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This photo was taken by our daughter, Sarah Timmons, or my wife, depending on who you ask. We were in Rehoboth Beach, DE on Easter Sunday, 2011.


Several years ago, on the way home from a family vacation, I picked up a notebook and quickly recorded an incident that had occurred involving our son. Eventually, I used that story to illustrate something about my spiritual walk as a believer in Christ. Thus began a deliberate attempt to document the significance of everyday events. Almost any ordinary circumstance in daily life can become fodder for another story. This, almost by definition, lends itself to a blog.

Of course, many of the entries here are just ordinary diary style stuff... the stuff of ordinary blogs. Good grief, I don't want to be ordinary.


Saturday, December 29, 2012

Emotion vs Logic

A friend of ours informed us that her husband suggested buying a dog for their boys for Christmas.

According to her, "He has said, for all the years I have known him, that we will never, EVER own a dog.  He has a list of reasons why.
Photo by M.G.M.
1. They're expensive.
2. You can't go out of town without dealing with them.
3. They poop in your yard.
4. They're expensive
5. They eat everything.
6. They require exercise.
7. They leave hair everywhere.
8. They're expensive.
Oh! and, 9. They're expensive."

I reminded them of a few other reasons:

10. They chew up your furniture,
11. They crap in the house, not just the yard,
12. You have to pull big fat ticks off of them.

She told me there were actually more like 100 reasons, but she didn't want to take the time to list them all.

This is a perfect example of making a decision based purely on emotion instead of logic.  It is the kind of decision you may regret later once the emotion of the moment has passed.  It is the kind of decision emotional people make, and logical people frown upon.  It is the kind of decision that often causes you to murmur "What was I thinking!"

But it's also the kind of decision that makes us human.  It's what makes us interesting beings.  It's what makes life enjoyable.  Sometimes the situation requires one to say "The heck with logic."  A world without such emotional decisions would be a boring place in which to live.

Good decision, Steve.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

The Leap onto Facebook

I finally set up a Facebook account yesterday after years of avoiding it.


I had a list of reasons not to make the leap, which includes, but is not limited to, the following:
  • I tend to compulsively do certain things, like checking my e-mail.  I don't want to become a compulsive Facebook checker.
  • While I would like to apply the above guideline, I don't want to come across as someone who ignores other Facebook people.  So I will have to check my Facebook account at least occasionally to avoid such an offense.
  • This may lead to the compulsive behavior in item one above.
  • I have heard that Facebook may have the tendency to lead you to interact with many people on a causal level, but take away time from interaction with the people who are really close to you.  By nature, I tend to interact intensely with a few people.  So Facebook may cause my head to blow up or something.
  • I enjoy more in-depth written communication, with pictures and many words, which is why I blog.  But nobody has any time or interest in lengthy blog entries, especially mine.  People apparently prefer short bursts of communication like the ones you see on Facebook.  So to conform to this current social phenomenon, I have elected to join the masses.

There is a list to make the leap, which includes, but is not limited to, the following:
  • I intend to trick Facebook users into going to my blog, which is my real passion, by updating with links to my blog.  I'm not sure if this is a Facebook no-no or not.
  • I was once sarcastically accused of "Being too cool to be on Facebook."  Perhaps I deserved that sarcasm, and intend to remedy the situation. 
  • Maybe I need to get out more.
  • According to Mr. Rogers, we are all just a little different and special.  So I intend to apply my own take to Facebook, because I'm different, and special too.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

"And that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

Today we celebrate the receiving of two very special gifts - one which changed our lives forever, and one which changes the way we look at snowmen forever.




Thanks to Keith Lankford from The Red Barn Country Store in Georgetown, DE for the special surprise in my stocking.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Intangible Rewards

It's been exactly two weeks since the race.  Good sense tells me that posts about running are off limits.  But I never claimed to have good sense all the time. (Stay with me here, this isn't really a post about running.)

It took about a week to get over the soreness of the race.  I did my first run afterwards on the the following Monday - eight minutes of painful and tender hobbling along.  By Friday, everything was back in order.

Of more significance, however, has been my state of mind since the race.  I anticipated it happening...it's a very common occurrence.  I spent months having been consumed with the training and the anticipation of the race, and then, on December 9, it's done.  As I fully expected, the euphoria of completing the task was very short lived.

If you have followed my blogging about the race, you may have been tempted to admire the effort of the training.  But here's an ironic take on that.  The effort came easy, because there was a clear task at hand.  In training for such a huge task, there is no option to skip a run.  I considered every run as absolutely necessary, even the short ones.

Now that a clear goal is no longer there, it is much easier to skip runs.  It takes much more effort now to run than it did before the race.

And herein lies some sort of great life lesson, which I am still working to solidify in my mind.

The lesson has something to do with the value of plugging away at some effort that is completely worthy - like routine running, but without the marathon goal.  Routine running has a long list of positive effects.  The reward is not necessarily immediate or tangible.  But it is worthy, nevertheless.

There must be a whole bag full of such endeavors.  They are completely worthy (much more so than running), but their reward is not necessarily immediate or tangible.  It is these things that require an incredible amount of mental energy.  But you may never be able to connect a short term goal with them, such as a marathon.

March 2006
A few things come to mind, but I'm sure there are more.  The first and most obvious one is child rearing.  Day after day after day, parents (mostly mothers) plug away at one of the most worthy endeavors of all - the influencing of another little human being - expending incredible amounts of energy.  How that little person turns out has everything to do with the day to day grind of motherhood.  Of course, this is not to say that the mother is responsible for everything the child does later in life.  But she has a position of influence like no other person in the world.  For the most part, she has no big goal like a marathon that can be finished.  She just plugs away, never having the satisfaction of passing some point of completion.  She is always a mother.

