Reflection: You've Made Some Goals, Now What?

Sometimes the hardest part of goals is coming up with them.--actually taking five minutes and writing down what you want to accomplish. But then, once you've made a list of goals, or maybe just set one goal, the appeal of waiting til tomorrow slips in. All of the reasons not to pursue the goal start calling out to you.

"I'm too busy."

"There's no time."

"I'm tired."

"What if I fail?"

"I'm making soup"~because as an old friend once told me, that's about as good as any other excuse. ;)

I'm sure you can come up with a few additional ones too. And maybe, some of these reasons are correct. More than likely they are just excuses meant to distract you. Set an intention in your mind and your heart that you will not be knocked off course by excuses--you can do this!

If these reasons are not excuses, and they have some merit, then it means you might need to think through your goal a little more, and make sure you have something tangible--if your goal is too ambiguous, then it is harder to know if you are making progress. Also make sure it is realistic--working on a project for 25 hours a day is not a realistic or possible goal, right?

Here's something I've learned through the years that has helped me set and achieve goals more effectively--making SMART goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. So how do we make SMART goals? For instance, how could a person love their spouse better or get in shape? We know that there are people who run marathons multiple times per year--are they just naturally able to go out and run 26.2 miles (rarely, but I guess it's possible). So how does one do it? I would say it is kind of like eating an elephant (not that I believe in killing or eating elephants), you do it one bite at a time.

So let's think about a goal like "I want to be more healthy." That's a little ambiguous. How could we make that a little SMARTer?

Here's one idea. "I will walk for at 30 minutes per day, three days per week."

Will this goal make me more healthy? Yes.

Is it specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely? More than likely, yes.

May we each set and achieve goals that will help us enjoy life more, love others better, and savor the wonder of each new day! May God speed you toward realizing your goals!

Review: The ONE Thing by Gary Keller with Jay Papasan

While I was passing through an airport, I saw a book with an intriguingly simple cover, and it just stood out so much I had to take a look. The book is called The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller with Jay Papasan. When I saw it I had to stop for a minute and open it up. As I skimmed it quickly in the airport, I thought, “this book is very captivating to me.” I decided I might grab a copy in the near future and give it a read.

I’m intrigued by books and activities that cultivate self-mastery, productivity, and ways that we can develop ourselves and others, and this book was just so unique in its delivery, I had to check it out. To start, the book is printed with black, white, red, and grey ink. Sections of the book make it look like someone has already read it and circled, underlined, starred, or marked sections where key points are being made. For me, it made reading the book more interesting because it was like I had someone else’s (the author’s) notes to refer to as I read the book.

The main premise of the book is that we are not made to multi-task, and that we become most productive when we focus on ONE thing at a time. And, when it comes to goal setting, we find greater productivity toward those goals as we break the goals into smaller steps. For instance, if I have a goal of running a marathon in a year (which I do), what is the one thing I need to do in the next month to move toward that goal, and then, what is the one thing I need to do in the next week to achieve my monthly goal, and what is the one thing I need to do today to meet my weekly goal. It sounds really simple, and it is, but here’s the trick. While it is simple, it is not easy.

It is not easy to stay focused on the ONE thing whatever it is, while you are being distracted from every possible angle with other things, things that may or may not be important, but regardless of their importance, they are not as important as the ONE thing. The book’s mantra about ONE thing helps thin out a long list of goals, and to prioritize ONE thing at a time.

Looking for a book to help simplify and streamline your life? Check out The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and use it to decide what your ONE thing is for each area of your own personal development , business development, spiritual development or whatever area you are determined to grow in. And as you do, I pray you are able to filter out distracting voices so that you can focus on the ONE thing that will bring you toward your most fulfilled and fulfilling life!

Clara Grandt Santucci Set To Compete In 2016 US Olympic Trials

Back in December last year, I wrote this post about fellow West Virginia native Clara Grandt Santucci. I felt like it was worthwhile to write another post and share the video below that was produced by Pikewood Creative in Morgantown, because Clara's story is one that all of us from the hills of West Virginia can be proud of. We need to be sharing these good stories more often in our world, and it has been encouraging to see my hometown TV station WTAP share a two part series about Clara as well.



Saturday, February 13 at 1:22PM EST, Clara will be running with 200 top marathon competitors in the 2016 US Olympic Trials, and this race will be broadcast on NBC, and personally, I'm incredibly excited and hopeful for her. From what I know of her, she is an very humble lady who is extremely dedicated to bringing her best to all that she does. She is a woman of deep faith and commitment, and she has been fiercely training and persevering toward this long term goal for the last four years.

Jamie and I have been sharing her story with everyone we know and encouraging them to tune in for the race on Saturday. Jamie can remember running track in high school against Clara (they went to different schools), and Jamie said, "Everybody knew that Clara would win the races in which she competed, and it didn't matter what school you went to, everybody wanted to see her win too--she was just that kind of person--even at a young age."

I want to encourage you to tune in and cheer her on Saturday afternoon, and if you live near the site of the marathon trials in Los Angeles, whether you are a native West Virginian or not (but especially if you are a West Virginian), get out there and cheer Clara on toward her Olympic dream!

Let's go Clara!!! You have already made us incredibly proud, but keep going!!!

