God is all about the process-and so is the marathon. boom roasted.

This morning i was reading Big God...

"waiting is work, but waiting does work" (merrick, 141)

After reading this (and paraphrasing his words a bit), I realized why I have so much peace right now and why I am beginning to sleep through the night, and not stress or breakdown at the end of workouts- it doesn't matter what happens in the end anymore or how long this season takes, because we are learning and finding more of Jesus in our lives right now.

When we signed up for the relationship we signed up for struggles.

However, in that small print (that no one reads) we usually just point out the scariest side effect (struggles), but neglect to see that it also says we are going to blessed out of our minds.

Through these struggles and despite these struggles.

The struggle is a blessing. It is not the end of the world, it is an opportunity.

So where my high schooler's run their league races their is this area during the last part of the race where there is a bit over a half mile of this flat, dry, circle, where you can see all the people in front and behind you, and no one is there to cheer you on. I told them that during this mentally tough part that they cannot think of how much is left, but instead it is an opportunity to pass people and prove surprise themself with their shear will.

my point being-struggles/trying times on our patience are an opportunity to be taught more about Jesus, and be shown more of him during the wait. It is like raising lazarus from the dead (yes Pondy, I just used this example), ya the Marys went through a struggle/so did Lazarus, but then once they waited it out they were so dang blessed!

There is this ad for some running shoes I am using as a bookmark in Big God, it says "The marathon. Once a test of will. Now a test of patience." The important part of a marathon is the process (just like God is all about the process); the training that goes into the race is crucial, as well as during the race being patient and pacing yourself even though you are maybe used to going faster. However, if you do not appreciate and give credit to the process while you are in it, that end goal probably won't be as great as you thought and it is going to be a lot more painful, and probably take longer to get there. That is the only way to see to the purpose of it all. So be patient, and do the work now, the finish line will come faster if you enjoy the ride there.

colossians 1:11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

God is in control

as I am doing reading for advance ex phys, with pandora playing in the background, a song I fondly remember my mom playing all the time when I was younger came on...God is in control by Twila Paris, from one of those WOW cds...while old school and straightforward I actually listened to the lyrics for the first time, and wow it is pretty good, I mean some legit stuff to have running through your head all day...so here ya go in case you forgot----

This Is no Time For Fear
This Is a Time For Faith and Determination
Don't Lose the Vision Here
Carried Away By Emotion
Hold On to All That You Hide in Your Heart
There Is One Thing That Has Always Been True
It Holds the World Together

God Is in Control
We Believe That His Children Will Not Be Forsaken
God Is in Control
We Will Choose the Remember and Never Be Shaken
There Is no Power Above Or Beside Him, We Know
God Is in Control

History Marches On
There Is a Bottom Line Drawn Across the Ages
Culture Can Make Its Plan
Oh, But the Line Never Changes
No Matter How the Deception May Fly
There Is One Thing That Has Always Been True
It Will Be True Forever

He Has Never Let You Down
Why Start to Worry Now?
He Is Still the Lord of All We See
And He Is Still the Loving Father
Watching Over You and Me

what will you be doing?

I think it's sad some people waste their lives away abusing their bodies and doing nothing to better others or serve or use their gifts, instead they twiddle their thumbs away serving only their immediate desires.
But here is my dad, going go work, church, taking mom on dates, hanging out with friends pouring into them and being poured into, reading the bible and learning more about God. The thing is, he was doing all this even before getting diagnosed...he doesn't have to regret wasted time not doing all the above important things.

Just like the Bible constantly asks us 'what do you want to be doing when Jesus comes', well what do you want to be doing if cancer comes?

Life with Jesus isn't going to be easy, but that is why we don't live for this reality but instead the perfect one He has prepared for us.

Last night I went to bed a bit distraught because I saw a facebook status complain about how hard life is... Really?? I'm not trying to pull the cancer card, because honestly there ARE worse things that could be happening in my life. When tough things happen we should almost rejoice that this is not our eternity, we should give thanks and remember that this stuff is temporary and it will all be taken away soon and replaced with a divine romance where pain is replaced by joy and tears replaced with laughter. Why not try to start here by replacing those tough things with joy and laughter and praise for what is to come and what Christ has done for us so we can have that!
Life is like a black and white film, it is not quite as bright as it could be (will be), but we watch it anyways. We know the movie will end, but until then we are sitting back chomping on some popcorn and seeing how the film plays out.

When life hands us lemons (happy or sad lemons), make a pretty centerpiece and leave them as is, they were made to be that way. Excuse my poor metaphorical use tonight, I am very tired but cannot fall asleep.

eat, pray, loved it

I saw the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" and it lived up to the book I read as I traveled around Europe last summer, so many great one-liners that just speak to your soul. While the author's religion is questionable, she says so many things that can be applied to the Christian's life. sidenote: finding God's fingerprints in books, songs, movies, situations which seem to the world secular, is one of my favorite things. One quote that got me is, "Ruin is transformation"...so when the weight of this world gets the better of me, God slips little reminders like this that He is changing me, that He is using me to bring others to Him. Even though it feels like my world is falling apart at times, and sometimes when I am sitting on the couch next to Dad I have to pinch myself to remember our reality so I soak up the moment. Through what seems like ruin, I know there is transformation in all of us.

One more, "I'm choosing happiness over suffering, I'm making space for the unknown future to fill up my life with yet to come surprises". This leads me into Francis Chan's sermon I heard this past sunday when I was in SB, he continually reminded us that we do not need to worry or be afraid of the unknown because we already have a table set for us in heaven. Furthermore, in Big God yesterday I read, "God is the God of details so that we don't have to be caught up in and worried about them", and "we should have a faith that is willing because God first said 'I will'". So by waking up each morning and taking that first sip of joy to keep me going all day, I am able to leave the details to God and instead use that room to focus on helping others-whether that be campers from this summer, training my athletes, bringing a smile to someone whose gait cycle I am analyzing, or being friendly to the hundreds of strangers I pass by across the sjsu campus know may not know Jesus. Now I am going off on a tangent, but to bring it back, my point is that by choosing joy I can show people what life with Jesus can be despite the valleys that we stumble across. One of my campers the last week of camp commented that she would be such a mess and not be able to go on if one of her parents had cancer...I replied that I used to say the same thing concerning my friends who had similar situations, but then it happened and look I am running around all summer doing ridiculous things filled with so much joy and with so much love to poor out on these lovely ladies who crossed my path. By just living each day with a smile and a bounce in my new pink running shoes (that I got half off of because of one of my 2 best jobs ever) I am leaving space in my life for the future and for others and for God to take care of the things I do not have control of/need to worry about.

I am going for a long long run tomorrow because I don't have any work until 2:30 and I have not had enough Jesus time this week.