Archive for the ‘General’ Category

28
Oct

Marine Corp Marathon 2009 (10/25/09)

   Posted by: hugsmindy

I’ve run marathon’s before. Marine Corp ’09 was not my first. I knew going into training what it meant to run those 26.2 miles that can actually feel like 100 miles. I knew that it would take a lot of very early Saturday morning alarms, buckets of summer sweat, untold dollars in good running shoes and expensive socks. I knew that if I wanted too, I could finish. What I didn’t know when I decided to embark on the marathon journey again was that after an 11 year absence, in many ways, it feels like your first one all over again.

Three days before the marathon, I started getting nervous. I recall being nervous before my previous marathon’s, but not THIS nervous. I worried about the weather, I worried about the crowds, I worried about my family spectating, I worried that I’d forget an important supply, I worried about Hains Point, I worried about THE BRIDGE, I worried about that hill up to the finish. You name it, I worried about it. Why was I so worried? I wasn’t worried about finishing. I knew I had trained enough that I would make it across that line. No, finishing wasn’t the question. The worry, the question for me, the cause of my stress was time. What would my time be?

In all three of my previous marathons, I never worried about the clock. I just didn’t care. I went out there and put one foot in front of the other and was thrilled to just get it done. This time, something was different. Something was pushing me, nagging me, to do better. I started this marathon journey to just finish another marathon. I had no intention of worrying about time. I thought I’d be happy with anything around 5 hours, but wasn’t even too worried about that.

Then I started training. I put in the miles, I eat the right foods (mostly), and I let everyone know what I was doing. It was then that something changed. Suddenly, people were asking me on Monday how my training run went. Emails were coming in encouraging me when they knew the weekend ahead was going to have bad weather. I ran several long runs with a running partner (something I had never done before). People were interested in my efforts. They cared and they wanted to know what I was going through and how I thought I’d do in the race. This had never really happened to me before. People always knew I ran, but other than my fabulous husband, no one ever took a real active interest. Suddenly, people were doing just that.

Two weeks before Marine Corp, I ran the Baltimore Half Marathon. This was supposed to be a training run for me, but the run felt fabulous and I hit a perfect pace finishing with a PR of 2:07. I was elated as I crossed the finish line. My husband, sister, and niece were in the crowd cheering. I pulled out my cell phone to call Phil and try to locate, but before I could dial I had a Facebook message from a friend. She had been following my split times on her computer at home and was sure I had finished the race. She wanted to let me know that I had kicked butt. That message almost made me cry. I had no idea she was tracking me and it was wonderful.

So, back to those nerves. Why was I so nervous? I think it’s because for the first time, I was pressuring myself to watch that clock. I knew that others were watching me. Is this a valid reason to push yourself, maybe, maybe not? I’ve got to say that after my training runs, I really wanted to obtain a PR in this marathon, but I wanted it even more knowing that others were going to ask me about it. I wanted to make them proud. So, nervously, my family and I boarded a Metro train and headed out on a cold, dark October morning for the start line. Here’s my race story:

It was cold out there in Arlington at the start line. I tried to find my way to the middle of the pack so I could block some of the breeze. I sat down on the pavement to take my jog pants off and get myself ready and suddenly heard another female runner screaming. I look over to find the most unusual marathon participant yet. A very small, very confused field mouse had found its way in the middle of the runners and was frantically trying to get away. With over 20,000 runners, that wasn’t going to be possible. I was laughing like crazy as I watched all the ladies scream and run from this tiny little creature. Certainly a great tension reducer! Eventually, the mouse ran towards the side and some unkind man ‘took care’ of him, which I found truly sad.

It took 10 minutes to get from my place in the pack to the actual start line. The crowds were cheering, the music blaring. It was fabulous….and off we went.

Phil, Amanda, and Spencer were at roughly the 1 mile mark. I tossed my gloves to them and waved. Running through Arlington I caught up with one of the wheel chair participants just after mile one. It was great to cheer him on, but as the race progressed, the wheelchairs would become a problem. Running through miles 1-7 I remember thinking that it must be nice at times to be a man; so easy to make a pit stop….and pit stops were happening everywhere!