Review: Mental Training For Runners, How To Stay Motivated By Jeff Galloway

Last fall, while visiting the Marine Corps Marathon Expo, I had the privilege of meeting former Olympian Jeff Galloway. During my time at Mylan Pharmaceuticals, my weight first crossed over the 200 pound mark. When it happened, I decided I needed to take decisive action. I changed my eating habits, and I started moving (walking/running). At the time Mylan had this walking/running program called the Mylan Milers program. The program was based on the honor system, and encouraged participants to develop a lifestyle of walking/running. There were incentives for achieving 100 (t-shirt), 500 (sweatshirt), and 1,000 (track suit) miles. I decided that I would attempt to move 1000 miles over the course of a year. The year was 1999.

As I started walking and running my way to 1000 miles (I ended at 1,013 that year), I started to get interested in running. At the time there didn't seem to be many books on the subject. (Contrast that today where there seems to be new books and theories coming out every week.) It was back in that time that I discovered Jeff Galloway's Book On Running (one of the best books I've read on the subject). So Jeff Galloway in some ways had served as a coach and a mentor for me in my running life. Although I took a several year hiatus from running, when I picked back up and started training for MCM, I looked to Coach Galloway for advice.

I've been thinking a lot lately about resilience and mental toughness. How do people persevere through hardships of different types and keep going? What is it that helps them to stay focused and motivated. When I saw Mental Training For Runners I had to read what Coach Galloway had to say. I actually ended up reading it during a cross-country flight earlier this year. It is not a long book, but it is well organized and easy to read.

The book is well researched, and rather than jumping straight into the fix, Coach Galloway starts by laying out a few reasons why we may feel unmotivated. He then goes through various ways we can develop mental plans of attack for each of these situations. The irony of the lack of motivation is that there are so many proven healthful benefits to our mind AND body that come from running. As Coach writes, "A gentle paced run activates the attitude-boosting hormones that can instantly transmit good feelings through your body. Within a few minutes, you feel better, more relaxed, have more energy and experience the powerful internal confidence that comes when the body and spirit are working as a team."

One of the best parts of this book is that this Olympic runner shared the fact that as a kid he was overweight and lazy, and that he was able to turn all of this around to become one of the greatest runners in the world. To me, that's inspiration. To know that someone who was once overweight could turn it all around.

Here are just a few of the tactics shared in the book. I won't write em all, but I do recommend the book to anyone who is wrestling with staying motivated and moving whether as a runner, a walker, or just someone trying to move forward with life goals.

1) Smile. This simple act can help you overcome negative thought patterns and change your demeanor and focus.

2) Focus on the positive benefits of the task you are about to (or are currently doing). What will be the result of me achieving this goal?

3) Your reflex brain will start talking to you when your body or mind start to feel stressed. It will work to tell you to slow down, stop, or quit. When it happens, acknowledge it, and speak into it. Laugh and tell it who is boss and keep pushing toward your goal.

4) Concentrate on one challenge at a time. Don't worry about everything all at once.

Whether you read the book or not, may you persevere in bringing your best to whatever you are seeking to accomplish, and may you hone your own mental toughness to persevere through the hard situations you find yourself in!

Reflection: My 2016 Goals Part Two

A few days ago, I started sharing my top goals for 2016. I felt like my post was getting a little long, and so I divided it up into two sections. If you want to get the rest of the list, check out my previous post. Each year I like to develop a list of overarching goals that inform my life mission and help me bring my best into every day. Here are a few of the goals I have set for 2016. If you are not a goal setter, I want to encourage you to set some goals for your 2016 as well. Below is the second half of my goals for 2016. Please, when you can send me a note to encourage me along the way--I always appreciate it!

Make healthier dietary choices. The data is out there. Sugar is terrible for you (beyond tooth decay), and it is EVERYWHERE! Jamie and I have been pretty disciplined in our food and beverage choices, but we plan to step it up even more in 2016 and part of that means making more meals at home, finding healthy snacks, and taking our vitamins!

Vacation. This is something I have historically been horrible with. I do not take time for vacation. Many times when I actually do take vacation, I still find myself doing work and hopping online to check emails or answer "urgent" requests. This year, I'm committed to planning for and using the vacation time that has been given me. At the forefront, I will take time off to go "off the grid" and celebrate five AMAZING years together with Jamie! Separately, I have gotten out of rhythm with regard to Sabbath. This year, I am working toward renewing my personal commitment to Sabbath. The irony of a general cultural desire to uphold the majority of the Ten Commandments is that we treat the commandment about Sabbath as an exception. 

Simplify. Every year Jamie and I make small inroads toward pushing things out the door that we have acquired over the years. And this year, we are already starting to go through our clothes, books, etc. and donate them so other people can enjoy them. Several years ago I started amassing quite a library, and while I have enjoyed reading just about every book on my shelves, the reality is that I am highly unlikely to read the majority of them a second time. So...I am planning to push many of these tomes out the door. Of course another aspect of simplifying means lowering my footprint, walking instead of driving, and turning off electronics, and lights when not in use. 

Pursue formal training to be a certified coach. This one is a new one in some ways. My entire life I have benefitted from being around people who were smarter than me, more talented than me, and who provided incredible mentorship to me. And at the core of my being, I think one of the things that brings me great joy is helping others bring their very best to the world. As a result, this year I'm pursuing formal training to become a better executive/leadership/life coach and mentor. As one of my personal mentors pointed out to me in a recent conversation, "You already do this stuff--getting trained will help you to do it better."