Another thing that comes to mind is work.  Yes, it is rewarding for some.  But for others, it requires an incredible amount of energy to do it day after day, with no great reward.  Sure, there is immediate financial compensation, but perhaps it is just adequate, or worse - less than adequate.  But they plug away anyway, because it is worthy.  This is more admirable than running a marathon.

Perhaps something else comes to your mind.  Perhaps you have watched someone who presses on day by day in some endeavor which has no immediate or tangible reward.  And you admire them for that.  In the Spirit of Christmas, perhaps you should tell them.


Friday, December 14, 2012

PBS Digital Studios Remixes

I listen to a lot of Public Broadcasting.  They tell me Public Broadcasting is liberal.  I have some friends who won't listen to it for that reason.  I'm afraid I don't get that argument, and listen frequently anyway.  The other day I heard a discussion about these videos.  They took voices of PBS icons and brilliantly mixed them into songs. (The song starts after a short introduction with just talking.)

I grew up watching Bob Ross.  I never once did any painting, since my brother Buddy got all the talent in that department and anything I ever drew looked pitiful compared to his work.  Ross had a way about him that was mesmerizing.  Part of if was his voice that induced a trance, the other part was was his hair, which you couldn't take your eyes off.




And then there was Mr. Rogers.  I watched him even though I was older than his target age.  Mr. Rogers also had a way of inducing a trance with his voice as well.  He is probably responsible for calming down thousands of kids with ADHD.




And I watched Julia Child occasionally as well.  Again, I never cooked one thing.  I wonder what percentage of viewers actually did after watching her?  Perhaps this is an argument against worrying about the impact of TV on kids.





Thursday, December 13, 2012

Classic Texting Misunderstanding

I set out for work.  It wasn't all that cold, but I was uncomfortable nevertheless.  I received a text from a friend, referring to a conversation we had the previous day about this friend getting back into running. 

Friend:  "I have decided that I would rather have the accomplishment of running without all the work and discipline beforehand."

It was apparent the discussion about my friend's future career in running was finished, so I took the conversation in a different direction, and threw in a reference to the fact we both enjoy soup on chilly, overcast days.

Brent:  "I have decided I need some body fat for the winter, or a lot of soup."

Long pause.

Friend:  "Why the fat person?"

What?  That response made no sense whatsoever.  This happens to me more than I care to admit.  I go off in a direction in a conversation, and fail to give the other person adequate clues as to where I'm going.  I guessed it had happened again. So I made an effort to clarify.

Brent:  "I'm cold, and I didn't say fat person."

Friend:  "Oh! :) I read that as somebody fat... you shouldn't have done all that running."

Hmmm.  So ...  I had communicated that I need somebody fat for the winter.  I really need to work on my communication skills.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

The Rehoboth Beach Seashore Marathon


After anticipating this day since late June, we set out from our house at 5:15 a.m. after about 6 hours of sleep and arrived in the sleepy town of Rehoboth Beach, DE for the Rehoboth Beach Seashore Marathon.

(Note:  clicking on the pictures will enlarge them.  Clicking on the links will take you to other pages.)

For those of you who want the Cliff Notes version:
  • Event:  Rehoboth Beach Seashore Marathon
  • Date:  December 8, 2012
  • Weather:  52 degrees, heavily overcast, no rain
  • Time to complete:  4 hours, 10 minutes, and 14 seconds
  • Average pace:  9:33/mile
  • Overall Finishing position:  430 out of 823 runners
  • What I predicted:  525th, 4:08:00
  • Finishing position in age group:  37 out of 68 runners
  • Finishing position among males:  310 out of 517 runners
  • Time for first half:  2:01:48
  • Time for second half:  2:08:26
  • Pace in first 6.55 miles - 9:02/mile
  • Pace in first half - 9:18/mile
  • Pace in second half - 9:49/mile
  • Official Results from Lin-mark Sports. 
  • Official Photos at US Candids (select Rehoboth Marathon 12/8/12 -search for bib #901) .
  • The winner was a fellow we have met, Enos "E" Benbow Jr..  He finished in 2:45:21 with a pace of 6:19/mile.  E helped coach Sarah some when she ran track two years ago.


For those of you who were interested in the Strategy I mentioned in a previous post, here are the answers:
The Starting Line
- I didn't want to start out too fast.  Not a problem.  There were 2000 people crammed into a street about 50 yards in length behind the starting line, all waiting very patiently to begin.  This mass trudged along for quite some time, putting a harness on everyone's adrenaline.

- I intended to pick out a runner to run behind, who would help me keep pace.  I didn't really find this person, and ran behind various runners who never really fit the bill.  I did find one good prospect around mile 15. I had glanced at my watch, gave up on trying to do the math in my head, and asked a lady who met most of my criteria for the pacing partner.  Based on my quick math, I thought we were running at a pace to finish around 4 hrs, 15 minutes.  I asked if she was tracking her pace.  "No," she said, "But it feels like we are running to finish in about 4 hrs 10 minutes, maybe 4 hrs 15 minutes."  Great, just about what I thought.  Then I noticed that she had no fancy gadget.  In fact, she wasn't even wearing a watch.  She WAS the runner for whom I had been searching.  She had obviously done this a lot. (Note:  I discovered that it was Kristen Hine of Baltimore.  She finished 425th with a time of 4:09:32, 5 places and 42 seconds ahead of me.)

