Vacation Pics 2

Tris (a good man) taking us sailing. You know you love that shirt.

View from the stern of our fine vessel as we come about

View from the San Bernadino Mountains Near Big Bear (Xterra triathlon)

Sunset in La Jolla Cove

Back to Snow Valley, Swim Portion

Portion of bike on the terribly long (and steep) hill. We're talking a solid mile hill at insane grade.

My foot after running into some tie wire on the mountain. Mmm, tasty.

Dream spot in the cove I ran around (ask for the story if you talk to me).

Sunrise in Monterrey

Some Vacation Pics 1

Jumping Porpoise. Great stuff.

Stanford Chapel

Little moon shot of the San Francisco Skyline.

The mountain creatures are a bit more brazen than the flatlanders.

Big PartyWorking his way down the non-trail side of Lembert Dome. He called it "Grandma's Cake walk."

Volcanic Ash Desert wasteland, saltwater lake, and Negit Island (old volcano)

This was all east of Yosemite. Great stuff.

Shua educating the peeps on the finer points of respecting nature

Sailing in San Diego

Nice Cool water and Malibu, beautiful
The boys enjoying the view at the Heroes Garden, Pepperdine University

From the Sublime to the Ridiculous

note the truck sitting on the deck


West Virginia takes a lot of crap from the rest of the nation for being hillbillies, dating your sister and stuff. But in all truth, it's a really beautiful place with some sweet hiking and pretty good people, all in all...

However, when things like this happen; it reminds us of why the jokes are told. http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/3227076.html

Let's start with dude in the truck. You drive over this bridge all the time. You know your truck is close to the clearance limit, and you have some contraption in the bed of said truck. You should probably make sure it's all the way down and that you'll be underneath the top chord of the truss. (Yes, I know the bridge was twice the legal weight limit, but the failure was caused by collision with the truss). C'mon dude.

Next let's go to the responsibility of the state. I know the bridge is old, but let's take the sign off of a load-bearing member. That's about it.

The TRI

Check out the new blog, dedicated to training of the physical, you can read my first race report there.

http://www.torchdefitness.blogspot.com

Give to Whom it Belongs...

A tale is recounted in my mind recently where a man is asked if people should pay taxes to the authority. The man asks for a coin, and asks whose face is on it. The people respond with the name of the current political leader and the man replies, "Give to the Leader what is his..."

A slightly different take: If belonging is denoted by what face is on something, and we presume that man is made in the image of God, what does this say about what we belong to and should be given to?

Shoes and pedals

I'm using the X/2 stainless pedal. I've already got my one tip-over out of the way, so there shouldn't be too many more falls. ;-)

The New Bike

Contributing to my new hippie "ride your bike to work" attitude, as well as breaking up the monotony and banging on the knees, this little fella promises hours upon hours and miles upon miles of enjoyment. See above for Pedals and shoes.

Finding your cow pasture

I've learned in the past while that many people who are very healthy (I know physically and I'm pretty sure mentally too) are all about eastern mysticism, zen buddhism and the like. They speak of mindfulness and breathing techniques. I have a friend who is getting a Ph.D in clinical psychology and has found that there are many Christians who are more depressed than their non-christian counterparts (this testing has something to do with alcohol, and I can explain more later with his permission). The point is that there are a great deal of mental health issues within Christianity. This has to do with a number of things I think: Stigma attached with certain behaviors, trying to live up to a perceived super-christian standard, or myriad other particulars.

I heard a smart guy speak one time about how he stayed sane. His wife had been killed in a highway accident about a year earlier when a car came over the median and collided with head on with hers. He said he had to take time and go out to a cow pasture with high grass and just lay there. He would let all of the thoughts in his head work through his head and just wait until his brain was empty of the thoughts of his day and week. Then he would start listening for God.

We were created and told to take breaks, to rest, to commune with family, nature, and God. We often don't do these things and then say God or our faith is failing us. God has given us and continues to give us all that we need. We need to slow down, take deep breaths and process our day. We need to get outside and exercise. In short we need to find our cow pasture.

What is yours and when was the last time you were there? What do you think will happen if you go there? What is out there?

