I'm so excited because I woke up and the temperature was 49 degrees! Of course, it's increased since then, but that brisk fall air that I love so much certainly hasn't disappeared yet, even after noon, so I am one happy girl who is saying that it is really starting to feel like fall--even here in Texas:-)
While I can pretty much eat soup any time of year (yes, even in the summer), another reason I love fall is because it truly is the start of "soup season"! So today, we're having one of our absolute fave (and healthy/SBD-friendly) soup recipes: Glenna D's Black Bean Soup!
My friend, Glenna (hence the recipe name:-) shared this recipe on her blog last year, and we've made it numerous times since then! Interested? Here's the recipe:
Glenna's Black Bean Soup
5 slices turkey bacon
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
4 cans black beans, drained
2 cans chicken broth
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
salt or (I use) garlic salt, to taste
pepper, (if desired)
Brown turkey bacon (add olive oil)
Add onions and garlic until softened
Add drained beans, chicken broth and seasonings
Bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes
Take half (or more) of soup and place in blender (with towel instead of lid so won't explode from the heat!) and puree
What makes this soup so yummy is what you top it with: light sour cream, some shredded cheese, and JARRED JALAPENOS!! (These are an absolute MUST! They're kind of pickled tasted, so they add just enough of a kick, but won't burn your tongue.)
I also made grilled chicken (just on the george foreman, seasoned with some poultry seasoning and a special seasoning blend our friends the Gerdanc's gave us from a store in Illinois.) It really compliments the soup.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
I love FALL post 1: Dinner in a Pumpkin
It seems like ever since moving back to my home-state of Texas, I find myself getting "home"sick every year around this time. Even though I have lived in Texas for most of my life (and I do LOVE Texas!), my husband and I "grew up" as a married couple in Illinois. We lived there for the first six years of our married life and started our family there. So, Illinois holds a very special place in our hearts, and in many ways, it, too, feels like "home" to us.
I'm a very cold-natured person, so winters in Illi were never very fun for me. I remember saying every winter, "I just will NEVER get used to this weather!" But there was one season that I fell asbsolutely in loving with while in Illinois: fall. Sure, the temps change a bit in Texas, too, but fall in Texas is NOTHING like fall in Illinois. I fell in love with the brisk air, the beautiful cloudy "fall" looking skies, the sound of the trees rustling through the windy air, and the beauty of the leaves morphing into so many different shades, each one visible on each individual leaf. I loved even just driving down the streets and watching a shower of leaves slowly cascading along the roads. Maybe I've romanticized it a bit in my mind, but fall really is beautiful in Illinois.
Unfortunately, I won't get to see the beauty of fall in Illinois this year, but there are still other things about fall I can enjoy right here in God's country. So, for the month of October, I'll be devoting several posts to my love of fall, staring today with one of my all-time fave things about fall: DINNER IN A PUMPKIN!
I've been eating dinner in a pumpkin every single fall since I was in 5th grade. It's a family fave of ours, and maybe it will become one for your family, too...
1 6-8 lb. pumpking (about the size of a basketball--not too big bc then it will take FOREVER to cook!)
1 to 1½ lbs lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 package fresh sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 ½ cups cooked rice (I used whole grain rice)
1 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 tblsp brown sugar (the splenda kind will work, too if you want it more SBD friendly)
3 tblsp soy sauce
-Cut off top of pumpkin, clean thoroughly and drain. (Do this first so it has time to drain. Try to get as much of the stringy stuff out as you can)
-Brown hamburger meat, mushrooms, onions
-Add other ingredients
-Place meat mixture inside pumpkin with top on. (I usually place it in a pan, too in case any juice drains out)
Bake at 350 until pumpkin is tender (it usually takes a few hours, but mostly depends on the size of pumpkin.)
*We also eat the inside of the pumpkin- it tastes just like squash and is especially good with butter (we use spray butter), salt, and pepper.
I'm a very cold-natured person, so winters in Illi were never very fun for me. I remember saying every winter, "I just will NEVER get used to this weather!" But there was one season that I fell asbsolutely in loving with while in Illinois: fall. Sure, the temps change a bit in Texas, too, but fall in Texas is NOTHING like fall in Illinois. I fell in love with the brisk air, the beautiful cloudy "fall" looking skies, the sound of the trees rustling through the windy air, and the beauty of the leaves morphing into so many different shades, each one visible on each individual leaf. I loved even just driving down the streets and watching a shower of leaves slowly cascading along the roads. Maybe I've romanticized it a bit in my mind, but fall really is beautiful in Illinois.
