Setbacks Build Confidence

I experienced my first true disappointment in my quest for running the Grandmas Marathon yesterday. It was the day marked on my training calendar for 20 miles, a day I had been preparing for. To make sure there was no way to avoid the full 20 miles, I decided to run home from church; the long way. Mistake number one was leaving at noon, making the shade scarce as the unforgiving sun beat directly down; I began to pray for big fluffy clouds to block the hot yellow beast. Mistake number two was underestimating the slight breeze; the unrelenting gusts of 13mph plus crosswinds threatened to push me out of the shoulder and into on coming traffic. The third mistake was skipping lunch, the hunger pains I experienced were probably moderate at best, but coupled with excessive heat and threatening winds it felt much more extreme. These three things served up a well loaded can of Whip A$$ turning my 20 mile run into a grueling 15 mile survival hike complete with a KFC stop for a glass of ice and my Knight in Shinning Armor coming to my rescue...Although I willingly climbed in the truck, I know I could have walked the remaining 5 miles, but I was already mentally defeated and didn’t need to add ruining my average to the list of setbacks. Josh commented on not working hard enough to be soaked in sweat, but I was eager to explain that the wind licked away any moisture before it could be accumulated. All-in-all I remain confident I can complete the 26.2 miles, and that I can do so in less than 5 hours, so apparently not all was lost.

Gifts Are Simply Not Our Gift

“Did you know it was our anniversary?” That was the question my faithful husband posed to me as we sat down at a family picnic…obviously after someone had just congratulated him on 13 years of marriage. But before you get your undies in a bunch and start throwing insults towards him, let me tell you that I am not without fault. I have allowed "significant" dates and yearly celebrations to fall to the way side, because I perceive them as cop-outs. Take Valentine’s Day for example, one day out of 365 that most people expect something to happen, well pardon me for being high maintenance, but I simple expect more than that. I want to know I am loved more than one day out of every year. I understand the need to celebrate accomplishments within a relationship, but to do something “special” simply because of that one day, I struggle with significance in that. If I do receive a bouquet of flowers, a perennial plant, a card, or even a “date;” it just means more to me that it appears out of the blue and without prompting. Am I wondering if I am in the minority on this issue; so tell me how do you celebrate your Anniversary? What are your expectations for Valentine's Day?