Play more. I believe this could probably be connected to vacation, simplifying and other goals, but when I think about this goal, it has more to do with seeking to do some activities purely for enjoyment. Whether that is playing a game of cards, playing H-O-R-S-E with Jamie on a local playground, or throwing a baseball in the yard, I want to be intentional in finding time to play in 2016. Life is pretty serious. The work we are doing at Nuru is pretty serious too. But play keeps our hearts light and and makes the serious work a little easier to push through. I don't have a specific goal for the frequency with which I want to play, but I know that I want to pursue more activities than I currently do simply for the sake of enjoying them.

So what are your goals? What will you do to bring your very best in 2016? May we each bring forth our very best for the glory of God and for the good of humanity in the year ahead.

Reflection: Running And Community

While attending the Nuru all-staff summit I had the opportunity to run together with some of my co-workers/teammates at Nuru. Typically when I go running, its either with Jamie or by myself (most of the time with Jamie though). I knew that there were a few fellow team members who cultivated a habit of running, and so I thought I'd invite them to explore an area I discovered on my first day of the summit. We were able to get out a couple of days during the week until I sprained an ankle, and at the very least, ended my own runs. I really enjoyed these community runs for a few reasons.

1) I knew that we were going to have some long and full days at the summit, and that all of us who were able/willing would benefit greatly from an opportunity to move and to sweat.

2) Running together, helped each of us to have a rhythm that didn't push anyone too hard, but ensured that we each had a good workout.

3) We had some great conversations about work and life that likely would never have happened during the normal rhythm of the week.

4) I was able to get to know some of my teammates better, and that puts me in a better position to support them as together we work to take more ground in the fight to end extreme poverty.

5) Knowing that there were other people who were going to run/workout with me helped me stay motivated to get out there.

Are you starting a walking/running/workout endeavor? Find a group of friends or coworkers to do it with, keep each other motivated, and keep moving forward. May we each find people in our lives who will help us bring our best each day!

Reflection: Running And Solitude

A few weeks ago, I traveled solo to the annual Nuru All-Staff Summit in Costa Mesa, California. Most of the time I get the privilege of traveling with Jamie, but on this occasion, we felt like it would be better to save money for an upcoming fifth anniversary vacation, and also allow her to support her team better at Healthworks. btw did you know that one of her coworkers (another fellow West Virginian) is training to qualify for the US Olympic Marathon team? You can read/watch her story here and help support her efforts!

Any time I travel westward, my internal clock has me wake up really early, and this was no exception. What was fantastic about the early wakeup was that it allowed me an opportunity to continue to apply some of the habits I had been cultivating late in 2015. I woke up, I read the Bible and prayed, and I began a little personal fitness. As I started, I thought, "I wonder how far I am from water?", took a look at a map, and realized that I was less than two miles from Newport Beach's Back Bay and Nature Reserve. So I decided to get out the door and get moving.

The first part of my run was anything but quiet. I was running along six lane roadways as people were beginning their early morning commute in LA. Within the first few minutes, I also ran past a cross fit gym. This was somewhat comical because there were people coming out of the gym to do a quarter mile run as part of their workouts. The folks I saw each gave me a somewhat puzzled look that was a mixture of "Great job! Keep at it!" and "I don't remember seeing you in the gym this morning, who are you?"

As I pressed onward past the traffic and the crossfitters, I made my way to the Back Bay. This was my Monday morning fortress of solitude. My run was my intentional space for reflection and contemplation. I watched as birds flew across the bay, and greeted the occasional walker, runner, or other fitness afficionado. And simply kept going. I had run through the Western edge of the bay along a dirt path and into a neighborhood. There was something meditative about the rhythm of my run, my breath, and the slow rise of the sun across the bay.

Running in solitude allowed me space for a few things that day. And as I think about it, offers us a space for these things each time we go.

1) It gave me an opportunity to test my intentions and resolve. No one would know if I took the day off. But I would know. Running alone gave me the ability to know that I can stick with a goal even if I'm the only person going toward it.

2) It presented me an opportunity to practice gratitude. My mind was filled with joy and my heart with gratitude as I looked upon the bay and thought about the fact that this incredible gift was just a few yards from the place where I was staying, and that by getting out the door, I could appreciate the world around me even more.

3) It it gave me a mental space to prepare for the day/week ahead. I knew that the day and week would be full, and activities would likely not end formally until 9-10PM. It was the start of the day and week. I wanted to bring my best. This run in solitude gave me a space to prepare for my time with my team.

4) It made a big and busy space seem smaller and more intimate. Here I was in one of the most densely populated areas of the United States, and I was able to find a park in the early morning that was quiet, expansive, not clothed in the same busyness and fast pace that seems to comprise much of a major metropolitan area.

If you run or pursue fitness in some way, my hope for you is that you can carve out some space for a workout in solitude where it is just you and the trail beneath your feet, and that you experience refreshment along that journey.

Reflection: Tending The Fire And Tending Our Spirits

Yesterday evening, Jamie and I decided to take some of the brush that had been slowly accumulating around our house over this summer, and burn it. So, we pulled out a small portable fire pit we bought on clearance last summer, and began to build the base of the fire. Memories started flooding my mind as I first gathered small twigs for kindling, and took a few seconds to light this bundle. And as the kindling was consumed, I quickly started adding larger sticks until we had a small, strong blaze going. At the same time, the sun was slowly setting over the hills to our west.

Gathering sticks and adding them to the strong fire, I thought back to many memories and lessons learned from starting and tending fires from some of my tribe's ancient ceremonies. I thought back to the importance of a clean fire, and how the fire itself consumed, refined and purified. I reviewed and relived the process of methodically building the fire and tending the fire so that it didn't go out and so it didn't blaze out of control. I remembered occasions where an old fire would be stamped out, so that a new and fresh fire could be built, as a symbol of a new start, a new year, and of leaving the past.