Mile 11.7 near the DQ in Lewes



- It didn't take long to realize that she was a faster runner than I was.  I consciously had to say to myself "Let her go, she's too fast for you."  So I did.  I don't know where she finished.  At that point in the race, I determined that a 4 hour finish time was probably out of reach, and I was perfectly content with that.




 - Finishing strong was important to me.  The last mile is perhaps the highlight of the race.  You know you are about to finish, and the joy of accomplishing the task sets in.  Almost got a cramp in my right calf because I picked up the pace in that mile, but I immediately slowed until I knew it was in check.  Then I passed 5 or 6 runners in the last stretch, awing the roaring crowd (O.K. So perhaps they weren't actually in awe, but I can believe what I want, cause it's my story.)

Mile 19.3, also near the DQ in Lewes
- The course, as expected, was spectacular.  And I enjoyed it the best I could.  But you are so focused on running that you have to almost force yourself to take it in.  Keep in mind that when you have a goal in mind for a specific finishing time, you are constantly having to push to run a little faster than you really want to.  If you are out for a casual jog, it is different.  You are doing this for hours on end.  It takes a lot of mental energy, believe it or not, and this is part of what makes the marathon a challenge.

For those of you wondering about my health:
- I felt great at the end of the race.  My only effects were a blister on one toe, and a little chafing under one arm.  Some soreness in my thighs set in around mile 20.  The next morning,  my thighs were sore, but just muscle soreness I would expect - nothing to indicate any kind of injury.

For those of you wondering what part of the marathon I liked best:
Family and Friends
- Sharing it with my friends and family.  This whole thing has been a big event in the the lives of our whole family since June.  Sure, you do something big and you want others to witness it... I can't deny that there is some of that sentiment, which is self-centered and in my view somewhat unattractive.  But that's not what I'm getting at in "sharing" it.  We are all involved in different things that are important to each one of us.  And we "share" those experiences with each other by talking about them - letting each other know what we are doing.  In doing that, we all get to experience the joy of the event.  A classic example is inviting others to our weddings.  It isn't a matter of "Look at what we've done," but rather "Come and experience the joy of our marriage."  Now of course, this particular event isn't on the level of a wedding, but it's the same idea.  It is the sharing of lives that brings joy to our hearts as social creatures.  It is that sharing which, in fact, makes us less self-centered, because others get to share our joy.

The Finish behind Rehoboth Beach Running Company

- In that light, I have to mention a few people by name.  Mom and Dad, Steve & Marcia Miller and their boys, Aleisa Timmons (Bud had to work), Kirk and Barbara Westfall, and Al Abrams of Sea Finds in Rehoboth all came to the race to cheer me on.  Tina's Aunt Helen showed unparalleled interest in the race from the very beginning, texted during the race for updates, and sent us a donation, which we used to buy breakfast afterwards at Sammy's Kitchen on Wilmington Avenue.   Rick Baker, who would have been there except for another commitment, called right after the race.  Bill Sammons of 88.7 The Bridge mentioned the marathon on his morning show last week.  None of these people have any particular interest in running.  If you aren't a runner, talk about running is just plain boring.  Watching it is boring as well.  This is what makes people who show interest and support all the more special.

Kirk, Mom, Barbara, Dad, Marcia & baby
Al Abrams













- Many others gave me their ear to talk about the race beforehand (well, they appeared to give me an ear... perhaps I just took it.)  This was important to me.  You can tell when someone expresses genuine interest in what you are doing.  And that says "I care about you... I want to know."  That is all part of that sharing.  And that's what I desire to do for those around me with whatever it is they are doing. 
Tina


For those of you who wonder what my family thought of the marathon:

Tina and the kids were all completely supportive.  They never once complained that my training was a nuisance, even though at times I know it was.  What can I say to that except thank you.  And thanks to the rest of you as well.


Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Best Christmas Decorations EVER Just Got Better.

Years ago, we made a  plywood cutout of a Nativity based on a Christmas card drawn by our friend Brooke Gehman.  The original stable went the way of all flesh (it rotted), and we replaced the stable a couple of years ago. 


















 This year, we wanted to do something different, so Tina and Sarah drew animals on a piece of plywood, and poof... look what we we have now.



Note:  As you can see, for the benefit of those of you sick and tired of reading about running, this was not a running blog .  Nothing at all was mentioned about running in this blog.  Also, no animals were harmed in the making of this Nativity.  And yes, there WERE chickens at the manger (see "If Chickens Could Sing".)

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Strategy

You may be wondering if I have some sort of strategy for running the marathon.  In fact, I do:

  • Don't start out too fast.  I made this mistake in 2003.  It is easy to do with the adrenaline rush that comes at the start of the race.
  • Once the mass of runners spreads out after a mile or so, I like to fall in behind someone who I judge to be a good runner.  These folks are easy to spot.  They dress in appropriate running wear, run with good form, appear comfortable with their pace, and often have interesting gadgets.  During the 1/2 marathon I ran in September, I found a lady who had a gps watch.  The watch tracked her pace, and she could tell at any point in time what pace she was running.
  • The above person may be running at a slightly faster pace than I have typically trained at.  Trailing such a person serves to push you to run a little harder than you normally would.
  • This strategy can backfire.  Part of the problem in 2003 was that I implemented this strategy and ended up choosing someone that was running too fast.
  • I have in my head I want to finish in 4 hours, which is ambitious for my level of training.  I could avoid the whole issue by just lowering my goal time.  I'm hoping that I did learn one thing over the years.  That would be having the good sense to pick the right person to trail.  I was successful during the half marathon, so there is hope.  Often you end up changing the running partner if they become a poor match.
  • I hope to finish strong.  If all goes as planned, I expect the most difficult portion of the race to be miles 20 to 23 (if the great difficulty comes before that, I'm in trouble).  After that, and new adrenaline rush begins to set in with the excitement of finishing the race.

