Delta Running

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. - Proverbs 18:10

Rio Vista Bridge

This past weekend, Janet and I enjoyed an overnight in the Delta with special friends at a cottage on the water. It was an enjoyable trip down memory lane remembering sailing times past with my Mom, Dad, and family time on both our sail boats Misty Eagle and Parallax. To get to the island we were staying on we drove up 680 then over to Pittsburg and Antioch crossing the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers on increasingly narrower roads. After reaching Rio Vista we turned off the highway and drove our car on road topping levees (Ok, sing with me now… “So… Bye, bye miss American Pie, Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry…”). We then took a ferry across a waterway and drove three more miles on top of a levee (keep singing… “And good ol' boys were drinking whisky and rye? Singing this will be the day that I die. This will be the day that I die.”). Just to get away from San Jose, and go to a wonderful retreat setting was amazingly relaxing. We enjoyed a lovely candle lit dinner, Martha Stewart style, al fresco, watching the orange moon rise over the far bank of the river, topped by a feeding frenzy over a delicious coconut cake (double dipping allowed!). Lots of laughter!!

Up at 7am, Sunday morning dawned cool and beautiful. Just right for a run on the levee road (OK… stop with the singing already!). I was out the door in no time, leaving everyone asleep. Here was one of those Rave Runs. The sun had yet to rise, the clouds were the colors of brilliant pinks and oranges. I ran out the gravel road and up to the levee road and ran down the three miles to the Ryer Island ferry crossing (named “The Real McCoy Ferry” I kid you not!). Running without iPod was perfectly wonderful. I heard birds in trees, and others flying down to feed on bugs near the river, fish jumping to catch their own breakfasts, roosters crowing as I passed farm houses standing next to groves of pears and peaches as well as acres of vineyards; only one fisherman’s boat quietly passed by on the water. The air was as fresh as you’d ever imagine, with scents of river, and farm orchards occasionally wafting by. As I ran, the Sun finally peaked over the Sierra flooding the Valley with light and coming warmth. At the ferry, I stopped just to take it all in and walked near the water. Several worship songs came to mind as I walked. Times like that are as precious a worship time as any spent in a church sanctuary. Then I was ready to kick up my heals and run back to the cottage and our friends, ending my run in a happy contented sweat. So what if the run was a little slow, and so what if I missed my long run for the week.

Take the time to get away. Take time to re-charge your batteries. Take time to spend time with your spouse and loved ones. Take time to read God’s Word. It’s worth every second, and I’m praising God for those precious moments! – John

I am grateful for my NEW JOB!
I am grateful for my old job at So-Lite!
I am grateful for beautiful sunsets
I am grateful for sharing dinner w/ friends
I am grateful to serve an awesome God!

Swag; not swagger

"What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Swag – noun 1. a suspended wreath, garland, drapery, or the like.

Every race that I have run has swag. It may be a t-shirt, a finisher’s medal, discounts to a running shop, announcements to upcoming races, a water or Gatorade sample bottle, Cliff Bars, Gu, etc. The last race even included tiny sample bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (we used them on our backpacking trip, thank you very much!). The bag that it all comes in is even called a swag bag. At the SF Half Marathon, the bag was made of cloth with cording to draw it closed and printed with the race logo and a place to write the bib number and could be used to store and drop off sweats before a race.

The finisher medals are cute. Most display the year, the name of the run and maybe the race's logo. Most are made of metal hung on a wide ribbon to fit over the head. The finisher's medal at the upcoming Big Sur Half Marathon (Nov. 14?) is a unique ceramic piece. ...but a medal for finishing? ... really?…why? We received the t-shirt. We have the memories and the stories to share. I guess… to each his own. To one person, the medal represents the accomplishment, to another, just a ribbon and cute medallion. T-shirts from a race are a much more visible representation of running the race and are practical to run practices in. Oh, we may have our favorite shirt because of its color or t-shirt design, or because we completed some special ru; it lifts our spirits reminding us of what all the hard work is about. T-shirts also are small mile markers (no pun intended) of the distance we have come since getting off of the couch and walking out the door many months ago.

So whatever your motivation, enjoy the fellowship, enjoy the moment, enjoy the swag, enjoy the run, but know that at the end… you may stagger but for heaven’s sake don’t swagger. (swagger – verb 1. To conduct oneself with an arrogant or pompous manner.) – Johnny B

I am grateful for worship services

I am grateful for family dinners

I am grateful for the Holy Spirit’s promptings

I am grateful for morning runs

I am grateful for music – all kinds

The Secret

“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” - Psalm 119:32

"What was the secret, they wanted to know; in a thousand different ways they wanted to know… The Secret. And not one of them was prepared, truly prepared, to believe that it had not so much to do with sports drinks, eating well, sleeping more, running blogs, iPod tunes, hip techno clothing and cool mental tricks as with that most un-profound and sometimes heartrending process of removing, molecule by molecule, the very tough rubber that comprised the bottom of their training shoes."

I was reading about marathon training one day last week and came upon the above anonymous quote. It hit me as summarizing the way much of today’s culture and generational attitudes are. We’re looking for the quick fix, the next thing to buy or to have or do to make us appear that we have the secret to life. If we drive the right car, wear the right clothing, work the right job, buy the right house, etc. we’ll make it to the finish line of life ahead of most everyone. We all (including me) fall prey to this mentality at times. The worldly attitude even carries over into our exercising, or even marathon running. Is there a short-cut to get me across the finish line? Nope. Sometimes I think that I need that amazing GPS tracking / heart monitoring watch or the technical, sweat wicking, ultra cool, wind and water resistant, reflective striped, eye catching color, ultra form flattering, stand out in a crowd, looking like a winner, piece of running clothes.  But do I? …just to run in a race?

Real life doesn’t really work that way. There are no short cuts; just a marvelous journey for those who know Jesus as Savior and Lord. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of the things individually above, as long as our attitude is focused rightly; as long as we don’t fixate on things as giving us lasting satisfaction. Things can become the idols of our times, taking our eyes off of the true secret to peace, contentment and satisfaction: Jesus. We forget that these earthly blessings flow from an almighty sovereign God. Sometimes, we feel “But I deserve this, or I deserve that.” Thankfully we don’t get what we deserve, with the exception of God’s grace and His outstretched arms of love in our lives. Prosperity is something God wants to bless us with, but it flows from Him, and not of ourselves. In both good times and bad, out of obedient hearts we should give praise where it’s due. Christ wants that prosperity, peace, success and contentedness for each of us and scripture is full of that coming to those who praise and follow Him. I’m reminded in Galatians 5 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” That’s the true ‘secret’ to be shared with the entire world, and, is most certainly what I need. – Johnny B

I am grateful for a loving Savior

I am grateful for ocean breezes

I am grateful for my Mom

I am grateful to be alive

I am grateful for tuxedo kitties