Bad internet service and Marathon training.

There are few things as frustrating as writing a high-quality post for your new blog, and then having your internet service go down when you attempt to publish. That happened to me last night for the first time. I hope it is the last, but I have a feeling it wont be. Anyway, I will try to reproduce my thoughts, but I was in one of those grooves that doesn't come along every day. Oh well.

It's been a while since I last posted, and I apologize. I have been really busy. Taking up most of my free time has been my training for the Chicago marathon, which I am running on October 9th. I did 12 miles last night, and 20 miles on Saturday morning. I am feeling pretty strong, and I just got a sweet new pair of shoes, so I am in business. I feel like I have finally gotten over the hump, and my long runs have gone from dreaded pain sessions to near-enjoyable workouts.

Several projects around my condo have also been occupying my time lately. I just finished painting the baseboards in my garage last night. I know most garages don't have baseboards, but I painted the floor in my garage, and then made some big fat seven-inch baseboards that look pretty sweet. I still need to clean the place up, but it has been transformed into another room of the house. This will definitely come in handy when I go to sell it next month.

Yesterday I got the new Casting Crowns CD, Lifesong. I am actually listening to it right now. I got a great deal by pre-ordering it at Family Book Store. The CD is excellent. I listened to the whole thing during my run last night, and I would say there are about 8 great songs on it. "While You Were Sleeping" had me crying in the middle of mile four, and I am going to have to learn how to play it on the piano. It is powerful. The title song, Lifesong, could be just that, the theme song for our lives. I would definitely recommend the purchase.

Finally, I wanted to share a little bit of what I read last night before bed. I was in Hebrews 11.
The chapter is all about faith.

1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

After recounting the stories of several heroes of faith, we hit verse 13.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.
14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.
15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 Instead, they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

There are more examples of heroes who lived by faith, and then we hit verse 36.

36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.
37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated -
38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

I love in verse 13 where it says "they admitted they were aliens and strangers on earth." That is the mindset we must have if we want to be effective for Christ. True faith is believing that our home is in heaven, and that God has planned and prepared something for us that is so much better than we could ever experience on earth. As evidence in verses 36 and 37, we are promised that following Jesus is not going to be easy. It may cost us everything, including our lives, but will be worth it, because if we live sold out to Jesus Christ, this world will not be worthy of us (verse 38).

So be sure of what you hope for, and certain of what you cannot see (verse 1). Have faith. This pleases God (verse 6), who has something so much better planned for you (verse 40).

Dios les bendiga!