Testing the Limits of the human heart and then? Sabbath

In a couple of days I'll have completed 7 years of schooling, well over 200 hours of credit, attaining 3 degrees along the way and the first of a couple professional certifications. I've had to dig deep many a night and battle off sleep, push beyond my given limitations to achieve difficult things. However, I'm looking forward to a normal schedule (if only for a while), and some good solid marathon training with plenty of sleep. ahhhh

While most people think I'm crazy and driven, I simply think total surrender is the only way to live a good life.

There's some inherent ambivalence in that statement when it comes to our lives. Of course, times where we make mistakes or settle. But we press on.

I can't understand or explain many things in this life. But at some point I believe there will be a respite from the storm, a sleep for the weary, and peace for the chaos. That's what we're all searching for right? How do you get there?

Isabella Grace

I told some people I'd put up pictures of the new child, born April 10. She was a bit premature and a C-section baby, but she's doing well. Enjoy.

Asics, Speed Workouts and Freedom

Check out the Asics club pictured here at the Dunbar High track. Jon and Joshua kicking the GT-2110's and yours truly with those shiny red DS-Trainers. It was fun to push it a little bit today.

Running blog moment for the weekend: 4x800 m with a recovery lap inbetween each. Shua and myself are trying to keep each 800 under 3min, 10sec and build up to increase our VO2 max potential.

Myself and Shua have both been asked about the craziness of doing a marathon, and someone even proof-texted 1 Tim. 4:8 to me and said "of little value." (Read on). I decided I'd read the rest of the chapter as proof-texting is often a very personalized science to make one's point with no regard for the truth or purpose of the scripture. Naturally, I didn't feel too bad about punishing my body to bring it into submission in place of watching TV and eating chips, so read 1 Tim. 4 (because I'm not going to type the whole thing). It would seem that Paul is writing Timothy to inform him that people will always want to start imposing laws on others and tabbing it "righteousness." But he writes in v. 4: "For Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. Because it is consecrated by the word of God and Prayer." Now maybe I'm stretching this (if you think so, please tell me), but I see being able to run now, and get out in nature, and establish new friendships with people as blessings from God.

This is the beauty of the new covenant. It came and was put into practice because the old covenant was weak and useless (see Hebrews 7 if you don't believe me {v.18 and surrounding}) because it became regulations and laws, perpetual sacrifice. Christ (our high priest in the order of Melchizedek) has already sacrificed and therefore does not need to continue the ritual. This is the hope we have. This is the freedom we have: We are crucified with Christ already and daily, but do not allow Satan (or people espousing knowledge) to crucify you. Live in the freedom and knowledge that you are a Child of God. You already have your place as a son or daughter. Simply live in that truth and obey God. Seek to know him more deeply, seek to love his heart and break with the things that break his. In essence, live an abundant life and glorify God with it. 'Nuff said

Joy of the Morning Run

So when the alarm goes off at 5:45 am, I think "Oh man I don't want to go to work." Then I slog around in my bed for a few minutes contemplating how I could get out of it. And then the realization hits..."You're going running this morning; a nice long easy 11." I rolled out of bed with a smile on my face.

Love the Countryside! God is Good

Update: ya we thought we were going to run 11. We ran 13, and let me tell you, the last two hills were tough on the way out and coming back. Good times though.

You Know you Love Him...

Almost a year old is the dude. Is the 'fro gone? Not a chance. That's right. Love that kid.

St. Patrick's Day Party

Symbols of Renewal

Ah, I love Spring! Not just for the frisbee and flowers and fresh scent in the air (and the lack of cold)

It is largely for the promise of renewal. The lenten season is a reminder of what we are meant to be. That we are worth a sacrifice of greatest prize, Jesus. Like new growth in spring, may the Lord give us grace to allow ourselves to be shaped by his love.

Healing, Surrender, and the Love of God

This post is mainly to quote somebody else who wrote something great. A friend mentioned to me lately that it is very difficult to be captivated and stirred by the love of God.

We see intimations of romantic love as a symbology (Christ's love for His bride), and sometimes struggle to feel the intimate connection with God as we would with a lover.

