REST....is it a necessary part of the training?

Yesterday was my day of rest as part of the "plan". I didn't want to rest. I wanted to get on my bike and make my sore muscles behave and not be so sore. But instead I went on a great morning walk with my wonderful husband. I was sore all day yesterday. It wore off as the day went on, but by the end of the day I was glad that I hadn't gotten on the bike.

This morning when I woke up almost completely recovered from my soreness. We woke up too late to ride before Dave went to work so we went on another walk. I'm suppose to ride today according to the "plan" so later when it is way too hot to be outside I'm going to ride my stationary bike and watch another part of Pride and Prejudice on my computer.

"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." (Psalm 23:1-3)

I am so thankful for the rest that God gives.

Riding a Century? Are you nuts? Week 1

Last year around this time I got a book that was really how to ride a century in 100 days...or something like that. Being a planner I really liked how organized the book was and I really liked the chart. So I started the plan...did really good for about a month. Until my riding buddy, Dave, got sick. Now, I am a chicken to ride alone. I really don't like it. I rode to work and back for about a month (that was mostly alone...but not that far). Anyways...with no motivation and no riding buddy I gave it up. I thought that I could just ride on my stationary bike...but that is pretty boring so I just didn't ride much this past year.

What's a century though? Well, it is when you ride a bike for 100 miles....well there's some other milage also that counts...but, since I am a novice in this whole arena...let's just say I really want to ride the 100 miles. I know that there is no way that I could just get on my bike and ride tomorrow, so the plan in the book made a lot of sense to me.

Back to today...well, Saturday night actually. I thought that this week would be a great week to start the 100 days again. The way my week looks will work with what the plan requires for the 1st week. Ride Monday easy 30 min, rest Tuesday, ride Wednesday easy 30 min, Thurs-Friday rest, Saturday ride 1 hour moderate, Sunday rest. EASY right?

I don't know about you, but I tend to procrastinate. So since I woke up way earlier than normal on Sunday morning I started....well, I rode 30 min on my stationary bike! Then I talked Dave and David Jr. into riding on Monday (Dave's day off) on the green belt. After about 1 mile David Jr.'s bike got a flat..but I had an extra tire in one of my saddle bags (not my hips, the bags on my bike). So we got that fixed and rode another 4.5 miles into the heart of Boise. We had a great lunch at Prontos (a great pizza place) and rode back to the car. In total we rode 11 miles! ( a little more than the 30 minutes of easy riding)

Today I am sore! It's ok though. I am so glad to have started once again on my journey to ride a century. I just hope I can get up tomorrow to bike before Dave goes to work. It is way too hot to ride later in the day. I'll have to plan for it though. :)

Trying to ride the century reminds me of when Paul writes to the church in Romans...

I want to prepare to ride the century, but I put it off to another day; I don't want to be a couch potato...and yet that is sometimes what I am....woe is me.

"For I know that in me(that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present iwth me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will tod, I do not do; but the evil I willnot to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me...O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:18-20,24-25a)

I am thankful to God that in He has conquered sin and that through His power I can live a right life and I can flee sin. Praise the Lord for His everlasting goodness to give us a powerful savior!

Lost?

Have you ever been lost but didn't know it? I remember when I was a little girl I was in the toy section of a store. I was looking at the stuffed toys and found a teddy bear. I felt completely safe until I looked up and didn't see my mom or dad around. Then I felt lost.

There have been many times that I thought I was just fine, then I look around and there is no one near that I thought should be there. One time while I was Christmas shopping with Dave I was in the camping section checking out what to get my nephews. I was in a full on conversation with Dave and when I paused for his response I heard silence. I knew that someone was just behind me so I quickly turned around to see a man that I didn't know right where Dave had been. This time I didn't feel lost, but I did feel a little out of place and quite foolish talking to a complete stranger.

Sometimes I wander around my life not knowing that I am lost. I think that I am going the right direction, but then when I really take a look around I find that I am not where I want to be.

That is why church fellowship and getting involved in smaller church groups is important to me. It is in this community that I find out when I am lost and how to go the right direction.

Today in Sunday School we talked about loving our husbands. (I'm in a all women's Sunday School class for the summer. It is great!) It was great hearing the older women (those married over 30 years) talk about practical ways to loving husbands.

Some things that they shared (I've done most of these...it was such an encouragement to keep doing it!) are: putting him as a priority, really communicating (some times that means that I just need to be quiet and listen), pampering him, asking him how I can be a better friend to him, hanging out with him, and spending time with him.

Titus 2:3-5 "Likewise teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one can malign the word of God."

Obedience is under rated

This summer has been a summer of simple obedience.

I was able to spend a week in Mexico serving with Bethany. We got to go on the same team. It was so good to be with her for a week since she has been gone.

Bethany teaches me about obedience and being able to change her attitude to obey with joy and not bitterness.

I started out the week writing in my journal the following, "I don't know why I am on this trip this year. I don't have a specific role to play. There are enough people here who can do all that I can do and most of them can do it better than me. Lord please teach me why I am here. I guess for right now I will be content knowing that I am here out of simple obedience."

Dave wanted me to go. It is as simple as that. He says that he is better when I am around. (I know that I am definitely better when I am around him!) Since I love Dave and I love God I went on the trip just because Dave wanted me to go. I am glad that I did.

Each teaching session in the morning or the evening taught about simple obedience.

God calls us to be obedient peoople. That is how we show that we love Him.

I agree with Paul when he wrote these words to Timothy, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service." 1 Timothy 1:12