 And that's about the sum of it.  Besides all that technical stuff, I plan to enjoy the run.  It's a beautiful course with scenery infinitely more interesting than the stretch on which I have been training.  The occasional chatting with fellow runners is always stimulating as well.  And the walking out (well, running out) of a dream I've been anticipating since June is just plain fun.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Tenth Avenue North / Deck the Halls

Bill Sammons from 88.7 The Bridge was talking about this video the other day on the radio.  This is what happens when wildly creative people get bored and decide to do something completely different.   Here's a clue to the whole thing:  think pop up children's book.  This whole video was done in one take. (The drummer gets the award for the goofiest smile.)



Here's a video about how they made the first video:



Wednesday, November 28, 2012

What's the weirdest thing...

Forgot to add this to the list of FAQs.

  • So, the question would be "What's the weirdest thing that's happened since training for the race?"

    • Without a doubt, that would be a thought I had during one of the long runs about a month ago.  It was a cold morning, and I was wearing a stocking cap that covers my face.  About half way through the run, I was tired but sort of cozy running along in my cap.  The tired feeling turned to a sleepy, relaxed feeling.  I begin to wonder if I could sleep while running, like a horse can sleep standing up.  I tried closing my eyes for a spell to test the theory, but once I pictured myself running out into traffic or into the ditch, I gave up on that idea.

    • Another thing that comes to mind, although not really weird, was that on one long run I found an I-Phone in the dirt beside the road.  I picked it up, discovered it worked, and dropped it off at the house mid-run so Tina could try to track down the owner.  We discovered the owner was snoop dog somebody (no offense intended... his nick name included the word "dog"), who I met later at McDonald's to return it.  He was very appreciative, and told me I "Saved his life".  Finally, some redeeming value to this whole thing.


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

FAQs concerning the marathon

OK, so these aren't really frequently asked questions.  These are actually questions no one has bothered to ask as of now:

  • What did it cost to enter the race?
    • $120.00   
  • Did you lose any weight during the training?
    • I weighed about 168 at the start of the training at the end of June.  My lowest weight at the height of the training was about 159.  The schedule is tapering down, and I'm around 161 now.
  •  Did you lose any of your mid-life gut?
    • A disappointing 1 1/4 inches, which will likely return during the Christmas season.
  •  How many miles will you have run training for the marathon?
    • 484 miles.
  • How many are racing?
    • There are 994 entered for the marathon, and 1001 entered for the half marathon which runs simultaneously.
  • Where do you expect to finish in that field?
    • Among the marathon runners, I expect to finish 525th with a time of 4 hours 8 minutes, roughly.
  •  What's your biggest concern at this point?
    • Getting sick before the race.  Even a cold would wreak havoc.
  • Do you think or talk about anything other than the marathon?
    • It's pretty consuming, I confess.  Try it and see what you think and talk about. 
  • Can't you think of anything better to do with your time?
    • Well, yeah.  What's your point?

 Here are a couple of questions which a few people actually asked:

  • Did you adjust your diet for the training?
    • Nope.  Tina has always cooked healthy meals for us.  And I continued to occasionally eat the same junk food I always have.
  • How long did you actually train?
    • I'd say I officially started on June 20.
  • Do you eat anything during the race?
    • I've been drinking Ensure a little during the long runs, but I'm not sure that's the best thing.  They make some goo junk for nourishment, but the one I tried was awful.  I also eat a couple handfuls of candy corn (the Halloween type) starting at about the midpoint of the long runs.  You won't find this tip in any training guides.

This question wasn't actually asked, but I could see it on the person's face:
  • What's next?
    • I can hardly wait to get back into a regular running week, which I picture being 3 runs of 3-4 miles and a long run of 6-8 miles on the weekend.  And then I'll go back to running 5 k's (3.1 miles).  For those races, you run like the devil the whole three miles, get a t-shirt, then go out to breakfast.  


Saturday, November 24, 2012

Two Weeks to Go

A friend of mine recently asked about my marathon training and then sarcastically added "I need you to post another running blog".  So here's an update, whether you want it or not.

You can look at where I'm at in my schedule by clicking this link to another post:  Training Schedule.

I'm currently tapering my running down, as the training calls for reduced miles in the weeks prior to the race.  My long run topped out at a 20 miler last week.  A surprising number of people curious about the training have asked "So you don't actually run the full 26 miles before the race?" Hmmm.

The hardest part of the training was increasing the long run from 6 miles up to about 12 miles.  Once I made it to that point, adding the additional miles wasn't as difficult.  I've had minor aches in my feet, but otherwise feel great.

One would think that after working up to these long runs, a short 3 or 4 mile run would be a piece of cake.  Physically it is indeed easier now.  But it still takes the same amount of energy to just get out there and do it.  I had a relatively short 12 mile run this Saturday morning.  You would think this would be a psychological cinch after running 20 miles last week.  It just 'aint so.  And this has everything to do with why marathon training, or any long term training, takes determination.  Determination doesn't come naturally for me.  It's why I put myself in the position to get a lot of practice.

