Scott’s story stopped me in my reading tracks. After a winning a big ultra run, tired and sweaty, instead of taking care of his own needs, he wrapped himself up in a sleeping bag and waited by the finish line until the last runner came in. He wanted the others to know someone would be there cheering them across. Only then, did he look after himself.

Those of you who know me know that I’m using a walker to get around most of the time these days. You also know that in the shape I’m in weight-wise, I’m not a runner. Here’s my truth: I’m an overweight 55 year old diabetic with very high cholesterol (drugs aren’t working so well for either!), who has also torn both the meniscus in both knees. (Not from anything atheletic – they’re brittle because of age, weight, and disease – I also have degenerative arthritis in my knees and elsewhere)

Right now, I’m my own worst nightmare. An underdog in a dog eat dog world. (even Christian circles can be unsafe)

And, yet. . .I’m not whining – just sharing my current circumstances. . .and something else. . .

Although I can’t put my finger on it just yet, I feel that I’m on the cusp of something better. A wisp of hope rises up in me as I seek to find. . .answers from God in His Word, I’m listening to my husband who knows me like no one else and loves me the same way, and I’m learning from wise innovators like Michael Hyatt, Andy Andrews (my other secret mentor), and my secret business mentor John C Maxwell. I have true friends praying for me in ways that remind me of Scott Jurek – they are crossing the finish line ahead of me, but they are waiting for me there – I can hear their cheering voices.

I’m a mess and I am blessed.

More on Born to Run later. And a group of mountain runners. And something called Chia. And running shoes that look like the wearer is growing gorilla feet.

And most of all the thing I think is hope (expectant confidence) that God is teaching me – leading me – and showing me I might walk normally again.

Imagine that!