After the fire was built up, and the brush began to burn down into a peaceful and deep bed of blazing red coals, it brought me back to many memories of tending fires for sweat lodges and other occasions, and the high degree of care and contemplation that always surrounded these activities in the past. Sitting together by the fire, Jamie and I took time to pray. We prayed for ourselves to grow in our love for Creator, our care for His creation, and our capacity to serve our fellow humans. We prayed for growth in capacity and discipline. We prayed for friends who are going through incredible challenges. And at the same time, we soaked in the rhythm of the day. We watched the sun slip silently behind the hills and daylight transition to dusk. There was something amazingly restful as the last moments of "the weekend" disappeared, and we gave ourselves a small space for reflection.

Just as I learned during my younger days that tending the fire demands extreme care, respect, and discipline, tending our spirits also demands the same. After our time by the fire in quiet reflection and savoring the tranquility of the fireside peace that probably all of our ancestors have enjoyed, I found myself refreshed and energized for the week ahead. Now I realize that we probably don't have enough wood around the house to enjoy a quiet moment by the fire every evening, but we could cultivate a habit of tending our spirits into our daily and weekly rhythms. And, this tending is critically important work! Without tending our spirits we run the risk of letting the interior fires grow dim, or we could let our lives run out of control.

It seems like every one I run into feels incredibly busy and tired and that there's very little space in life for reflection. Surely, it wasn't always this way. As each of us lives out our calling faithfully in this world, it is quite easy to erase margins and lock ourselves into both a sense of apathy (that this is just the way it is) and complacency (content to be on cruise-control with our lives), but this will rob us of incredible joy, and in many ways rob the world of each of us bringing our very best selves into our work, family, and community.

May we each carve out space in our schedules for rest, for reflection, and for tending our spirits. And by so doing, may we keep our inner fires steady burning and bring our very best into each day.

Reflection: A Whirlwind Couple Of Weeks And Maintaining Focus On Goals

Like the photo above, the last couple of weeks have been a bit of a blur. I have almost constantly on the move. To give some idea, I have been in five countries, four different time zones, and in 20 different towns including four national capitals. Much of this time I was in areas with poor internet connections, and when I did have good connection it was very limited in duration. In spite of best intentions to keep up the practice of blogging, I have fallen a bit behind in my goal, but the goal is still there. And that's exactly what I'd like to write about today--keeping focused on goals. Although the past couple of weeks have been quite full, it doesn't change the fact that I want to write more consistently. It just changes the rhythm of that writing a bit. In fact, it changes the rhythm of a few aspects of life, from fitness and faith to sleep and and diet.

I believe in the modern era, it is quite easy to be distracted and deterred from goals. Maybe it has always been that way, but I can only reflect on what I have witnessed in my lifetime. I have watched as television increased from 13 channels to hundreds of channels of highly specialized entertainment. I have witnessed the computer emerge from a tool for basic word processing and electronic mail to millions of websites and and endless array of media from the written word to photo, music, and video. In addition, there seems to always be something happening--sometimes it is a really good thing and sometimes it is a tragedy, but regardless, the changes disrupt rhythm.

This kind of disruption and distraction requires something of us if we ever want to get anything done. All of us, were created for a purpose, and I believe we have an incredible contribution to make to this world. But to accomplish that purpose, we need to develop some muscles that distraction can either work to weaken or it can be the very training ground needed to see our goals through. Here's how I see it. Distraction gives us the opportunity to develop our resolve, to refine our intentions, and to hone our will.

I don't think it is incredibly difficult to come up with goals. Many people set goals each year at New Year's and at other times, but we don't necessarily stick with those goals. Sometimes our circumstances become overwhelming or our goals are unrealistic. But in my experience, most of the time, when folks don't attain their goals, there is a lack of while or intentionality to blame. Sleeping an extra hour is much easier than working out. Driving is much easier than walking or riding a bike. And then there are the little distractions that emerge. Every week, we all receive various communications that require mental energy for processing and responding (emails, phone calls, videos, links, texts, bills to pay, etc.) and have various forms of entertainment vying for our attention (games, movies, sporting events, etc.). At the same time we have our goals to accomplish.

What I have found to be helpful is to carve out some time during each week to rest, reflect, and reset. In the Bible, this time is called sabbath. According to the Torah, observing a sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments. In our modern world, it seems like the only one we feel a freedom to ignore. If we choose to completely ignore. If we choose to ignore the commandment about stealing or murder, we run the risk of going to prison. If we choose to ignore the commandment about sabbath, we run the risk of wearing ourselves out. Sabbath does not protect us from distractions and sabbath does not help us stay disciplined with regard to our goals. It is quite easy to spend a time of sabbath distracted as well as any other day.

But, in my experience, what sabbath has helped me do is create a moment during the irregular rhythms of the week to reset. But even sabbath requires a degree of intentionality. If I am not resolved to spend a period of time to rest and refresh myself, I will allow distractions to saturate and deter me from my goals. I even try to instill a little mini-Sabbath into each day. If I don't do this, I find myself constantly in a state of reacting, and it seems much like I'm swimming upstream against strong currents making little progress.

Separate from this foundational practice of rest and refreshment, I strive to make time each day to review short-term goals, and each week or month to review longer term goals. This practice of review helps me to keep focus, see where there may be challenging patches, and keep moving forward toward goals. But, even with these practices in place, without resolve, determination, and discipline, goals are not realized--but these practices help to strengthen that resolve and determination. If we are disciplined in these basic goals, it helps us to increase our capacity for realizing other goals.