Someone recently asked me why I run.  It would take a long time to answer that question.  For now, I'll give you a list.
  • Running is good for your heart.
  • Running is good for battling moodiness (although it is not a cure.)
  • Running gives one time to ponder.
  • Running is good for lowering cholesterol
  • Running controls weight.
  • I just heard that the risk factors for Alzheimers are the same as the risk factors for heart disease.  So apparently what's good for your heart is also good for your brain.
  • Being fit makes me feel better physically, and knowing it makes me feel better mentally.
  • I like setting lofty goals which can actually be attained.
Of course, most of this can be accomplished with a much more moderate schedule.  But once in a while I enjoy setting an outrageous goal.  I think the effort required does something for my psyche.


Friday, November 23, 2012

If Chickens Could Sing / Carol of the Fryers


Here is a re-post of a previous blog entry. 




We first heard this song when WXPZ was on the air in the early '90s.  During the first listen, one asks himself  "What the heck is this?"  But at the end of the song, it becomes clear.  It has become one of our favorite Christmas songs, and believe it or not, one of the most touching.

We have a new Christian Radio Station, 88.7fm, THE BRIDGE, and they still play the song.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Never too soon for Christmas Music

Yea, it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but I got this song in my mind today during my 20 mile run while trying to put together an article for the Manna in my head.  This is a re-post from last Christmas Eve:



Casting Crowns


Here is another Christmas song, recorded in a contemporary style by Casting Crowns, which has become one of my favorites.

  "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day".


Here's a live version, which sounds almost as good as the studio version.




I failed to recognize (until my all-knowing mother pointed it out) that this is an old, old song.  I actually have it on a cd which I had made from a Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians Christmas record we listened to when I was a child. 

According to Wikipedia, ""I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is a Christmas carol based on the 1864 poem "Christmas Bells" by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  The song tells of the narrator's despair, upon hearing Christmas bells, that "there is no peace on earth... for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men". The carol concludes with the bells bestowing renewed hope for mankind."  For additional background into the poem, see this article by Tom Stewart.

Well, we know Who holds that hope.  Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.


I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound the carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn, the households born
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

A Season for All Things?

Until I change my mind, this may be my last blog posting for now.

When I started blogging on July 12, 2011, I had an idea in mind of what would happen.  I was hoping some of the entries would start a conversation.  I was hoping for a large base of readers.  Instead, it became, in essence, an on-line diary of sorts, read by very few.  That was not what I had in mind.

It takes time to blog.  The question becomes "Is it worth the investment?"  I have taken the position in the past that I write because it is fulfilling in its own right, regardless of whether anyone else gets anything out of it.  But when you labor over a work,  you enjoy knowing that someone is receiving benefit from that effort.  That is one of the things that hasn't happened in my experience in blogging, with the exception of comments from a few family members and friends which have kept me going for this long.  And if there is no benefit to the reader, then it is simply a selfish endeavor that takes time away from something of real value.

I don't fault anyone for this.  One's own importance is always exaggerated in one's own mind I think.  People don't live waiting for the next word out of a blogger's mouth.  We all live busy lives.

I shall certainly continue to write, but perhaps I should focus on other areas, and when the urge comes to compose, I will work on those things.

Or, perhaps I simply had a bad day, and will press on.  You never know what a moody person might do.

Brent


O.K.  Enough of that.  I have changed my mind.  After a good night's sleep, and the escape of one of Asher's crayfish, I realize that blogging may be an indispensable outlet to record important events of life.  And if I had a nickle for every time I had a pity party...

Sunday, October 21, 2012

16 Miles

A few weeks ago, I bought a new pair of running shoes.  My old Mizunos were long past the point of needing replacing.  I used the same shoe shopping process I always use, asking for recommendations from the store, trying on 3 or 4 pair, then eliminating them one by one until I ended up with what seemed like the most comfortable ones, a pair of Brooks.

The first time I went out for a run in the new shoes, I noticed that my sock under the ball of my left foot seemed to be bunched up.  It wasn't.  It was the shoe putting more pressure on that area of my foot.  Hmmm.  I deducted that my old shoes were worn badly in that area, creating a low spot in the shoe.  The new shoes must be putting my foot back in the correct position, but my foot wasn't happy about that.

So I thought my feet just needed time to adjust.  It was my fault for waiting so long to replace my worn out shoes.  The discomfort did seem to get better, but would still come and go.

Saturday I set out on my long run, which has worked up to 16 miles.  I noticed the discomfort early in the run.  By mile 10, it was bad enough that I wondered if I could even finish the run.  So I asked The Lord in my typical way for help.  It went something like this:  "Lord, Here I am.  You know all about this situation.  My foot hurts.  I sure would appreciate it if you would heal it.  But if you don't, I'm o.k. with that.  I just want to finish this run, and I want to run the marathon.  But that's all me and all about what I want.  So I'll leave it at that."

Nothing really changed in the discomfort, but in a few minutes I had a thought.  Before I bought the Brooks I was wearing, I had shopped on-line for a pair of shoes just like my old ones.  They had been discontinued, a new model had taken their place, and I had found a store that had the old model I had been wearing.  But I wanted something new and different, and hadn't gone that route.  However, after buying the new shoes, I had gone on my computer and was cleaning up some old bookmarks, including the one for those shoes I had found.  When I had clicked on the bookmark, I saw that the shoes were on sale for $40, less than half the price I had paid for them a year or so ago.  So I had ordered them, and they were in the back of my closet.
The Mizuno Wave Inspire 6 from Rogans Shoes

This all came back to me at mile 10, so I determined that I would change shoes at the end of mile 11 (I had divided the 16 miles into three legs, each leg coming back to our house.)  I made my pit stop, changing shoes (I had to do it myself, as I had no pit crew that day), and set off on the last 5 miles of the run.