Unfortunately, I won't get to see the beauty of fall in Illinois this year, but there are still other things about fall I can enjoy right here in God's country. So, for the month of October, I'll be devoting several posts to my love of fall, staring today with one of my all-time fave things about fall: DINNER IN A PUMPKIN!
I've been eating dinner in a pumpkin every single fall since I was in 5th grade. It's a family fave of ours, and maybe it will become one for your family, too...
1 6-8 lb. pumpking (about the size of a basketball--not too big bc then it will take FOREVER to cook!)
1 to 1½ lbs lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 package fresh sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 ½ cups cooked rice (I used whole grain rice)
1 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 tblsp brown sugar (the splenda kind will work, too if you want it more SBD friendly)
3 tblsp soy sauce
-Cut off top of pumpkin, clean thoroughly and drain. (Do this first so it has time to drain. Try to get as much of the stringy stuff out as you can)
-Brown hamburger meat, mushrooms, onions
-Add other ingredients
-Place meat mixture inside pumpkin with top on. (I usually place it in a pan, too in case any juice drains out)
Bake at 350 until pumpkin is tender (it usually takes a few hours, but mostly depends on the size of pumpkin.)
*We also eat the inside of the pumpkin- it tastes just like squash and is especially good with butter (we use spray butter), salt, and pepper.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
IN the rain...
DISCLAIMER: sorry if I keep harping on the same subject, but the Lord has just really been teaching me a lot through rain during this season of my life. Maybe it's bc Im inwardly really wanting one of those Vera Bradley umbrellas, but I'm hoping it goes a little deeper than that:)
I've always hated getting stuck in the rain. You know, where you've gone into the grocery store with a sunny sky and then come out to a downpour? Or you're meeting someone for dinner and it starts raining...but you forgot your umbrella, so in you run, as fast as you can to try and escape the inevitable frizzy hair, damp clothes, and wet, slippery shoes. I've never been one to just stand out and play in the rain-i don't run IN the rain; I run FROM the rain! Today gave me a whole new perspective tho...
We were in Galveston, driving along the seawall, and the rain just started pouring down in steady sheets. I found myself dreading having to eventually get out of the car, and that's when I noticed those who had already ventured out into the storm. There were runners all over the sidewalks, many of them who were just beginning their runs with the start of the rain, and others who were in the middle or maybe even nearing the end of their runs. But, no matter their position, they all had one thing in common: these people were not running FROM the rain; they were running IN the rain! The weather was not a distraction to them at all, or at least not to any onlookers. You see, they were on a mission to complete their race, regardless of their surrounding conditions.
As I thought about this, I was reminded of several weeks ago when we were getting a lot of rain where I live. I try to stick closely to my training program, and I was determined that week to not let the weather slow me down. So, when I started sprinkling right before I began my run, I decided to not let a little rain stop my plans and just continued with my normal training by running in the rain. I remember thinking it was a pretty cool feeling to be so committed to something and just go with the flow. And it was even neat to face different elements and see how I overcame them to complete my task. But is that always my attitude? Sadly, no. But Joe I long to be like that-to be so committed to my mission from God that I will stop at NOTHING to accomplish it!
Storms in life are inevitable, yet usually unpredictable. We can choose to try to run from them, but oh what we can learn when we choose to persevere in them.
"lord, help me to stay the course and to finish well and to finish strong..."
I've always hated getting stuck in the rain. You know, where you've gone into the grocery store with a sunny sky and then come out to a downpour? Or you're meeting someone for dinner and it starts raining...but you forgot your umbrella, so in you run, as fast as you can to try and escape the inevitable frizzy hair, damp clothes, and wet, slippery shoes. I've never been one to just stand out and play in the rain-i don't run IN the rain; I run FROM the rain! Today gave me a whole new perspective tho...
We were in Galveston, driving along the seawall, and the rain just started pouring down in steady sheets. I found myself dreading having to eventually get out of the car, and that's when I noticed those who had already ventured out into the storm. There were runners all over the sidewalks, many of them who were just beginning their runs with the start of the rain, and others who were in the middle or maybe even nearing the end of their runs. But, no matter their position, they all had one thing in common: these people were not running FROM the rain; they were running IN the rain! The weather was not a distraction to them at all, or at least not to any onlookers. You see, they were on a mission to complete their race, regardless of their surrounding conditions.