I seek to write down these things that remind us of God's love. I think for now I'll call them Love Letters of Experience

Excerpt From
The Healing Path
Dan B. Allender, Ph.D.
pp. 178-180

God’s touch begins as he waits for us, sees us, and runs toward us, just as the prodigal’s father did. God looks for us. Daily. He scans the horizon and refuses to lose hope. He remembers his love for us and strains to see whether today is the day we return to him.
Nothing is more incomprehensible than God spending his time waiting for us. God so humbles himself for the prospect of reconciliation. He runs. A father in the prodigal’s day would never run to a son who had shamed him by taking his inheritance and spending it on licentious living. He would wait until the son came to him and abased himself, then he would sentence him to taking the role of a servant until his debt was repaid. Instead, this father runs to his boy.
It was customary for men of that time to wear long, flowing robes. A man would need to hike up his robe and tie it to the side in order to be mobile. In King James English it was “girding up your loins.” It was appropriate for a man to show his legs in public on only one occasion – in battle. In running to his son, the prodigal’s father further shamed himself by likely showing his legs in public.
In tears, he embraced his son. He didn’t wait to hear what his son said, nor did he offer rebuke or instruction. His joy was complete simply knowing his son was alive and in his arms. Love is an expression of the delight we find in the face of the other. One cannot love “dutifully.” A person who loves merely because it is a choice or a decision had denuded love of delight. Love becomes service that obligates rather than frees.
The father’s eyes were full of wet, liberating exultation. The son repents. He’d practiced his litany of confession before he arrived, probably a thousand times before he saw the white robe running toward him. Who knows what expression he wore as his father clung to him and wept the convulsive tears of relieved joy? I suspect he was awkward and afraid. He knew what he deserved. And when grace comes at first, we all wonder how long it will last before tenderness turns to rage.
The son draws a deep breath, drops his arm to his side, and steps away from his father. The confession must begin. His well-rehearsed words come out stiffly with an effort at humble self-respect. The father doesn’t interrupt. He waits until his son’s fragile soul has finished. I suspect the father looked one more time into his son’s eyes before turning away. This is the boy’s core fear. He hopes he can earn his place back into the family, but if his father refuses to see him or turns from him, he will be a wanderer and an alien the remainder of his life. He stares at his father’s back.
Suddenly the father shouts, “Quick!” The son must be befuddled. What is happening? Is the father calling for servants to throw him off the property? The son can’t believe his ears: “Robe, ring, shoes, calf, celebrate. My son who was dead was now alive!” It is party time. Love doesn’t keep a record of wrongs; instead that which divided us is burned in the fire that browns the meat of celebration.
And oh, what a party! Excellent food, drink, music, dancing, and stories. Glorious stories of rescue, redemption, and reconciliation. It is not equivalent to a potluck. It is not gathering where we eat casseroles, drink from Styrofoam cups, and break the cheap plastic forks on overcooked mystery meat. God is at the center of the ring, his hands on the shoulders of his friends, dancing in jubilation.

Too Good not to Steal

I took this from Sacred Space, guided meditations website, which can be found in my links section for Reference.


Lent reflects the rhythm of our spiritual life, between Tabor and Gethsemani, the Transfiguration and the Agony in the Garden. There are times when God shows himself, as on Tabor: prayer is easy, our hearts are light. We feel loved and loving, on holy ground. J.D.Salinger used to say: All we do our whole lives is go from one little piece of holy ground to the next. Then there are times of disagreeable growth. You remember the parable of the barren fig-tree (Luke 13,6), and the farmer who said: I need a year to dig around it and manure it. We can feel God doing this to us, feel the pain when our roots are struck by the spade. We feel useless, past our best, no good to anyone, a failure in the most important things we tried, whether marriage, vocation, rearing children, our job and career. Life loses its savour. We cannot pray. We sense that some people think the world would be better off without us.St Ignatius called this state desolation; and he advised: remember that it will pass. Never make any change (a girl on a holiday or a racehorse in a rainy day), but remain firm and constant in the resolution and decision which guided you before the clouds gathered. Make use of the grace God gives you, and you will be able to withstand your enemies. In consolation, think about how you will conduct yourself in time of desolation. And insist more on prayer (SE 317 ff). Then you come to see – gradually – that this same ground, however stinking, is holy, and we can find God there. He is wielding the spade, spreading the dung.

Loving some Charleston

It's gorgeous down here. I really needed some sunshine and southeast coast. For some reason, winter squelches my soul. I feel a little like a kid again down here: oak trees, spanish moss, blooming bushes.

Thank the Lord for rest.