After a busy week with Vacation Bible School - I was able to retreat to Illinois to see friends and family. The big event for the weekend was Josh Theilen's ordination (probably the majority of people reading this blog were there so I apologize ahead of time for sharing items you are already well aware of).

It was wonderful to not only be together with so many people I love, but also to witness the ordination of a great man who will now be a great pastor.

The typical sentiment at these gatherings is that "we need to do this more often". Though I always agree, I also know that the time away makes our time together that much sweeter.

The longer trip home (flying from Missouri to Minnesota to Texas) allowed me time to sit with these feelings and look forward to the longing for these friendships that would come all too soon.

I thank God for seasons like this where I have no task but to enjoy and support friends.

A Good Visit

The highlight of the last couple of weeks has been having Laura's parents come and visit. They're such great people to have around. They're never overbearing and always joyful in everything.

We went down to the King William District last Friday which proved to be a treat. Usually the riverwalk in downtown San Antonio is ridiculously crowded. We found a section that was covered with blooming plants and open sidewalk and water as green as the grass. It was great. I had a few of those moments where you find yourself breathing deeper because of an overwhelming calm that takes over. I love that. It was just what I needed. I'll blog more later about why.

Marathons Hurt

I finished my first marathon just under four hours on February 17th in Austin.

People have been very kind in asking how everything went and praising me for the effort spent on this one race. It's hard to respond sometimes. I do feel like I've accomplished something big, something bigger than running 26 miles - though I don't know exactly what. I also am forced to deal with the fact that I've spent a lot of time and a good amount of money on something that I didn't have any good reason to do. What has been wonderful is how the experience has changed me even if I didn't ask for it.

As soon as I crossed the finish line I knew something was different. I've already felt it at my day and a half back at work. I feel like I can push through those times that I don't feel like doing anything because I remember pushing through miles 21-25 (the most painful miles of my running career). I still have to deal with my tendencies to procrastinate and stall - but they don't have the same power over me as they did before. Really, running a marathon was the perfect activity for this Lenten season.

This whole experience has reminded me of how something is accomplished in suffering, even if we don't see the purpose. During this Lenten season, I've been trying to find ways to connect with the way Jesus suffered for me. Jesus suffered because He had something to accomplish - our salvation. If we look at Jesus before the incarnation, He had everything - except our salvation. Even after He asked if there could be any other way He was beaten and bruised and died and rose to accomplish what we could not.

I'm debating how much I should hold onto this marathon experience. What I have no qualms about is holding on to the fact that God is working something through my suffering and rejoicing as He has done everything through the suffering, death, and resurrection of His Son.

[pictures courtesy of Laura]

I decided around the first of the year that I would try to find something blogworthy every day of 2008. Let me just say that it's hard to determine what is blogworthy and what is not. In the mean time I've had some wonderful things happen in my life - things that I don't know how to put down in blog. Instead of waiting for the perfect blog I'm giving you this, my first blog.

Due to the lack of exciting news or an amazing story in my first blog I'll share with you my favorite picture of 2008. It's a picture from outside of my office window. The sun is rising through the fog on the crest of a valley.