As I thought about this, I was reminded of several weeks ago when we were getting a lot of rain where I live. I try to stick closely to my training program, and I was determined that week to not let the weather slow me down. So, when I started sprinkling right before I began my run, I decided to not let a little rain stop my plans and just continued with my normal training by running in the rain. I remember thinking it was a pretty cool feeling to be so committed to something and just go with the flow. And it was even neat to face different elements and see how I overcame them to complete my task. But is that always my attitude? Sadly, no. But Joe I long to be like that-to be so committed to my mission from God that I will stop at NOTHING to accomplish it!
Storms in life are inevitable, yet usually unpredictable. We can choose to try to run from them, but oh what we can learn when we choose to persevere in them.
"lord, help me to stay the course and to finish well and to finish strong..."
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Umbrella over my head...
"I ask God to rain on me...but I've got an umbrella over my head."
I love how God uses our little children to teach such BIG lessons. It always makes me smile when I feel like God is literally speaking through my precious Lucy. He does this pretty often, and today was no exception...
I didn't get much sleep last night. In fact, I rarely sleep very well these days. But, after being up with Lucy last night, I was especially tired/rundown/emotional this morning. I felt completely drained, and I knew that even more than physical rest, I needed some spiritual refreshment. So, I told Lucy that mommy needed to have some quiet time with Jesus. I got several books out for her and set them on the dining room table next to me and told her she needed to read quietly so that mommy could do the same.
It's no news to anyone that I'm a bit of a worrier. And as I was examining my current stresses, I found I was borrowing trouble more than anything. I was letting what-ifs rule my thoughts, and I realized I wasn't having much trust in my Jesus at all. I know in my heart He will provide me with what I need for whatever circumstances come my way so there's no need to worry about tomorrow...but then my human voice rang out to God, "But what about today's needs, Lord? I'm physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. Where is your provision NOW, because I just don't feel it."
So I sat there and prayed...mostly to myself, although it was partially audible. I don't know that Lucy actually heard what I was saying, but her response to my please was certainly right on cue. I was begging the Lord to refresh me, "Lord, I need you to rain down on me--I need you to refresh me..." And then I heard my sweet daughter's voice exclaim, "MOMMY, it's YOU!" as she excitedly pointed to a picture in her peanuts book. I smiled at her and said "It is?" and was about to go back and close my eyes when I felt compelled to stop and look at what she was showing me (Side Note: I'm really trying to work on giving her my full attention. I've discovered I so easily will half heartedly acknowledge what she's saying when I'm in the middle of something, and not really pay attention.) I looked over at what she was so excited to point out to me, and I'm so glad that I did...
I could hear God gently nudging me, and I couldn't help but smile, and then shake my head at myself. So often, we ask God to rain down on us, and all the while He is POURING His blessings and refreshment down on us...but we're so busy still trying to handle it on our own, and making sure we're prepared JUST in case He doesn't come through, that we miss out on Him all together. We're so busy protecting ourself from the rain in life that we remove the very way He is trying to refresh our souls. We ask God to rain down on us, but we've got an umbrella stuck over our heads.
Romans 5:1-5 says this:
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
It's a cloudy day here in West Texas, but I think I'm going to keep my umbrella in the closet, because I'm ready to freely accept the rain God wants to pour into my life. It may not be easy at first, but I know He is using it for my ultimate good, and more importantly, for His ultimate glory!
I love how God uses our little children to teach such BIG lessons. It always makes me smile when I feel like God is literally speaking through my precious Lucy. He does this pretty often, and today was no exception...
I didn't get much sleep last night. In fact, I rarely sleep very well these days. But, after being up with Lucy last night, I was especially tired/rundown/emotional this morning. I felt completely drained, and I knew that even more than physical rest, I needed some spiritual refreshment. So, I told Lucy that mommy needed to have some quiet time with Jesus. I got several books out for her and set them on the dining room table next to me and told her she needed to read quietly so that mommy could do the same.