As we went over the Key Bridge and into Georgetown, this was the first chance we had to see some of the runners who were well ahead of us. They were inspiring in their pace. Georgetown University had their cheerleaders and band along the course and I enjoyed the music so much I wasn’t paying enough attention and almost tripped over dead road kill of some unidentifiable animal. YUCK! (Later identified by Tina as a Racoon, but I didn’t look that closely!)

Around a corner and up a pretty good sized hill to a beautiful neighborhood. On a tree was tacked a sign that makes me laugh…”Free Mimosa’s if you quit now!” HUMMMM, tempting? No way! But it did remind me that I needed to start looking for a nice hidden place. Georgetown is a beautiful little neighborhood, but unfortunately it was situated along the marathon route at the point where a lot of runners needed to make a pit stop! I found a nice wooded area bordering a gravel drive that served me fine. I shared the tissues I carry with me with some other female runners taking advantage of the same trees.

Back on the road, I realized I’d lost about 4-5 minutes on the pit stop so I tried to pick up the pace just a smidge to compensate. On the right at about mile 9 there was a mom with her approximately 6 year old daughter playing drums for us. I had to clap for them as I wondered which house is theirs. One thing I like to do while running marathons, to keep my mind occupied, is to shop for homes. As I run past them, I try to determine which house on that street I’d like to live in….there are many such homes in Georgetown.

Coming past the back of the Kennedy Center and around the back of the Lincoln Memorial, the crowd is tremendous! One sign reads, “Don’t walk, we’re watching.” That has to be one of my favorites! I thought I hear my named called, but I wasn’t sure. The crowd was so large and loud! I tried to pick up the pace during these times. They were so inspiring and I knew Hains Point and THE BRIDGE were coming.

Going into Hains Point, it got pretty quite. I turned up my iPod music and focused on my pace. Then I was startled by a wheel chair participant who comes up from behind me and in an effort to make his way through the crowd, nearly takes off my right foot. Runners in front of me began yelling, “Make a whole, wheelchair coming through.” This was not only a nice gesture for the wheelchair participant, but it was a great idea to warn the other runners. I wish I had been warned.

The half came in 2:10 and my shoulders were killing me. I walked briefly to dig Motrin out of my camelbak pocket. I also utilized my new iPhone and its headset to call Phil and let him know where I was on the course. This turned out to be a good idea as he was not getting the updates from the MCM website that he was supposed to get.

At mile 14 I could see into the medical tent and there was a runner on the stretcher who’s not looking well. As I pass, I hear the oncoming siren of an ambulance coming to pick him up. I continue on and said a pray for him. It is a sobering sight to see when you’re out there running the course.

Mile 16 brought us back around the Lincoln Memorial as we headed toward the loop around the mall. This was one of my favorite parts of the course. I saw my family again at mile 16 and gave them my “I’m getting tired” face. Seeing them was such an encouragment! I don’t think they’ll ever know how much the site of them, if only for a second, helps push me on and keep me going.

The next sign I saw that I really liked was carried by a gentlemen who look quite fit and health, perhaps in his 20’s. It read, “Making signs and cheering is hard work too.” I gave him a high five even though he didn’t even appear to be sweating. (Hard work huh???)

Mile 20 was looming ahead. You reach mile 20 just as you are about to go over the 14th Street Bridge. At the mile marker there was a fabulous women’s drum corp. They were my favorite group/band along the course. Had I not been running, I could have easily stopped to enjoy their music! Just the little push I needed to get me up on that bridge. To give you an idea of what running that bridge was like, think of a great day at the beach with a pleasant crowd and nice breeze, then think of the desolate, hot, dreary desert. The course as it meanders through Georgetown and the National Mall was the beach. The 14th Street Bridge was the desert. There was nothing out there but pavement. No spectators except for 6 or 7 bikers who had ventured up there. There were no sights to keep your mind off the miles and the exhaustion in your legs. There was nothing but the sound of feet hitting blacktop. Then I saw a sight that I’m sure EVERY MCM runner will never forget. It had to be one of the most creative spectating ideas I’ve ever seen. DEATH was on the bridge. He was wearing his long black hooded robe and holding a sign that said, “THE END IS NEAR.” He was at the 21 mile mark, so he was almost correct. The end was sort of near!