As each of us enters a new week, we know the distractions will be coming. We know there will be crises to encounter, hiccups in our schedules, and other disruptions to overcome. May we each work to strengthen our life rhythms, our resolve, and our intentions so that when the distractions come, we will be ready, we will be focused, and we will continue to move forward taking ground toward our goals.

Morning Mileage

As spring transitions to summer, our miles are steadily increasing. For the third year in a row, Jamie and I committed to running the Marine Corps Marathon for Nuru International. In 2013, I can remember making the decision to sign up, more because I believe in Nuru than because I wanted to run 26.2 miles, and then, once I signed up, I knew I had to get serious about training. I had not been exercising consistently (beyond walking Jamie to and from work), and I couldn't really remember the last time I had run. So I went out that same evening, and tried to run as far as I could, but very slowly. I think I ran about 5 miles at a 13.5 minute pace. My feet hurt, and I was utterly exhausted.

Steadily as the summer progressed, my body began to wake from its slumber, and by the day of the race, I felt ready to run 26.2 miles. What helped me get ready was having an amazing training partner. Jamie and I ran together. We trained together. We prepared together, and we ran 26.2 miles. We didn't set a world record, but we did enjoy every moment of encouraging each other on those days when one or the other of us didn't feel like running. AND, we enjoyed being able to celebrate with approximately 30,000 other people (and about 30 Nuru runners), the discipline and determination that led us to running a marathon.

There are a wide variety of activities we can fill our limited time with, and not all of them are good. For me and Jamie, the last three years of running have been a really good thing. We get quality time together, we can pray together for friends and family, and we both feel like we are becoming more healthy as a result of going after the goal of a marathon. Even on mornings where we had to get up before daylight to beat the heat, we found we had more energy and were able to enjoy the rest of the day more than anticipated after waking up at 430AM. Before 2013, I never had aspirations of running a marathon. I wasn't sure if I could be disciplined enough to do it. But I could. And likely, so could you.

You see that's the really crazy thing to me. For most people, what it comes down to is self-discipline. You must be willing and able to plan and take steps toward achieving the goal. Most people, even serious athletes, probably can't just run out the door and crank out 26.2 miles without getting hurt. As Jamie and I were running recently, we were talking about the fact that many of our friends probably consider us runners because, well, we run. But when I think about runners, I think about people like my sister and brother-in-law. I think they run six days a week--they enter races at least twice a month. Jamie and I focus on three days of running each week--just enough to be able to build up to run a marathon.

It takes discipline to get there, but there are little rewards along the way, especially if you can run with your spouse or a close friend. Aside from that reward, there's the reward of quiet and an opportunity to explore and appreciate the world around you in ways you might not if you were sitting in a car (or a house). I took the photo at the top of this blog while running on the rail trail in Morgantown West Virginia. There was nobody out there. We saw deer, rabbits, and chipmunks, and we were also able to listen to a variety of birds. We were between a major roadway and the river, and all we could see was the path ahead, and the beauty of creation. I don't mind seeing people along the way too, but there was something nice about being out early with Jamie, carrying a Camelbak filled with three liters of water, and seeing nothing but the trail extending beyond us.

May we take the time to wake up early and get out there and move. Our body, mind, and spirit will thank us for making the time.

Training For A Marathon: Training For A Life

Running a long distance race has been something I've often thought about doing, but I always thought my first race longer than a 10K would have been the Parkersburg Half-Marathon. I guess I've never really been one to do something half way. ;)

Last October, Jamie and I joined 20 other runners from around the country to run the 38th Annual Marine Corps Marathon in an effort to raise funds and awareness for Nuru. And we are doing it again this year. It was a pretty incredible experience running through our nation's capital with over 30,000 runners from around the world. And it was an added bonus to have the support of the men and women of the United States Marine Corps as we journeyed along the 26.2 mile course.

This year, as we start training, we look forward to being joined in DC for the race by my best friend in the whole world, Willie, and possibly my sister, Becky. Willie has never run a marathon, but my sister has (and she flew!). A year ago I had never run a marathon, and neither had Jamie. I highly recommend giving it a try for anyone who has ever thought about it. In fact, it would be great to have you join us in running for Nuru in the future.

We found a training plan from a runner named Jeff Galloway. His plan boasted that it had helped thousands of runners train without injury. And the plan was available for free online! Back in the year 2000, I had started getting semi-serious about running, and I picked up a copy of a book by Jeff Galloway called Galloway's Book On Running. It's a great one if you are looking for a book to guide you in getting started running. Back in 2000, it was one of about five total books I could find on the subject at the bookstore. Now there are tons.

What I love about training for a marathon, is that it equips you not only with the discipline you need for running a long-distance endurance race, but also for the discipline you need to accomplish any major goal. You see, most people can't just go out their door and run a marathon tomorrow. They've gotta train for it; they must plan for it. When I started training, I had not run with any regularity in years, and the last time I had run, it was for about 2-3 miles and it was probably 6 months prior to signing up for the race.