It's no news to anyone that I'm a bit of a worrier. And as I was examining my current stresses, I found I was borrowing trouble more than anything. I was letting what-ifs rule my thoughts, and I realized I wasn't having much trust in my Jesus at all. I know in my heart He will provide me with what I need for whatever circumstances come my way so there's no need to worry about tomorrow...but then my human voice rang out to God, "But what about today's needs, Lord? I'm physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. Where is your provision NOW, because I just don't feel it."
So I sat there and prayed...mostly to myself, although it was partially audible. I don't know that Lucy actually heard what I was saying, but her response to my please was certainly right on cue. I was begging the Lord to refresh me, "Lord, I need you to rain down on me--I need you to refresh me..." And then I heard my sweet daughter's voice exclaim, "MOMMY, it's YOU!" as she excitedly pointed to a picture in her peanuts book. I smiled at her and said "It is?" and was about to go back and close my eyes when I felt compelled to stop and look at what she was showing me (Side Note: I'm really trying to work on giving her my full attention. I've discovered I so easily will half heartedly acknowledge what she's saying when I'm in the middle of something, and not really pay attention.) I looked over at what she was so excited to point out to me, and I'm so glad that I did...
I could hear God gently nudging me, and I couldn't help but smile, and then shake my head at myself. So often, we ask God to rain down on us, and all the while He is POURING His blessings and refreshment down on us...but we're so busy still trying to handle it on our own, and making sure we're prepared JUST in case He doesn't come through, that we miss out on Him all together. We're so busy protecting ourself from the rain in life that we remove the very way He is trying to refresh our souls. We ask God to rain down on us, but we've got an umbrella stuck over our heads.
Romans 5:1-5 says this:
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
It's a cloudy day here in West Texas, but I think I'm going to keep my umbrella in the closet, because I'm ready to freely accept the rain God wants to pour into my life. It may not be easy at first, but I know He is using it for my ultimate good, and more importantly, for His ultimate glory!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Triathlete!
Wow...it's been awhile! I have a LOT to catch up on, so I'm probably just going to post several different entries...or at least that's my plan! I really enjoy blogging, and I used to blog daily. but, that was before Lucy and now instead of talking about her arrival, I spend my time playing with her!! (Definitely more fun now!!:-)
Anyway, I think in one of my last blogs I mentioned how I was training for a triathlon with some other ladies at church. Well, we actually did it! I can't believe I can say that I'm a triathlete now! I never in my wildest dreams would have thought I would fall in love with a "sport," but I totally have! I love seeing the progress from training and then going through the experience of race day. it's really an incredible experience and I'm so thankful my husband has been so supportive to allow me the time to train, as well as give me the encouragement I need to go for it.
Race day was a bit disappointing because I had some MAJOR issues with my bike. If you know much about triathlons (which we knew NOTHING going into this thing!) you would probably have laughed at us as we pulled into the race with our MOUNTAIN BIKES! It was so funny to see the transition area--all these bikes worth thousands of dollars lined the racks, and then, there in one big clump on a rack sat our enormous mountain bikes, sticking out like a sore thumb! LOL:) We knew it would be a disadvantage for us, but we really had no clue how much faster an actual road bike can go--holy cow! More on that later tho... Basically, after 3 months of training with MANY hours spent on my bike, my bike decided to give me problems on the actual race day. Bummer. But I still got to complete the race and while I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, the excitement and the overall experience of it all outweighs any negatives. The best part was having my DH there, my Lucy-bug (she was so cute talking to me during the transitions!) and my little SIL, rooting me on the whole way. They've even decided to start training for a 5k now, and I cannot wait to run with them!! I'm so excited to be able to share in my love of this sport with my family!
So, what's next? Well, I've seriously fallen in LOVE with triathlons and really want to continue training for them. I'd like to do another one on Labor Day since I had issues with this last one, but it all depends on if I can get a bike or not. I had NO clue I had chosen such an expensive hobby! But, I have some money saved back and I have my eye on two different bikes. So now I just need to decide which one I want and am just praying for peace on when and where and how to purchase. So, we'll see...
I've also decided it's high time for me to start upping my running distance, so I'm working towards a 10k now, along with my triathlon training, and hope to run my first 10K in a nearby town in the end of September. I'm definitely most excited to run a race with my DH in October though!
Anyway, if you're on FB you may have already seen these, but just thought I'd share a few pics from the triathlon...
