- Hope, not hoarding. Stick together. I know, we're distancing…but ask your friends, neighbors, and relatives if you can help them. Hoarding TP will not make things better…sharing what you have will.
- Peace, not panic. Be kind to a stranger. If you are in line at HEB or Walmart, let the other person go first. Who knows, it may just be the only nice gesture they experience today…kindness is contagious.
- Faith, not fear. God did not promise the believer an easy life, but He did say he would never forsake us. He is in control. He is good. He cares for you. Take heart in these unchanging facts. If you don't believe in God, or are wondering why He'd let this happen, well, I wish I had all the answers. The bible tells us God allows trials and He loves us.
- God, not greed. Share what you have and trust God to take care of your needs.
- Christ, not chaos. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
Monday, March 23, 2020
It could be worse...
Monday, May 26, 2014
Race Report: Mud, Guts, and Glory May 24, 2014
The venue.
This is a permanent obstacle course located in the lush green hills of Oregonia, Ohio. Saturday's race covered about 5 miles through the woods and hills of King's Domain - a privately owned youth camp. The location is beautiful. Parking was about 5-10 minutes by a shuttle bus (which was running about every 5 minutes). The check-in was quick and painless. It was well organized and efficient. I think there were around 400 participants.
The course.
Hills, hills, and more hills. Although I am only a recreational OCR-er, I have run a few different Spartan courses and a number of local trail races. This was by far the most challenging course I have ever done in terms of terrain. I haven't done the Spartan courses in Vermont, but I'd guess (from what I've read) this may be similar in terms of hilliness.
The obstacles really made this race stand out as well. There were some unique variations of OCR staples: For example...a mud crawl under electrified tape instead of barbed wire (I got zapped once - it was enough to make me stay loooow for the rest of the crawl); a huge set of monkey bars that descended and then ascended quite a ways; a military style weaver obstacle, a high up and over structure climb (20' - 30'), a high vertical wall (9' or 10' - not sure, but it certainly seemed like 10' at the time); and an obstacle called the sternum checker - a jump from one horizontal log to another (several feet) higher horizontal log where the object was to get over the top of the second log - this one left me with more than memories, especially the left side of my rib cage. Some of the hills were so steep that a rope assist was needed - I'd guess a couple of them were at an angle of 60 degrees or greater. Pinnacle hill, the last big climb of the course, was about 100-200 feet of rope-assisted near-vertical climb - a grueling whole-body challenge after almost 5 miles of punishing course and obstacles. The final "obstacle" was a water slide - a little fun to finish the race. There were plenty of other challenging natural and man made obstacles placed nicely throughout the course.
The course was designed in 5 stages - with the option to "finish" at the end of any one of the stages - making it scalable for any fitness level. There were water stations at the end of each stage as well. There was also an open family course, which I ran twice with my younger 7 year-old son...a beautiful way to "cool down" after the race.
The competition.
Some of the top OCR competitors in the world were at Saturday's Race. Most notably the male and female winners, Junyong Pak and Amelia Boone. The elite and competitive heats were full of serious racers, but as usual, the OCR culture of helping other racers through the course was alive and well with this group. The race itself was a qualifier for the OCR World Championships, which will be held at the same venue on a modified, longer version of the same course in October 2014. There is another Mud Guts and Glory race scheduled for August 16, 2014 - a final opportunity to run the course before the world championships.
Overall impression.
The volunteers and staff were great. The grounds and festival area was spacious and clean. The facilities were close to the action. The spectator area was close to some of the action, but like many OCRs, much of the course was in the woods not accessible to spectators. If this race explodes in terms of participants, they will need to expand and streamline the administration and support very quickly. It was exceptionally well-designed for 500 or fewer, but not for thousands.
This was the most fun I've had out of the half dozen or so OCRs I've done (I think I can speak for my son on this as well). Apart from the usual huge blessing of being able to line up and run with my son, it was also the most challenging and prettiest course we've run to date. If you're looking for something challenging and a little different in terms of an OCR, this is it. There are even on-site accommodations and camping. I highly recommend adding this race to your calendar.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Why are You a Christian?