Training last year started toward the end of March, and culminated at the end of October. Slowly and steadily Jamie and I added miles. We had to plan for even the 30-45 minute runs we did twice weekly. But the long runs required much more planning. I knew that if I wanted to have any chance at finishing a marathon, I had to be disciplined about getting out to run the longer runs. I had to block out hours of time for the longer runs. And I knew after those runs I would be really tired. So six months, three times each week, I needed to block out time to get ready, run, and rest. I needed to buy something to keep my energy levels up as I ran, so I bought Clif Shot Bloks.  It took planning, it took preparation, and it took discipline. And we all need that if we want to accomplish any larger goals in this life. Most people don't just sit down and read the Bible, they read a little bit at a time and get to their goal. Most people don't wake up and start playing the guitar. They practice, and little by little they build the skills to be able to play a song or two. It takes time. It takes discipline. It takes desire.

And that's why most people don't run marathons. Most people don't play an instrument. Most folks have never read the Bible. Most folks in the states have never planted a garden (not true for our global neighbors though).

So this year we planning to run another marathon. And that's another thing. Just because you have done it once, doesn't mean it is automatic. But, going through the process this time, we know we can do it--because we have done it. It isn't as daunting, but it takes just as much effort.

What is your big goal? It may not be to run a marathon, but whatever it is, you are going to need to map out a plan for it. Get to it. You are burning daylight. Every day you wait is that much longer before you complete your goal. You will be glad you started, and likely the world will be better because you took the time and applied the discipline to see yourself to the finish line. And, after you finish, the next goal will still take hard work, but it will be a little bit easier because you know what it takes to finish!

Lenten Commitment 2012

This year, although I still made it to visit an early morning church service, I did not get to blog about my Lenten commitments, Ash Wednesday or any related subject. 

Each year, I approach lent in the spirit of taking an opportunity to gauge how I am growing in my relationship with God, and specifically, I look at lent as a time to re-commit, re-set, and re-engage with God and identify areas for growth. According to church tradition, people typically take this time to either give up something or add something to their life with the intention of being able to better focus on their relationship with God.

In the past, I’ve taken what some would consider some pretty radical steps of fasting or engaging in the discipline of simplicity. In the past I have also added dimensions to my devotional life in order to better know and connect with the Creator of the universe.

This year, I decided to walk through a devotional book, that may be the best devotional book I have ever read or used. It’s called Developing Intimacy With God and it’s by a guy named Alex Aronis. In the past, I had noticed that Aronis suggests lent as a great time to engage in this eight week devotional, as the last week coincides well with a celebration during the week after Easter Sunday. 

The book has a simple cover and title, but I love the way it encourages me to think about my walk with God differently. Rather than focusing on all of the things I might be able to do for God, Aronis’ book encourages me to focus my energies on spending time with Christ so I can learn to be like Him in my actions and attitudes.

The last few weeks have been incredible with regard to slowing down from the busyness of life to listen, abide, and cultivate my relationship with Christ. I really love taking time to be intentional about meditating on the words and life of Jesus and praying that as I develop this habit, that I might learn to better love both God and my fellow human beings more deeply.

It has been a wonder-filled journey thus far, and I look forward to continuing it, not only throughout the Lenten season, but for the rest of my life.

Progress On 2012 Goals

I thought it might be helpful to go back and review my goals from earlier this year just to see how I am doing. So here’s a breakdown of how it’s been going so far.

Practice Sabbath, Solitude, Silence, and Fasting—This was once a strength for me, but I’ve allowed this discipline to slip in recent years.  I started off the year well, but have lapsed into looking at my phone late at night and early in the morning over the last three weeks. Time to start leaving it in another room again. :)

Blog More Consistently—This year, I would like to have at least 105 posts (2 per week). I’ve got some catching up to do here. :(

Exercise—I worked on lifting weights 1-3 times per week, walking at least 30 minutes each day 3-5 times per week, and I recently added cycling 30-40 minutes 5 times per week.

Lose Weight—I would like to lose at least 18 pounds during 2012. On February 6, I weighed 197 and currently I weigh 190. 11 more pounds to go!

Parkersburg Half-Marathon—I hurt myself playing basketball in February and haven’t been able to start running yet, but I am getting 30-40 minutes of cardio each day on my bike.

Steward Resources More Wisely—We are doing well, but we constantly look for ways we can be more efficient.

Get Outdoors—I’ve been outside for at least 30 minutes each day, almost every day this year. It has been FANTASTIC!!! I love being outside, breathing the air, and I’ve been able to hike in the woods a few times too.

Connect—We have been able to visit a few friends, but not as many as we would like, not as often as we would like, and not for as long as we would like. Hoping to see more friends in the coming months though!

Plant a Garden—Jamie has already started on some greens inside. I figure in the next few weeks we will work on turning over the soil for the first time.

Leave Margins—So far this year, I’ve been on the go a good bit, but we have also been able to experience some down times in the evenings. We start our days early, but we have been carving out space to be able to just do spontaneous fun stuff in the evenings.

What about you? How are you progressing toward your 2012 goals?

My 2011 Goals

No, the title of this post is not a typo. In separate posts, I will be sharing my 2012 goals and some reflections on some of my favorite moments of 2011, but I thought I’d take a minute and examine how I fared with some of my personal goals from 2011. For instance, I had hoped to run the Parkersburg Half Marathon, but it did not happen. I had set a few other goals as well, and I’d like to share how I fared in each of these.

Lose Weight—I started 2011 weighing 211 pounds. I ended 2011 weighing 197 pounds. I hit my low weight for the year during the week before getting married, and I weighed in at 183 pounds. I had hoped to hit 170, but didn’t make it; nonetheless, I am glad that I could measure progress, and perhaps my goal of 170 pounds by May 25 was a little unrealistic.