Not sure why they posted in reverse order, but oh well!
Here we are at the finish line! The lady in the green tank and the lady to her right in the stripes are the ones I've been training with.
Here I am sprinting to the finish!
At the start of the 14 mile bike ride:
And here's the start of the race--a 500 yard swim. Not sure where I am, but I was able to complete that portion in 12 minutes!
I hope it's the first of many more to come!
Anyway, I think in one of my last blogs I mentioned how I was training for a triathlon with some other ladies at church. Well, we actually did it! I can't believe I can say that I'm a triathlete now! I never in my wildest dreams would have thought I would fall in love with a "sport," but I totally have! I love seeing the progress from training and then going through the experience of race day. it's really an incredible experience and I'm so thankful my husband has been so supportive to allow me the time to train, as well as give me the encouragement I need to go for it.
Race day was a bit disappointing because I had some MAJOR issues with my bike. If you know much about triathlons (which we knew NOTHING going into this thing!) you would probably have laughed at us as we pulled into the race with our MOUNTAIN BIKES! It was so funny to see the transition area--all these bikes worth thousands of dollars lined the racks, and then, there in one big clump on a rack sat our enormous mountain bikes, sticking out like a sore thumb! LOL:) We knew it would be a disadvantage for us, but we really had no clue how much faster an actual road bike can go--holy cow! More on that later tho... Basically, after 3 months of training with MANY hours spent on my bike, my bike decided to give me problems on the actual race day. Bummer. But I still got to complete the race and while I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, the excitement and the overall experience of it all outweighs any negatives. The best part was having my DH there, my Lucy-bug (she was so cute talking to me during the transitions!) and my little SIL, rooting me on the whole way. They've even decided to start training for a 5k now, and I cannot wait to run with them!! I'm so excited to be able to share in my love of this sport with my family!
So, what's next? Well, I've seriously fallen in LOVE with triathlons and really want to continue training for them. I'd like to do another one on Labor Day since I had issues with this last one, but it all depends on if I can get a bike or not. I had NO clue I had chosen such an expensive hobby! But, I have some money saved back and I have my eye on two different bikes. So now I just need to decide which one I want and am just praying for peace on when and where and how to purchase. So, we'll see...
I've also decided it's high time for me to start upping my running distance, so I'm working towards a 10k now, along with my triathlon training, and hope to run my first 10K in a nearby town in the end of September. I'm definitely most excited to run a race with my DH in October though!
Anyway, if you're on FB you may have already seen these, but just thought I'd share a few pics from the triathlon...
Not sure why they posted in reverse order, but oh well!
Here we are at the finish line! The lady in the green tank and the lady to her right in the stripes are the ones I've been training with.
Here I am sprinting to the finish!
At the start of the 14 mile bike ride:
And here's the start of the race--a 500 yard swim. Not sure where I am, but I was able to complete that portion in 12 minutes!
I hope it's the first of many more to come!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Memorial Day Cake!
Happy Memorial Day all!
I'm so thankful that we have a day we can enjoy to be with our family, and that we can feel safe and have freedom because of those that have been so selfless in serving and defending our country! But even more than that, as DH pointed out in church yesterday, I'm so thankful for the incredible sacrifice our Saviour made for us so that we can TRULY be set free from the bondage of sin AND death.
...We've been enjoying a pretty lazy day here at the Toller household--sleeping in, staying in jammies half the day, and lounging around watching food network. We finally decided to get somewhat productive tho--DH cleaned off the grill (we haven't had a propane tank since two summers ago) and I worked on a Memorial Day cake. For those that like to try new things, or are just looking for a healthy dessert alternative, I thought I'd share...
I saw a friend had recently made a rainbow layered cake and it looked SO cool, but since we're still trying to stick to a healthy eating plan, I didn't want to make a tempting cake...but then I happened across a website with a WW-friendly cake recipe and decided to give it my own twist for a Memorial Day flare:) It's not exactly SBD friendly since you use a cake mix, but it has a HEK of a lot less sugar, calories, and fat in it, so I thought it would be a nice alternative to a typical fatty dessert, yet it sounded super yummy, too!
Here's what you'll need:
2 boxes white cake mix with pudding
24 oz clear diet soda (we used diet 7up since that's one of our faves)
red and blue food coloring
16 oz. whipped topping
2 boxes fat free sugar free pudding
And here's how you do it...