Sunday, October 27, 2013
MOX 12 Hour Run Race Report
Friday, January 11, 2013
A few words from Napoleon Bonaparte
"What a conqueror!--a conqueror who controls humanity at will, and wins to himself not only one nation, but the whole human race. What a marvel! He attaches to himself the human soul with all its energies. And how? By a miracle which surpasses all others. He claims the love of men--that is to say, the most difficult thing in the world to obtain; that which the wisest of men cannot force from his truest friend, that which no father can compel from his children, no wife from her husband, no brother from his brother--the heart. He claims it ; he requires it absolutely and undividedly, and he obtains it instantly.
Alexander, Caesar, Hannibal, Louis XIV strove in vain to secure this. They conquered the world, yet they had not a single friend, or at all events, they have none any more. Christ speaks, however, and from that moment all generations belong to him; and they are joined to him much more closely than by any ties of blood and by a much more intimate, sacred and powerful communion. He kindles the flame of love which causes one's self-love to die, and triumphs over every other love. Why should we not recognize in this miracle of love the eternal Word which created the world? The other founders of religions had not the least conception of this mystic love which forms the essence of Christianity.
I have filled multitudes with such passionate devotion that they went to death for me. But God forbid that I should compare the enthusiasm of my soldiers with Christian love. They are as unlike as their causes. In my case, my presence was always necessary, the electric effect of my glance, my voice, my words, to kindle fire in their hearts. And I certainly posses personally the secret of that magic power of taking by storm the sentiments of men; but I was not able to communicate that power to anyone. None of my generals ever learned it from me or found it out. Moreover, I myself do not possess the secret of perpetuating my name and a love for me in their hearts for ever, and to work miracles in them without material means.
Now that I languish here at St Helena, chained upon this rock, who fights, who conquers empires for me? Who still even thinks of me? Who interests himself for me in Europe? Who has remained true to me? That is the fate of all great men. It was the fate of Alexander and Caesar, as it is my own. We are forgotten, and the names of the mightiest conquerors and most illustrious emperors are soon only the subject of a schoolboy's task. Our exploits come under the rod of a pedantic schoolmaster, who praises or condemns us as he likes.
What an abyss exists between my profound misery and the eternal reign of Christ, who is preached, loved, and worshiped and live on throughout the entire world. Is this to die? Is it not rather to live eternally? The death of Christ! It is the death of a God."
(Quoted in Hilarin Felder, Christ and the Critics, vol. 2, pp. 216-17)
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Why this Christian is voting for a Mormon
It’s the biggest dilemma I've faced in a long time, maybe the biggest one ever. I'm supposed to choose the "leader of the free world" from a short list of two people. One promised hope and change - a social healthcare system, government provision, higher taxation, and redistribution of wealth. The other promises a return to a government that won't unilaterally decide which American businesses should succeed, and an America that won't apologize for the fact we area strong nation built on hard work, determination, and most of all - protected by the blood of generations of my brothers in arms.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."
- Romans 3:23-26
Monday, August 15, 2011
Joplin II, day 2
We ended up working today at Mission Joplin distribution center at Forest Park Baptist Church. There were lines of people all day waiting to "shop" for various items. I'm not sure how many I got to personally help by the end of the day, but it was around 10. So many stories and so many different needs. Men, Women, and of course the kids. Spent some time with one 8 year old boy who will be attending Irving Elementary (the school we worked at yesterday). He had lost his things in the storm and was able to find some replacement toys at the distribution center. I was able to tell him and his mom about his "new" school and some of what to expect (see yesterday's post).
We also took some school supplies from Jeanna McCurry and friends to the school admin building. That place was bustling with folks getting ready for school to start on Wednesday. They are doing a phenomenal job.
Another amazing day seeing God's hand in this amazing place.
Picture of Kristen...in charge of disaster relief for schools