This was a hard stretch for me. I was tired. I could see on my GPS that my time was good enough for a considerable PR, but Imy legs felt like lead. Each step I had to talk myself into running and not walking. I can’t honestly say that I succeed with every step, but I tried hard and did succeed the majority of the time. That bridge was the hardest part of that course and anyone who makes it over that bridge, even if they don’t make the finish line, should get a medal.

Coming off the bridge, we went into Crystal City were once again the crowds are amazing! I couldn’t help but be re-energized as you went through the first water stop in Crystal City. The crowds was cheering and I came to the realization that I was literally almost there. Mile 21! I’m going to do this! The question became, in what time? This was what was on my mind for the remainder of the marathon. It was a battle between my tired, sore legs and the ticking of time on my GPS. Mile 22 came and went and I was doing ok. Mile 23 came and OUCH it was getting harder.

Then, we hit the smaller version of the desert that I mentioned when describing the 14th Street Bridge. This was the loop around the pentagon. Once again, it was just the runners and the pavement. I kept repeating to myself, “push forward; push forward….less than a 5k to go.” The course curved around an exit ramp and we were on the road to the finish. I could hear the music coming from the finisher’s festival, but I was so tired. I can almost, even with my deaf ears, hear the tick, tock, tick, tock of my watch. I knew I wouldn’t make it in under 4:30, but I think of how that would have been such a great thrill. I was telling myself, “Push, push, push.” The crowds were right there, I was close. An obviously military guy came off the curb and yelled at me (I guess I looked tired) “PUSH IT, YOUR THERE GIRL….YOU’VE GOT THIS. GO GO GO!” I felt like I was in boot camp and it was great. Push, push, push. Just ahead I turned a corner, and I saw the uphill that goes for a tenth of a mile to the finish. I saw wheelchair participants. I’m guessing they want to finish together, because they were maneuvering themselves through the crowd of runners, cutting us off. They lined up 5 abreast and blocked my way up the hill while they slowed trying to get up it! AHHHHHHHHHHH! I kept hearing the Tick tock Tick tock…….I thankfully saw an opening and decided to take it. The girl in front saw the same thing and triped over a wheel as she tried to pass the wheelchairs. I made it through and I saw the finish line up ahead. I heard Amanda and Phil yelling my name, but I couldn’t look that direction. I had to focus straight ahead on that wonderful line. Push Push Push….. focus……SMACKING my foot down, I finished in 4:33:37, a new personal best. Previous personal best was 4:42.
It is over, I am tired.

Next year—–4:25!!!!!!!!!!!

The Marine’s are amazing! They put on a fabulous race! The cheer and encourage! I’m proud they are our military!

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21
Jul

The Long Road

   Posted by: hugsmindy

“What are your plans for Saturday?” one of my co-workers asked me last Friday. My response, “my only set plan is to run 16 miles in the morning.” The face that comes over my co-worker is a familiar one. I’ve seen it a few times before as I’ve given a number to the miles of my run. It’s the “are you serious” look. Or maybe it can be more accurately described as the “are you insane” look.

I actually enjoy that face. I love the reaction. Perhaps it is a lack of humility that helps me to enjoy that. For I know I can do nothing without the strength and will of my Lord guiding me, but I don’t say “with the Lord’s help, I ran XX miles.” Nope, I usually say that “I ran XX miles”. Before each run, I pray for strength, endurance, safety, and mental stamina. After each run, bad or good, I thank the Lord for getting me through. So I know it is He, not me. The thought convicts me; I need to give Him more credit when I talk about my runs with others.

So, everyone wonders why I would put myself through hours and hours of running miles and miles. I spend roughly 3 hours during the week running (sometimes more and sometimes slightly less) and then I have that long run on Saturday which can be anywhere from 2 hours to 5 hours. Why?

