The Amazing Race

I'm not talking about the reality show.  I'm talking about the 5K that I participated in yesterday.  It was amazing for many reasons.  It was a race celebrating adoption.  I am so grateful that my family was blessed to foster 27 children in 8+ years with Bethany Christian Services.  This was a learning experience that I value as a person, Christian, wife and mother.  My youngest brother Tyler was adopted on his first birthday.  It's been a difficult journey for him and there might be times that he wishes his life had turned out differently (many 19 year olds do), but I do think overall he's very glad to have been adopted into the Morgan family.  Yesterday was also powerful for me as I contemplated, meditated upon the promise and joy of having been adopted into the family of God.  Jew and Gentile alike have a place in His heart.  Forever I will be in awe of His grace to me.

There was another reason that yesterday was so special.  As my mother, husband and some of the dearest friends a gal can have waited at the finish line for me to cross I also knew that somewhere on that course was my sister-in-law, Nathalie, my oldest brother, Greg, my father, and my three oldest children.  How is it that I could be so blessed?  Although I did not make my personal goal of 38 minutes I did beat the time from my first race in February.  I completed my 5K in 40 minutes 32 seconds.  This picture is of me running back to get Jesse and JoyAnn as they finished the race with their Uncle Greg in an hour!!!

Joseph and my Dad were the VERY last people to cross the line.  The clock had already been stopped and awards were being given.  However, it didn't matter to me.  I ran back to help him across the line.  No cameras were present but my heart will always remember that moment.  This was a BIG deal for a kid on the autism spectrum who abhors physical exertion.  He finished something he started and did it without complaining.  What a trooper.  I am so thankful that my Dad stayed steady with him and helped him see this through until the finish. 

I ran across that line confidently, knowing I had done my best.  I kept a steady pace at 160bpm.  It wasn't until later that day that my sis-in-law, Nat, noticed that a friend of hers that had participated in the race posted using "Map My Run".  Her GPS on her smart phone actually mapped the course at 3.42 miles.  Interesting.....huh????  Regardless, I enjoyed myself and am completely hooked on running.  Although my newly "crunchy" knee might need some Biofreeze and a support when running. 

It was a peaceful, rewarding day and I was completely blessed by my husband and children.  My entire family really overwhelmed me with love.  Spending time with my nephews, friends, family was a joy.  Praise be to God that gives me the grace to run the truly AMAZING race mentioned in Phil. 3:12-14 "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Happy Mother's Day to anyone reading this that falls into that category :-).

Blessings to you ALL! 

On the Move

Spring is in the air and I'm on the move.  The last two weeks at CSI class I've really been trying to pick up the pace of my short interval runs.  I chose the heavier weights today in class and I really concentrated on form.  Last night at my FIT class I chose to walk up an incline AND add an extra hill.  I added distance and shortened time on my Sunday walk and I'm going to try and jog another 3.1 miles this weekend.  I have not jogged a 5K since my race in Feb.  I have walked, jogged, moved and lifted, but I haven't gone 3.1 without stopping.  It's time to do it again!!!

I have a race in May that I am STOKED about.  This race is special because my family will be participating.  My older brother Philip and sis-in-law Tammy will be jogging/running.  I think the most special part of the day is that Nathalie my other sis-in-law will be participating.  I'm not sure to the extent she will be walking/jogging as she consults the doc about her chemo on March 29th.  Greg my older brother I'm sure will be there in some capacity.  I'm even hoping (hint, hint) that he and/or my Dad will walk with my older 3 in the 5K walk.  What a glorious time it will be for ALL of us.  You see mostly we just get together as a family to eat, socialize and/or open presents.  I cannot remember a time EVER when we purposefully gathered together for a physical event.  My brother Philip, sis Tammy and I all were in a marching band at the same time.  Philip and Greg marched together in high school.  I think Philip and Greg might have been on same teams growing up, but I can't remember ALL of us doing something together.  My heart is saddened that Tyler can't join us, but right now his physical condition limits it.  Please keep praying for his seizure disorder and problems with his foot.  I'm gonna KEEP praying that one day I will walk/jog/run alongside of him.  The same for mom.  Once her new knee is in she'll be moving right along.  Our trainer Leslie has BIG plans for her :-)...hehehehehe have fun mom. 