Immediately I noticed a drastic difference in the way the shoe cradled my foot.  Within the first mile, I could tell that the ball of my foot felt much better.  I finished the run, exuberant that I had been given an answer to my petition for pain relief.  My best analysis is that the Brooks don't have quite enough support in the arch, and that was creating extra pressure on the ball of my foot.  Not a fault of the shoe, just that it isn't suited for my foot.

After a mere 70 miles on the new Brooks, I have retired them to the back of my closet (at least temporarily), and will press on with the $40 pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire 6's.  And I will order another pair of them, as they are still available on-line.

There you have it, way more information than anyone would possibly want to know.  And I'm not even sure there is a moral to the story, except for the following:
  • As hard as we try to do the right thing (such as to buy the best shoes, or a gas range), sometimes it just doesn't pan out the way we expect.
  • God does still answer prayer, although the answer may not come the way we expect.
  • As to God answering prayer, in this case, He started the process of answering it immediately after I had bought the doomed Brooks shoes.  I had the answer in my closet before I even needed it.
  • As a matter of fact, there is a moral to this story, as illustrated by the point above.  In fact, it is an excellent point, thank you very much.


Friday, October 12, 2012

The Horseless Headsman

Once in a while something will make me laugh out loud.  Not often... I don't think I have ever texted "lol".

So, this commercial is running now, with a Halloween theme.


http://www.framestore.com/work/snickers-horseless-headsman


Full of quotable lines, perfect timing, and the perfect face for the head.  And just when it couldn't get any better, a great ending.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Owen Meany

I recently read A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, and afterwards, composed an article about it for the October 2012 issue of The Manna.

That article can be viewed in The Manna with the following link:


Happy Reading!


"Owen Meany" appeared in the October 2012 edition of the Manna. http://readthemanna.org.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Now, the Hard Part

Haven't posted a boring blog entry about running lately, so here goes.

Turns out my theory concerning the difficulty of increasing mileage needs some modification. (See "A Theory")  Once I pushed into the 10 mile range, the difficulty has leveled off some.
 
So here's what I have to do between now and December 8th.  The blue numbers are completed runs (updated periodically.)

                                Training Schedule







Week of: Mon. Tue. Wed. Thur. Fri. Sat. Sun.
9/3 4
3 2 0 13.1 (1/2 Marathon)
9/10
3
4
10

9/17 3 4
4
12

9/24 4 4
4
10 3
10/1
4
4
14 3
10/8 5
5
10 3
10/15 4
5
16 3
10/22 4
5
12 3
10/29
4
5
18
11/5 3 5
6
12 3
11/12
4
6
20 3
11/19
4
4
12 3
11/26 3 2 3
8 3
12/3 2 2 2 26.2
















If I can just make it through the 16, 18, and 20 mile runs, I will be golden.  It's weird... at the beginning of this whole thing, I knew in my head that a 26 mile run was a monumental task.  But I am reminded of just how monumental it is every time I do one of the long training runs.  Saturday, I ran 14 miles.  At the end of mile 13, I thought "I have to be able to run another 13 miles."  It's one of those thoughts you quickly put out of your head.  The trick is to take one day at a time.

Another monumental thing about training is the time you sacrifice, mostly for the long run. On Saturday I got up early, skipped breakfast with my family, ran for 2 hours and 24 minutes, and then it took the next couple of hours to ease back into our Saturday routine.  It's during those times when I often say to myself "Now why exactly am I doing this?"

I took my pulse one day sitting in church.  It was 44 bpm.  I suppose this could be due to one of several things:
  • The training is working,
  • The church service was boring, or
  • Church has a calming effect.

Speaking of collections, I have considered using the marathon to raise money for some cause, partly to assuage my guilt for spending so much time in training, and partly to give some redeeming value to the whole thing.  But the fact is, I despise asking for money, period.  And most of the people I know, including myself, will give if asked, but are already tapped out in the giving department already.

So instead, it will remain a purely selfish endeavor, aimed at raising the level of my health and state of mind.  Plus, I get to write these boring blog entries.


Sunday, October 7, 2012

Who Has the Greater Need?

Our two daughters are involved in an after school activity. Occasionally, the activity requires the group of kids to either eat dinner at the school, or to pick up something later that evening. In both cases, the students contribute to the meal cost.

My wife was talking to one of the other parents about planning the meal. The parent was discussing one of the students. She said they never ask for money for the meal from this child. And when the activity requires the student to buy something later, someone makes sure he has something to eat.

The reason is that this child never has any money to contribute to the meals.  The parent told my wife that they think that sometimes the only meal the child eats is the lunch he receives at school.

This is one of those things that we personally don’t see very often - a child dealing with hunger - an “In our faces” issue, right here at home. We didn’t have to go to Africa on a mission trip to see it. We only had to participate in an after school activity with our own children.

The question now is what, if anything, can we do. How can we get involved in the life of this child?  Never in my entire life have I nor my immediate family lacked something to eat.

The other question here is "Who has the greater need?" This child may need food. Our family needs an appreciation for that which we take for granted every single day. And in His great wisdom, He has brought this child and our family together, if for nothing else but for us to witness each other’s lives. And that answers that first question: we are involved in this child's life.