Running has always been a source of sanity for me. Being out there and pushing myself for just another mile helps me to sort through life. I spend that time thinking through the issues of the week, praying (not just for the end of the run), and enjoying this world God created. It’s a time when I don’t have to answer a phone, clean a dish, break up a sibling argument, process paperwork, or balance the budget. In high school, running gave me confidence. It was a sport I could do and do fairly well. It was something for just me. I didn’t have to follow my sisters or share the event with them. As an adult, it has healed me physically and mentally. It has pulled me out of more than a few ‘funks’ and has helped me to lose weight while lowering my cholesterol. It helps me to remember that although I am just a speck of sand in the mass of God’s people, even a speck can do extraordinary things. Extraordinary doesn’t mean I’m a speed demon. I’ll always be, at best, a middle of the pack runner, but to me extraordinary means the push, the drive, the sheer will to go more miles and force myself more physically than most people do.

Perseverance, determination, drive, motivation, and dedication are all needed to run marathons. But training for a marathon and using those character traits teaches a runner how to utilize those traits in every aspect of their lives. It teaches them to overcome obstacles and move forward, one step at a time.

Yes, it is, in many ways, insane. Sometimes insanity is a good thing!

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19
May

True Friendship – no maintenance required

   Posted by: hugsmindy

Time goes by and life moves on. I think I honestly forget that I have this blog. Perhaps it’s that I’m just too busy to sit down and provide my eloquent thoughts to the world. Perhaps my thoughts are just too tied up in knots. Perhaps I just need some good news before I feel like publishing. Or, and most likely, perhaps I just don’t have anything profound to say!!!!

Profound or not, here I go. What hot topic can I choose today? The economy? How a family recovers from a lay-off and struggles through a serious decline in income? Fears for the health of our loved ones? The trials and tribulations of parenting a teenage daughter and elementary school son? How to manage a schedule that rules you instead of you ruling it?

All of those are worthy topics; some being more depressing than others, but I really don’t think I have anything mind-boggling to share on those subjects. Instead, I think I’ll share what the Lord has done to me in terms of fellowship and friendship.

Eight or so years ago, I had just become a stay-at-home mom. I was excited and overjoyed that I was given such a blessed opportunity to be there for my children all day. We lived in our townhome at the time and had one of those rare neighborhoods in which everyone knew everyone else and gathering in the yard for impromptu evening chats where common place. I don’t recall the exact day that I meet my friend, but I do recall that she had a spark to her. She just shined. She and I lived across the street in this ‘Mayberry’ neighborhood (ok….that’s an exaggeration…but I do miss that closeness we had then). She was a stay-home mom too and we seemed to be the only ones around during the day.

Our friendship quickly developed into trips to the playground, walks in the mall, shared Bible study, phone calls to get through our days and best of all…..shared evening snacks when one of us had a particularly good desert! She is a Christian, hence that shine I saw when we first meet. Our parenting styles were similar and our theologies in tune. We both desired to raise our children for the Lord and to strive to do His will in our lives. I learned a great deal from her those years I lived across the street from her. If I had to pick one thing in particular it would be patience. That has always been something I lacked, but through my friend, I gained more of it than I thought I could.

Four years ago, this week, we moved out of that townhouse. The neighborhood was changing. My friend and several other neighbors had moved in the months prior. It was a happy and a sad day. You always wonder when you move away from a friend if the friendship will remain, if it will stand across the gap of distance. After all, who could I share my desert with?

The past few months have been difficult for my family. We’ve had to make some very big adjustments. I simply don’t have enough time in my day to just call a friend and spend a half hour chatting. Things have changed for my friend too. She has 5 children now and home schools. Her schedule is just as crazy as mine, but the other day she and I had this fabulous conversation. The kind you can only have with a true friend. The kind that can only occur when Christ is the center of the friendship.

I had some earthly worries that I was ‘venting’ to her. She was so wonderful. She listened and understood what I was going through and then she began to tell me about a wonderful prayer experience she had. How she was dwelling on a verse about the Lord lifting us on wings like eagles. As she prayed for wisdom regarding the verse, she looked up and saw a hawk just gliding. Not flapping his wings, just gliding. Gliding higher than the oriole, house sparrow or hummingbird would go, high enough to see great distance. So high, yet resting comfortably on the wind, gliding. I won’t interpret what she saw, but how wonderful it was to, when I was full of earthly worries; have a friend who could bring my focus back to the Lord.