1)Mix the 2 cake mixes with the soda (I wisked them together)
2)Divide batter into three seperate bowls, 1 with red food coloring, 1 with blue, and 1 as is.
3)Spray 3 round pans and bake according to cake mix directions (I baked 2 at a time because I have a small oven--I baked them at 350 for 25 minutes)
4)Let them cool before frosting (or icing, or whatever the proper term is! anyone know the diff?)
5)mix your cool whip with the pudding and frost away
voila! (sorry if my pics are huge--I've resized them, but they're still showing really large in my preview.)
Of course, I'm sure what you REALLY want to see are pics of is LUCY, so here she is enjoying her turtle pool while Daddy grilled and Mama baked:)
I'm so thankful that we have a day we can enjoy to be with our family, and that we can feel safe and have freedom because of those that have been so selfless in serving and defending our country! But even more than that, as DH pointed out in church yesterday, I'm so thankful for the incredible sacrifice our Saviour made for us so that we can TRULY be set free from the bondage of sin AND death.
...We've been enjoying a pretty lazy day here at the Toller household--sleeping in, staying in jammies half the day, and lounging around watching food network. We finally decided to get somewhat productive tho--DH cleaned off the grill (we haven't had a propane tank since two summers ago) and I worked on a Memorial Day cake. For those that like to try new things, or are just looking for a healthy dessert alternative, I thought I'd share...
I saw a friend had recently made a rainbow layered cake and it looked SO cool, but since we're still trying to stick to a healthy eating plan, I didn't want to make a tempting cake...but then I happened across a website with a WW-friendly cake recipe and decided to give it my own twist for a Memorial Day flare:) It's not exactly SBD friendly since you use a cake mix, but it has a HEK of a lot less sugar, calories, and fat in it, so I thought it would be a nice alternative to a typical fatty dessert, yet it sounded super yummy, too!
Here's what you'll need:
2 boxes white cake mix with pudding
24 oz clear diet soda (we used diet 7up since that's one of our faves)
red and blue food coloring
16 oz. whipped topping
2 boxes fat free sugar free pudding
And here's how you do it...
1)Mix the 2 cake mixes with the soda (I wisked them together)
2)Divide batter into three seperate bowls, 1 with red food coloring, 1 with blue, and 1 as is.
3)Spray 3 round pans and bake according to cake mix directions (I baked 2 at a time because I have a small oven--I baked them at 350 for 25 minutes)
4)Let them cool before frosting (or icing, or whatever the proper term is! anyone know the diff?)
5)mix your cool whip with the pudding and frost away
voila! (sorry if my pics are huge--I've resized them, but they're still showing really large in my preview.)
Of course, I'm sure what you REALLY want to see are pics of is LUCY, so here she is enjoying her turtle pool while Daddy grilled and Mama baked:)
Monday, May 10, 2010
Triathlon...
Last Thursday, we made one of our weekly trips to the local Subway and ended up having lunch with the owner. (She goes to our church and has become a good friend here in our new town.) We got to talking about running and such (yes, Bekah, you are right--I'm ALWAYS bringing up running into all of my conversations! lol:) and the idea of doing a triathlon came up. So, I started googling and found a triathlon just 30 minutes away in July! (When you live in a small town, it's not always easy to find races nearby, so I was very excited about this!) I also found a training program and have also sought the advice of some experienced athletes, so we got started yesterday--and we've already found a few other people who are wanting to join us! So, yesterday we did a 45 minute (8 miles) bike ride, and today we did a 20 min swim directly into a 25 minute run.
I dunno why this excites me so much, but it does! I guess there's several reasons for it...one is that it's just so neat to me that we just moved here, and already I feel like I have so much in common with others and am getting to know people and share a common interest with them. Another is that running has become such a huge passion of mine...
I'll be the first to admit that I am NOT a great runner and certainly not very fast. I was certainly never know as being an athlete growing up (the thought is actually quite funny to me now, looking back.) It's been so good for me though to see that when you work hard at something and give God your focus, He is able to accomplish ANYthing through you! There's just something so empowering about feeling like you just can't make it any longer, but pressing ahead anyway and then being able to look back and see that yes, you really could do it. So many times, people feed us negative thoughts that say we can't do something, or we just feed those lies to ourselves. And so many times God sets a task before us and we tell ourselves, "No, I just can't do that..." but if we'll look beyond ourselves and to GOD's great plan, He gives us the strength and the ability to accomplish SO much more than we could ever imagine--and He will also give us the passion for those things.