This is one of the reasons we have our children in public school. This is where we believe our family has been called.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Lack of Interest



He ran a marathon at the age of 24, at the age of 42, and is about to at the age of 51.

He has four children (2.14 more than the average American family), all with the same wife. 

He writes a monthly article in a local Christian magazine, appearing in the back of it, because his ideas are so ...  different.

He blogs because the other 150,000,000 bloggers haven't said what needs to be said.

He does household repairs that would make a lesser man cringe, sometimes gets paid to do it, and actually enjoys it.

He once worked as an undercover security guard at Strawbridge and Clothier.

He built model rockets and potato canons with his kids.

He dabbles with the djembe, and mixes the sound for his local church, sometimes both a the same time.

Despite all this...  he is ... The Least Interesting Man in the World.


Note:  Apparently there are other "Least Interesting Men in the World" and we are like a club


Saturday, September 15, 2012

Perhaps


“Perhaps” is a word that caught my attention in the year 1987.  As with things that often make a lasting impact, it was the person who said it which made the impression.

The television series “Beauty and the Beast” ran for three seasons starting on September 25, 1987.  The story involved a world of outcasts secretly living under the streets of the city.  Vincent is the appointed protector of the inhabitants.  He has the appearance of a “Beast”, but the heart of a savior.

The “Beauty”, Catherine, lives in the city above.  Beauty and The Beast meet when Catherine is assaulted by a thug, and Vincent takes her to the underworld to recover.  Affection develops between the two, he assumes the role of her permanent protector, and together they fight for the downtrodden.

Vincent has been raised by a man I only remember being referred to as “Father”.  Father is well read, wise, and the resident overseer of the outcasts.  Vincent is his moral image.  The influence of Father’s life over his son is obvious.

Vincent habitually speaks in a soft voice, uncharacteristic for his appearance.  He is a normal man, albeit incredibly strong, and with facial hair and features that resemble a lion’s. 

It was Vincent’s use of the word “perhaps” which caught my ear.  He used it often, usually while speaking to Catherine about a remedy to their current problem, softly uttering it so as not to dictate.

It was after the repeated viewing of this that I decided I too would use the word “perhaps.”  I never use it in conversation, but frequently do in writing.  My use of the word is meant to be in the same vein as Vincent’s.

There is more to the story of my watching this interesting twist on an old tale.  In the fall of 1987, I had moved back to Sussex County after a series of bad decisions.  I usually watched the show in the home of my parents who were helping to nurse me back to spiritual and emotional health. 

Some months prior to that move, I had received a call from my parents.  My brother, a leader in the local church I had been attending before graduating from college, had discussed with them that the church was not sure what to do regarding my membership, which was still technically on the books.  But it wasn’t technicalities with which they were concerned.  My slump was no secret, and it was an extended hand which they were really offering.  It was the wake up call I needed.  Repentance began to rise up in my heart, and a chain of events began which together would slowly work to bring my heart back to The Lord.

Shortly after that call, I moved into a room in the house at 408 Haverford, where 89 year old Emilie Cederstom lived, whose room for rent had become known to me through an inquiry to the local churches in the area in which I desired to live.  Hunched over due to severe osteoporosis, she informed me that her job was now to check the obituaries for deceased friends. She occasionally shared her cookies with me, her last remaining vice.  Her retired son was temporarily living there, getting her affairs in order, as her death was somewhere on the not too distant horizon. 

I did yard work just for something to do.  Rose of Sharon had engulfed everything in sight.  Her son had me prune it back to stubs, which left her yard looking like a bad hair cut, and dismayed Mrs. Cederstrom.  Regardless, she once told my mother that I was “To the manner born”.  Or perhaps she said I was “To the manor born”.  While I’m not sure exactly what she meant, I’m pretty confident it was a compliment, and unrelated to any social class.  It was in this home that The Lord did some radical pruning in my heart, and the healing first began.

Just before moving back to Sussex County that fall, my parents introduced me via cassette tape to a man who taught at the annual retreats of the local believers with which my parents were meeting.  I listened to those tapes in my third floor bedroom.  That man would become a spiritual physician to me, and a life long friend to our family.  He would point me to a Christ I had not seen before, and continues to do so to this day.

After several months with the old lady (she would not be offended, as she was fully aware of her season in life) , I returned to my native Sussex County.  My parents introduced me to that local fellowship of believers.  It was there that the nursing continued.  It was there that I began to understand for the first time how a group of believers functions as what we call a “body”.

And it was during those first months at home that we watched Vincent use the word “perhaps” and deal tenderly with Catherine.

Perhaps the timing of the phone call about the quandary in which my church found itself was just a coincidence.

Perhaps the availability of Mrs. Cederstrom’s room, a place of refuge when I most needed it, was a coincidence.

Perhaps it was coincidence I heard just the right taped message from the right messenger, at the right time.

Perhaps it was coincidental that I happened to find myself in that local body of believers when I moved back to Sussex County, where I met and married my wife.

And perhaps, coincidentally, I found myself drawn to the words of Vincent, a vague embodiment of The Savior, the likes of which I was just beginning to come to know in a way I never had before.

Or, perhaps, it wasn’t coincidence at all.


This story first appeared in the March 2012 edition of the Manna. http://readthemanna.org.

Monday, September 10, 2012

My Kind of People

Wicomico County, MD Recreation, Parks & Tourism put on the Hidden Treasures Half Marathon on September 9.  Along the course, there were people like this:

They held signs saying "Go Daddy", "Keep Going", and the like.