She is a great friend. We hardly ever get to lay our eyes on one another anymore. We certainly don’t talk daily. Sometimes a couple weeks will go by without us speaking. But the joy of this friendship in Christ is that it does not require ‘maintenance’. It only requires true love for one another and the knowledge that we are there for each other no matter what. Our busy schedules may keep us from regular contact, but the joy of this friendship is, our busy schedules can’t and won’t stop the love of two dear friends and the joy of Christ between them.

Thank you my dear friend! I don’t think I say that often enough!

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13
Feb

Too much??? Too busy??? When do we say when???

   Posted by: hugsmindy

“So, what sport’s do your children play?” “Oh, are they involved in ….?” “What do you do for a living?” These are some of the first questions people ask you when they haven’t seen you in a long time or are just meeting you. They seem innocent enough, but sometimes I wonder. Are we a society that defines our identities by what our jobs are, what sports we play, and how busy we are? I think the hands down answer to that question is yes.

I’m writing this after a week whose schedule thus far looked like this:
Sunday: Sunday School, Church, Grocery Store, Laundry, Remove old King size mattress from house, Drive to Bel Air to pick up car we are borrowing from in-laws, PT ‘at home’ work for old boss, Youth Group
Monday: Get up at 5:45am for work, kids out the door, work ’til 5-5:30, bring in new king size mattress, make dinner, clean up, check homework, watch a TV program, go to bed
Tuesday: Same as Monday except throw in a Lacrosse clinic for my daughter in Catonsville from 8pm-9:30pm, arrived home at 10:30pm, while hubby takes son to Tree Climbers at church
Wednesday: Same as Monday except add a Youth group Bible study we host at our home from 7pm-8:45pm
Thursday: Same as Monday except add in a trip to Bowie to pick up my Tahoe from the dealership after three days for repairs, then drive up to Bel Air to drop of the car we borrowed from in-laws, arriving home at 10:30pm. (This was after canceling plans to have friends over for our monthly dinner.)

So, I got to thinking on the drive home…..are we too busy? Is it too much? If so, what do you cut? Well, unfortunately, there isn’t much we can cut right now. We have two kids and two full time jobs. Life is crazy hectic. Evenings without a planned activity are a rarity.

However, I am striving to not allow the activities and the busyness to define us. I am trying to teach my children that it is not sports or careers or even grades that define who we are. I want them to see that it is our hearts. That it is our love of God and devotion to him. That love and devotion is what can, in fact make our schedules so busy at times. We want to teach others about him, so we lead a Bible study. We want our son to know Christ better and grow up in the church, so we make sure he goes to Tree Climbers. We want our daughter to have the chance to grow and mature in her faith, so we send her to Youth camp. We teach Sunday school and we try our best not to miss worship. These are all good things. But……may the focus be on HIM and not on us. May we strive to ever lean on HIS wisdom and not our own. May we not be so busy that we do not take time for prayer and the Word.

This is my prayer tonight, as I feel overwhelmed by our schedule and exhausted. I pray that I can remember what is important. That I can know when to say when. That in everything I do, I will Glorify God and teach my children to trust in Him alone. I pray for the ability to survive the hectic-ness and not become grouchy or annoyed.

My children know this verse well (much to their dismay):
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

1 Comment
16
Jan

Suffering??????

   Posted by: hugsmindy

I know you haven’t been hearing much from me lately. That’s predominantly due to my lack of time. On December 17, 2008, I started a new job with an IT company and have more limited access to the internet than I had before. In addition to that, I’m getting home in the evening 3 hours later than I was. That’s a significant change in schedule. Phil is also working much later (4-5 hours) than he used to, so our time has become extremely valuable.

These are tough times for everyone. Many are cutting back out of necessity, not simply planning. Many are losing jobs and homes. My family has been so very blessed to have been provided for by our Lord the way we have and we long to give back to others who are going through tough times right now. We are still very strapped, so we are very limited in what we can offer others, but we will do all we can!!!!