Along those same lines, I'm reminded of a night I had about a week ago...as we were getting the house set up, I had come across several pictures of me and my dad, and my heart grew so incredibly heavy. It was as if that wound had been completely torn open, and I literally felt like my heart could not bare the pain that has come from knowing my Daddy is gone. I so badly want him to see where God has placed us, for him to hear what God is doing in our lives, and especially for him to know his precious little granddaughter-that breaks my heart more than anything.- As I was having my devotion today, I came across such a wonderful truth that has really helped my heart in regards to dealing with my Daddy's passing--it brought this thought to my mind-when you feel like you can't go on anymore, DON'T, because God wants us to learn to REST in Him. it requires NO work on our part to allow Him to FULLY work in our lives...
So what does that have to do with my tri-training? Well, as I mentioned before, we have those breakthrough moments where we realize that we CAN go further than we thought, but on the flipside, we also have those breakdown moments where we realize we just can't do it anymore...and that's when God comes in and tells us just to be still and know that He is God. And we have to do that in training, too--just about any workout program you find, you will be given "rest" days. it's so important for us to just take those moments to stop what WE are doing and our body can replenish and heal. And God wants His children to do the same thing--we have to take time to just sit at His feet and be still and realize that it's not about us, but all about what He desires to do in and through us...
Anyway, I guess I'm just really excited to be on this new journey of training for this triathlon. I just can't wait to see what God has to teach me and how He desires to grow me through this process...
I'll close with some pics DH snapped of Lucy and me this afternoon of me on my bike and her in her bike trailor/jogging stroller:)
I dunno why this excites me so much, but it does! I guess there's several reasons for it...one is that it's just so neat to me that we just moved here, and already I feel like I have so much in common with others and am getting to know people and share a common interest with them. Another is that running has become such a huge passion of mine...
I'll be the first to admit that I am NOT a great runner and certainly not very fast. I was certainly never know as being an athlete growing up (the thought is actually quite funny to me now, looking back.) It's been so good for me though to see that when you work hard at something and give God your focus, He is able to accomplish ANYthing through you! There's just something so empowering about feeling like you just can't make it any longer, but pressing ahead anyway and then being able to look back and see that yes, you really could do it. So many times, people feed us negative thoughts that say we can't do something, or we just feed those lies to ourselves. And so many times God sets a task before us and we tell ourselves, "No, I just can't do that..." but if we'll look beyond ourselves and to GOD's great plan, He gives us the strength and the ability to accomplish SO much more than we could ever imagine--and He will also give us the passion for those things.
Along those same lines, I'm reminded of a night I had about a week ago...as we were getting the house set up, I had come across several pictures of me and my dad, and my heart grew so incredibly heavy. It was as if that wound had been completely torn open, and I literally felt like my heart could not bare the pain that has come from knowing my Daddy is gone. I so badly want him to see where God has placed us, for him to hear what God is doing in our lives, and especially for him to know his precious little granddaughter-that breaks my heart more than anything.- As I was having my devotion today, I came across such a wonderful truth that has really helped my heart in regards to dealing with my Daddy's passing--it brought this thought to my mind-when you feel like you can't go on anymore, DON'T, because God wants us to learn to REST in Him. it requires NO work on our part to allow Him to FULLY work in our lives...
So what does that have to do with my tri-training? Well, as I mentioned before, we have those breakthrough moments where we realize that we CAN go further than we thought, but on the flipside, we also have those breakdown moments where we realize we just can't do it anymore...and that's when God comes in and tells us just to be still and know that He is God. And we have to do that in training, too--just about any workout program you find, you will be given "rest" days. it's so important for us to just take those moments to stop what WE are doing and our body can replenish and heal. And God wants His children to do the same thing--we have to take time to just sit at His feet and be still and realize that it's not about us, but all about what He desires to do in and through us...
Anyway, I guess I'm just really excited to be on this new journey of training for this triathlon. I just can't wait to see what God has to teach me and how He desires to grow me through this process...
I'll close with some pics DH snapped of Lucy and me this afternoon of me on my bike and her in her bike trailor/jogging stroller:)
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