During the training for the race, some of these people also waited patiently for dinner so that daddy could run beforehand.  On the day of the race, they got up early to make their way to the Civic Center, cheered at the start, drove across town to cheer at a midpoint of the race, and dashed back to cheer at the finish line.

Some of these people allowed us to crash at their house the night before the race, and made pasta for dinner for carbo-loading.

There were also people from the County who organized the race, with its infinite number of details to work out.  There were problems to solve, volunteers to get organized, bands to book, and headaches to endure.

Other people directed traffic, manned water stops, and gathered cheer groups.

All this for 180 runners who wanted to navigate a 13.1 mile course through the city of Salisbury.

These are family members, friends, and perfect strangers.  These are my kind of people.  Thanks guys.


Sussex Central High Marching Band

Katherine performed at her first game with the marching band last Thursday.  I hadn't been to a football game in a while.

A friend commented "I bet your mind was really working, thinking about high school".  Actually, it wasn't.  In a rare moment of UN-nostalgia, I was not thinking about my high school days (well, not that much.)

Instead, I was focused on our Katherine and her band.  I watched as she practiced at the end of the field, giving me a little wave when she saw me approach.  I watched as the band marched out for the pre-game show, and listened for her clarinet.  I watched for her director, Mr. Nicholas Greeson, this being his first performance with our school, and wondered what he might be thinking.

I watched as the teams took the field, and thought of Joe Biden's recent comments about his own football days.  I noticed how filled the stands were, especially on our visitor's side.  There were a couple of loud fans... not obnoxious at all, but eager to cheer players by name.  They were obviously former players, probably the fathers of kids on the field.

The band sat at the end of the bleachers.  The percussion section, sometimes accompanied by the rest of the band, played throughout the game.  They obviously enjoyed it. I tried to duplicate the drum rhythms on my bleacher seat, hoping they would get ingrained in my head so I could do it later.

I thought of our son who was considering entering band.  He initially thought of percussion, but we are steering him towards another instrument, such as the sax, so that he can learn to read music (not just rhythm).  Our logic is that he will then be able to use that skill throughout his life.  But watching the percussion section, and seeing how much they enjoyed their work, I wondered if we were doing the right thing.  Perhaps Elias can make his own duplicator, duplicate himself, and do both.

During the third quarter, the band made its way over to the concession stand for a late dinner, as they came to the game directly from school.  Katherine came back with water.  "Didn't you want anything else?," I asked.  "They didn't have anything I wanted," she said.  "Are you hungry?"  "No, not really."  Then I noticed something sticking out of her pocket.  "What's that?," I asked.  "Oh, those are my Swedish fish."  I felt much better knowing that she would not go hungry.

I, on the other hand, was about to run the half-marathon, and needed to stock up on protein and carbohydrates.  Fortunately the concession stand offered a hot dog, diet coke, and peanut M&Ms.



Friday, August 31, 2012

Courage


Our kids  were watching  The Princess Diaries  the other day.  The following quote towards the end of the movie caught my attention: 

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.  The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all." 

The book upon which the movie is based was written by Meg Cabot.

Hmmm.  No doubt this grabbed my attention because I am the definition of cautious.  "Ouch", my sensitive nature said to itself.  But this is not news to me.  I am self-aware enough to know this to be fact.

The problem is that it is difficult to live outside of your nature.  My first instinct, in just about every situation, is to be cautious.  Then, once I have the time to look at the situation with some clarity, I can attempt to gain control of the fear which sparked the cautiousness in the first place.  It is all very analytical, isn't it?

So the question is... How do people act out "courage".  Is it through such an analytical process?  Is it a decision to put fear aside because "something else is more important"?

Perhaps that happens at times - that courage is a decision made in opposition to some other emotion.

On the other hand, I suspect courage is sometimes an innate response in some people.  They don't go through an analytical process and decide they will be courageous.  The just do it.

That is the kind of courageous I want to be.  But I'm not.  And that's why I put my faith in Someone who IS that kind of person.  And out of that relationship, I believe that when the time calls for me to have courage, I He will.



Saturday, August 25, 2012

Minute by Minute

Back in the day, Michael McDonald was one of my favorite musicians.  He was with the Doobie Brothers at the time.

During the '80-'81 school year, I went to see them in Philly with some friends in college.  As I recall, in attendance were my roommate Bill (his family lives 10 minutes away, and our children are best friends), my other roommate Dave (he was a character, and disappeared part way through the year), Paul  (he would be my roommate two years later), and another Bill (he lived across the hall from us, and I was disappointed that he transferred to another college later).

Little did I know that during that era in my life,  McDonald's voice would set the bar for voices.  The question is - is it really that good, or was it related to the fact that I heard him during impressionable years, and he would become one of the people from "The Good Ole Days."

We all know "Good Ole Days" people (present company included).  They harp on what it was like "back then".  Nothing compares to "back then".  Something happened "back then" that made a huge impression.  It wasn't necessarily about the quality of the thing - it was about the time, the people, the whole event.  I think it has something to do with the theory that the mind is a blank slate, and new memories receive much more hard drive space on the brain, thus making them more "memorable".


This is McDonald in 2006, singing a Doobie Brothers song.

Turns out, this is NOT one of those "Good Ole Days" events.  In fact, he was good then, and only improved with age.  You may not like his style, but I can't imagine anyone disputing the quality of his voice.

And those guys at the concert with me?  There is no dispute about the quality of those friendships.