I was reading in Romans this morning and as always, God brings the Word we need each day to us. I read:
Romans 5: 1-5 (ESV) Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Suffering. What exactly is suffering? To some degree, isn’t it all relative?

Webster’s defines suffering as: “the state or experience of one that suffers.” They define suffers as: “1 a: to submit to or be forced to endure b: to feel keenly : labor under.”

I suppose under that definition, my family has been suffering. Due to the economy, we have been forced to endure some very difficult financial times. And even when we were beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel, or at least an ease of our stress, we got hit with a 5% decrease in Phil’s already significantly reduced pay. That is certainly something forced on us, something we cannot control. But is it really suffering?

Yes, it is very difficult. Yes, it is the hardest time Phil and I have had to endure. Yes, the stress is palpable. But I don’t know that I would define it as suffering when I consider what others are going through.

Today’s headlines on Persecution.com read:
o Pakistan – Young Christian Woman and Her Father Imprisoned
o Eritrea – Approximately 100 Christians Arrested
o India – Church Leaders Attacked

Now that’s suffering!

God uses every tool at His means to draw us closer to him. Sometimes the things that we despise the most, fight against the hardest, and fear terribly, are the very things that bring us closer to completion. These things glorify Him. All things glorify Him.

So with that in mind, and after a step back towards the pit of stress yesterday, I’m leaning on my Lord and praising Him for all the wondrous things He has done and is doing in my life! Those I’m thrilled with and those I need to work hard to praise Him for!

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9
Dec

Merry Christmas

   Posted by: hugsmindy

I have nothing particularly profound to say today, at least not yet. ….. Wait, I never really have anything profound to say..I just babble along. LOL. I just wanted to wish everyone the very best of Christmas seasons. I know it’s been a very difficult year for many, but regardless of the amount of money we have, what politics we ascribe to, how the weather is treating us, if our jobs are great; regardless of what is going on in this world. We have so much to be grateful for. The gift of a Savior. The promise being fullfilled in a small child. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!!

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and an amazing New Year filled with love, peace, and joy!

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2
Dec

What do you want to be when you “grow-up”?

   Posted by: hugsmindy

I’m a 39 yr old wife and mother of two. I am a Christian and I feel well established in my neighborhood, church, and office. I’m very happy in my marriage and family. The crucial things in my life are good: family, friends, faith. Yet this weekend I had to make a very important and difficult decision: What do I want to be when I “grow-up”?

Who would have thought that at the age of 39, with a daughter in high-school and a son in 2nd grade, I’d be making such a decision. Should I have already done that? In a few months I’ll be *****GASP***** 40!!!  I should already know who I am and what I’m going to be, shouldn’t I?????

Well, I’ve found that the answer to that is, Yes and No. Yes, I know I want to be a great wife to my fabulous husband. Yes, I know I want to be the best mom I can be for my kids. Yes, I know that I want to put my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him as best I humanly can.  BUT—- No, I don’t know where I want to be professionally. And that is the decision that was suddenly and unexpectedly placed before me this weekend. Where do I want to be professionally in 2, 3, 5 years?

Quite frankly, in my ideal world, I’d be a stay-at-home mom still. But that was never to be for me. Even during the time I was able to stay home, I knew it was not to last. I’m very grateful for those years, but I’m also looking forward to what I can accomplish professionally. Eventually, the kids will be gone and then, what will I be doing?

My choice was this: stay with the company I’ve been with for 3 years, go to a full time schedule, and get licensed as a financial advisor OR take a new full time job and go back to school to get my bachelor’s degree. Both opportunities have their pro’s/con’s. Both are appealing in their own right.

Being a financial advisor would allow me to build my own business and make it my own. It would allow for an opportunity to work from home, have a great income, and be my own boss.

Getting my degree would allow me to find my own field and complete something that I was not able to complete that I have always wished I had. It would give me the chance to do whatever I wanted to do. That may or may not be my own business, who knows.