Spend Less—Well this was a bit of irony. I actually spent more in 2011, but a major part of that was a result of unforeseen medical bills, and expenses associated with getting married. What I’m happy about is that separate from these expenses, I did hold fast to my goal of spending less.

Blog More Consistently--Over the last year, I had started the year with a goal of writing three to five blog posts per week over the course of the year. Had I accomplished this goal, I would have written around 150 posts for the year.  Unfortunately, I did not meet this goal, and, in fact, only posted 83 times in 2011 which accounts for the lowest number of posts of any year since I started this blog in 2005. (Although, I did have another blog on another now obsolete site from 2003-2005, that probably had fewer posts).

Get Outdoors—I’m really happy about this one. I spent such a small amount of time outdoors in 2010, there was nowhere to go but up.  From October to the end of the year, Jamie and I made a habit of visiting Cooper’s Rock for some hiking at least once per week to hike when we were in town.

Exercise—I joined a gym in September, and spent most of the year getting exercise of some sort 3-5 times per week.

Parkersburg Half-Marathon—Injury prevented me from training properly for this event, but it is in my sights for 2012.

Reflect—I started the year well with this goal, but as the year lurched forward, I found less and less time available for this discipline. This will change in 2012.

Say “No”—I did improve in my ability to say no over the course of 2011, but I can still improve in this area.

Nationwide Columbus Half-Marathon

Sunday morning, I awoke at 545AM to begin pre-race preparations.  I wasn’t running myself, but my fiancée Jamie was running her first ever half-marathon.   We drove to Columbus and stayed the night at the home of my best friend in the whole world, Willie.  And, on Saturday afternoon about a half-hour after we arrived, Willie had a surprise for us.  My dad came up to visit and support Jamie too.  We had a great team rallying around Jamie as she awoke at 6AM and began her own pre-race preparations which were much more serious than mine. (she actually had to run 13 miles).

We drove to the race site and got stuck on 670 for a bit on our way to the race, and so at 710AM, Jamie hopped out of the car to ‘warm up’ by running to the starting line (and insuring that she would be able to be there in time for the start).  I proceeded to drive the car to the parking garage, and amazingly, I made it to the starting line in time to see her off.  (Turns out that her wave of the race started close to 745 instead of 730AM).  At that point Willie and my dad drove up about two blocks away, picked me up, and we made it to the first of three stops along the route to cheer Jamie on.

It was utterly amazing to see the turn-out for this race.  15,000 people ran in the race, and there was literally a continuous stream of runners along the route.  In fact, Jamie had nearly passed us before we saw her from the first vantage point (mile 4) along the race route.  We tried to track her using the tracker function on the marathon website, but we couldn’t get it to work.   At mile 9 we fared much better, and even got a couple photos.  All along the route, Jamie maintained good form and totally rocked the race.   In fact, Jamie started the race awesomely well, and ran her fastest 10K ever during the first part of the race.

The marathon as a whole was pretty stellar too.  The route took participants all through the city, and there were dozens of bands and live music all along the way.   The city was filled with energy and thousands of spectators gathered along every part of the route.  

Jamie has been training since late this summer with two of her friends, and all three of them completed the race well. She finished the entire race in about 2 hours, and I am soooooo proud of her!  She set a goal, she disciplined herself to run on many occasions when she didn't feel like it, and she totally crushed it!   

Livstrong and the Tour

I saw this Livestrong/Nike video yesterday, and I just had to share it with you. To me, Lance Armstrong is an inspiration. I know he has affected many lives through his Livestrong campaign to fight cancer, and raise funds for research toward a cure.

But there's something more about this video to me. When I watch it, it reminds me not to take the life I have for granted. I'm reminded that every single one of us has critics. There will be people who don't like you simply because of your faith, or your ethnicity, or your hair color, or the place where you come from, or your wealth or lack of it, or for countless other stupid reasons. It doesn't matter.

What we do in this life, we don't do for our critics and nay-sayers. We do it for others. As a Christian, I am challenged by this video to live more passionately for my God and for other people. Lance Armstrong shames most people with the passion and the discipline he shows in his workouts, and in his life. Maybe you are a nay-sayer. Maybe you are a critic of Lance. But maybe there's something you could learn from this guy.

I'll be cheering Lance on in the Tour this year. But I'm not just cheering Lance on. I'm cheering on the cancer survivors and the others who have been knocked around by disease and poor circumstances. Keep on fighting and pushing.

And I'm striving to live life with a similar passion. I know there will be critics--I'll probably be chief among them toward myself. You probably do the same thing to yourself. Stop it. Get out there and ride, and serve, and live, and care, and pour it ALL out for the glory of God, and for the betterment of this world.

May you stand strong in the face of criticism, be resolute in your discipline, and serve and inspire others through your life today, and everyday.

On the road

After three humid days at a conference near the gateway to the west,
our team is now making the return drive to Almost Heaven.
Usually when I travel, it happens with a frequency that breaks any
habits I start while back home in Morgantown. This time was different.
I was able to continue to eat healthily and exercise each day.
Usually the limited selection of food and time for exercise derails
positive habits, but as I awoke each morning I was reminded that God
didn't give me a spirit of fear (or laziness) but of power, love, and
self-discipline. That can be a huge motivational truth wherever you are.
No matter where you are or what you are going through God has given
you self-discipline.
May you walk in this Spirit today wherever you are. These are my
thoughts from the road.