So with Spring in my step, the PROMISE as my focus, surrounded by my friends and family (such a great cloud of witnesses...can you tell I've been studying Hebrews 11) I'm gonna get to moving.  Here is my friend Bobi's favorite song to spur you on to "moving" today.  Be blessed!!!!   

This is MercyMe's "Move"

Happy Birthday to Me

So today I am grateful for my birthday. 36 years of life I've been blessed with and so excited for another year. This year I want to experience an abundant life as described in John 10:10. This is going to be a year to dream, change, grow and become. A chance to learn, embrace, release and discern. 37 is going to be an opportunity to lose and win, to commit, forgive and be forgiven, and laugh, love and LIVE!!!

My sweet LIFE group celebrated all of the March birthdays last night by having a cookout. After a nice walk/jog/hike in Montreat I was greeted by the laughter and sounds of fellowship. Literally at times my LIFE group has been my lifeline. Sharing things with them over the last few months and years has been a joy. Jan made a red velvet cake. Yes I did have a little piece and a cup of coffee. It was wonderful. I think one of the most liberating things along this journey is to know that food doesn't control me. I control it!!! I can CHOOSE whether or not to eat something. That is a great feeling.

So I'm going to be surrounded by food today. A birthday lunch, more cake (which tonight I will say "no" to) and of course dinner. Today my choices might be a little harder, but that's ok. I know if I stop, think, pray and ask for help I can make the RIGHT decision. This is empowering. Now I don't always get this right, but I make more right choices than wrong choices these days. For THAT I'm so grateful.

I'm at another stand still in my weight loss. I keep going from 62-65 pounds down and back up and back down. I've got to kick it up on the cardio and figure out what's going on food wise. I'm praying for revelation and motivation to make it through these next few pounds. I am nine pounds from the goal I had set for myself for this day. I'm not gonna give up though, I'm just gonna work HARDER!!!

Also, I'm so thankful for my family. My sister in law Nathalie was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks ago. She has had the tumor removed, her lymph nodes were clean, but she starts chemo very soon. Praise God for early detection and a positive prognosis. On May 12th prayerfully a large portion of our family will be participating in a 5K walk/run alongside Nathalie. I think the older three kids are going to walk with her. I think Tammy and myself will be jogging and Philip as well (although I'm sure I'll eat his dust). It's gonna be a lot of fun and a gift that Nathalie will be healthy enough to do this event. That's one of the best birthday gifts I could EVER have received.

Ok. Enough of this. I've got to get ready for lunch. Have a GREAT day!

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving and other holidays are usually celebrated by partaking LOTS of food.  At least that's how it's done in the Morgan/Flint households.  These foods are often starchy, sweet, sticky, gooey, crunchy, fried, flaky, fatty, and abundant.  Not that "fun" food is a bad thing.  It's just that usually I end up eating WAY TO MUCH of it.  I wish that Americans didn't put as much emphasis on "holiday foods". Oh and one Thanksgiving dinner isn't enough...lol.   So today is Thanksgiving dinner #2.  I must admit that last Thursday I wasn't very "good".  I ate more than I should have.  I ate foods that weren't healthy.  I even had dessert(s).  The fellowship was sweet, but my body told me that it didn't like what I had put in it or how much.  I was almost immediately sorry for my choices.  That felt good even at the same time of feeling badly.  It meant to me that I wanted to eat differently. 

I am learning new habits.  I am displacing old thought patterns.  I am purposing to be a healthy, whole version of my current self.  I am embracing knowledge, change and FREEDOM.  So just as God's Word says in Lam. 3:22-23(NLT) "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.  Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." I am believing that today is another chance to try again.  My family is in from out of town to celebrate.  My prayer is that I will enjoy their company and our conversation will be graced with the presence of the Lord.  My contributions to the dinner will be quinoa (see previous post..hahaha) and organic mashed potatoes (butter cream variety).  It will be a wonderful day. 

I am thankful that God has allowed my eyes to be opened to the need to change.  I have known for YEARS that I need to change.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to look in the mirror and see that I'm fat or when I walk a few flights of stairs I'm winded.  What I mean is that the eyes of my spirit have been opened to my need for help from my Savior AND from friends and family to encourage me in this realm of change.  He brought me to my lowest point last month to make me realize something has to give.  Maybe I'll blog about that too.  Nevertheless, fat, winded, humbled, overwhelmed yet HOPEFUL I will bring myself to the table and ENJOY Thanksgiving with my family.

Thanking God for healthy food,

Janelle