What is comes down to is this, do I want to be a financial advisor? If not, then I have to take the other opportunity and explore my degree options. If so, then I have to stay where I am, which is a very comfortable place to be.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I don’t want to be a financial advisor. I love the potential for income and the potential of running my own business, but this isn’t the type of business for me. I’m not a numbers person. I’m not interested in exploring tax options to minimize capital gains. I don’t enjoy following the markets or reading financial articles. I’m sure I can do it, but I don’t think want to.

I made the very difficult decision to move away from a “known” opportunity and go for what I think better meets my personality and interests. I moved away from a very real chance at increased income in the next 5 years, to the “possibility” of increased income. This was not an easy choice!

I believe life is about much more than numbers. I believe God gives us opportunities for a reason. I believe in my God given ability to learn and grow. I’m banking on my faith that the Lord is leading me to new opportunities and I’m moving forward.

I’m scared, I’m excited, I’m nervous. But I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. All I have to do is lean on Him! He’s really teaching me how to do that!

1 Comment
4
Sep

Sarah Palin

   Posted by: hugsmindy

WOW! You may not agree with the positions of the republican party. You may hate everything they stand for. I personally am a conservative and I stand for the following: Pro-life, for amendments to define marriage as between a man and a women because civil marriage is not a civil right, open debate/curriculum showing both evolution and creationism in the public school system, for full support of our soldiers overseas and whatever timeframe it takes to secure the work being done and not leave a power vaccumm in Iraq, etc. So, with my positions in mind, how could I not like Sarah Palin??? I know not everyone agrees with my positions, but who can deny the charge, the spark she brings to this campaign. She was articulate, direct, truthful (perhaps to the point of making the opposition feel hurt), and she was smart. Yes, it was a prepared speech, but so are all political speeches. She help write it, in fact, some say she wrote most of it! She stands for what she says, she speaks from her heart, she speaks for her family and for our families! I think John McCain made an excellent choice for his VP McCain was not my choice for the Republican nomination. I believe him to be a much better candidate than Obama by far! But Sarah..and the combination….woooooo neilly! I’m much more on board now!

As for her experience: Here’s a link to an article I found online that is very insightful:

http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=13809

As for her 17 year old daugther Bristol’s pregnancy.  I have to say that I’m more interested in  seeing how a candidate handles adversity than I am in not seeing the adversity they face. The true measure of a person’s character comes out in times of trials.  What do we see in the Palin’s? We see a daughter who made a mistake, but is accepting the responsibilities for her actions and valuing life. We see a father and mother who have admitted that they believe their daughter made a mistake and have expressed pride in Bristol’s response to her actions. We see them supporting her while standing firm in the fact that this was not the best path for their daugther at this age. We see  consequences, forgiveness, love, and support. We see a picture of mercy. I am impressed!

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3
Sep

A new start!

   Posted by: hugsmindy

Hi everyone,

This is a new, clean start for my blog. The old one was just not used enough, so hopefully I can be better about babbling! I’m not big on facebook, although I have a page there, so check in here to see what’s what.

Today, life is a bit stressing. My sister Michelle is scheduled to have her second major surgery in aobut 7 weeks. This one is the result of complications associated with her previous surgery. She’s been in the hospital, with the exception of a few nights, since her first surgery 7 weeks ago. I pray that this surgery will go well and will allow her to start on the road to recovery, something she has not done since the first surgery.

My dear friend Melanie’s 3.5 yr old daughter, Sofie, will be having open heart surgery in PA on Friday. This is the result of a defect in her heart that she has had all her life. For more information, you can go to http://www.caringbridge.org/md/babyhawk/ to see her story and follow her progress. Please keep them in your prayers.

We’ve been camping in our RV a lot this summer, opting to take long weekends instead of a weeks vacation. By the end of the camping season we will have spent something close to 4 nights in our RV this year. It’s been fabulous. We absolutly love building those family memories. Some of the pictures of those trips can be found on our pictures page at http://www.mapshug.com/pics Go on over and enjoy.

Phil and I are also watching the presidential race heat up. This is a truly interesting year! I’m thrilled with McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin for VP! From what I’ve seen and read, she’s a woman who can get things done, stands behind her conservative Christian morals, and supports a strong family value system. I love it.

Well, enough for now, as I have some things to get done, but check back for more updates! Enjoy!

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