Hunger for God

Over the last few months, I've been slowly working through one of the best devotional prayer books I have ever read. The book is actually set up to walk you through it's pages in eight weeks, but it has taken me closer to eight months. Maybe that means I have just attempted to do WAY too much over these last few months. I'm slowly working my way through the final parts of this book. It's called Developing Intimacy With God. I know, catchy title. Every time I've opened this book, it has guided me through some powerful encounters with God. The week by week practices have challenged me, and I have been striving to spend a few weeks on practicing the concepts that emerge in this little book.

My friend JR Woodwardrecommended this book to me a year ago, and I'm immensely grateful. I was wrestling through a big life decision, and I was looking for guidance, and my friend recommended this book as an aid to growing in my awareness of God's direction in my life.

So as I was reading a wee bit today, I came across this quote, and it made me think about my tendency (and I don't think I'm alone), to indulge in treats of various types as part of my dietary habit. The quote is actually from an article written by a guy named Cornelius Plantinga. Here it is.

"Self-indulgence is the enemy of gratitude, and self-discipline is usually it's friend and generator. That is why gluttony is a deadly sin. The early desert fathers believed that a person's appetites are linked: full stomachs and jaded palates take the edge from our hunger and thirst for righteousness. They spoil the appetite for God."

After this quote, Alex Aronis, the author of the book says, "By experience, we know that culinary pleasures have a seductive power. They can take over and choke the word. (Mark 4.19).

Perhaps there is a connection between our general spiritual malaise in the West, and our indulgent lifestyles. I've thought about this a few times before, especially when considering verses of scripture like Ezekiel 16.48, but it's just been impressed on my mind again, so I thought I'd share it with you.

As we go through our day, may we all learn the self-restraint it takes to resist indulging in a culture that flashes alluring indulgences at every turn, and may we at the same time grow in our hunger for the Creator of the Universe.

Some Thoughts From Joshua Tree

Well, as you could tell from the fact I blogged on Friday, I emerged from the desert. I'm back in West Virginia after experiencing five days of solitude to focus on prayer, fasting, and listening for God in the middle of the Mojave Desert in Joshua Tree National Park.

There are quite a few stories I feel like I could tell about my experience but the one that lies in the forefront has a beginning before I entered solitude. My buddy John Hancox recommended a sermon by a guy named Paris Reidhead. It's an interesting name for a person, and a very compelling sermon called "Ten Shekels and a Shirt". You can download, listen to, or read the sermon from this site.

During the sermon a story was told about two Moravian missionaries who sold themselves into slavery to be able to share the gospel with slaves on a remote island in the caribbean. After they had sold themselves to the athiest slave-owner, they were shipped to the island. As they left family and friends, they yelled from the deck of the ship, "May the Lamb who was slain receive the reward of His suffering!" Or as I had paraphrased it during my time in the desert, "May the Lamb who was slain receive the glory He is due!"

While I wandered in solitude, I prayed two prayers to help me stay centered on Christ. That statement was one of them. The other one was simply this. "Lord Jesus Christ be merciful to me, a sinner." Now some would say that neither of these are necessary prayers because God by nature is merciful, and He will receive glory. But sometimes prayer is less necessary for God and more necessary for us to be changed. God moves through prayer, and He changes our circumstances at times. At other times, He changes us.

Over my days He changed me. You see, I got sick early in the afternoon on February 6th, and didn't stop vomiting until around 1PM on February 11. Before you start feeling bad for me, understand that God used that illness to teach me great things about Him and His mercy, and about me and my own darkness.

You see, there was a point at which I was a little frustrated by my sickness. I was frustrated because I didn't go to the desert to be sick--I went to the desert to connect with God. I went to the desert to grow spiritually, and to be better equipped to help others grow closer to Jesus. I had a certain idea of what that would look like. I think God had a different idea.

During my time of sickness, I realized how merciful God was toward me. He knows how dark my heart is (He also knows about your's too!), and in spite of that, because I am His creation, He was willing to do whatever it took for me to be reconciled to Him. I deserve so much worse than a few days of sickness. We all do, when we consider ourselves in contrast to the Holiness of God Almighty.

So as I lay there receiving mercy, I found myself crying out silently from my mind, "May the Lamb who was slain receive the glory He is due!"

I know we all have difficulties come our way, that leave us wondering "where is God in the middle of this?" But I am also confident of this as well, these present difficulties pale in comparison to the surpassing mercy that God shows us moment by moment.

May you experience freshly the mercy of the Lamb who was slain, and enjoy God for the immensity of His worth!

Superhero Family Photo

Superhero Family Photo, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

I took this photo on Thanksgiving day while on a long hike with all of my siblings but one. My brother Chuck and his family weren't able to make it in for the holiday because they live in California.

My dad and sister walk every day. Willie walks every day that he visits my dad. ;)

It's incredible what walking does for a person. You know, I think the reason why so many folks are stressed and feel isolated so much of the time is because they have a hard time disengaging from the busy-ness for a bit and just walking.

i know I have that problem. I take some time out from time to time (like going to the WVU game), but that doesn't really cut it. Walking and talking or simply just walking and thinking--those help me to relax.

I used to take long drives, but I stopped for a couple of reasons. Gas prices tripled over the last three or four years, and it probably isn't the best stewardship of limited natural resources.

Plus walking is just good exercise. My dad and sister are in great physical condition because they walk. And Willie's health is improving as a result of his visits.

I hope you can take some time to disengage from the busy-ness as the year rolls to an end. Go for a walk. Breathe the air. Uncloud the mind. As I write this I realize, I'm in need of a walk myself . . .