Low IQ

Driving home tonight, my daughter tells me she has to go to the bathroom.  As in, NOW.  So I'm speeding away and (of course) get stuck behind this guy going exactly 55 miles an hour in the fast lane, refusing to pass the guy in the slow lane.  After 8 miles, he finally pulls over, and as I pass him, I happen to notice his custom license plate: 

"LOW IQ."  

Yeah.

Two days to go

In two days, my baby sister will get married.  I'm pretty sure it's illegal to get married when you're 11, but everyone seems to think she's much older than that.  Which I know, somewhere in the back of my mind, but I keep forgetting.  All I can think about is the time she stuck her foot in the spokes of my bike when she was riding behind me, I think she was 3 or 4 at the time, and how I served her food and helped her around for a week because I felt so guilty for not being more careful.  I remember how her face used to light up when I came home from boarding academy on homeleaves, and how Christmases spent at home became so special because we got to have sister time.  And teaching her how to drive, because as the third child, my parents had had enough of that, so I volunteered.  How she becomes a better friend and closer sister every week, every month, every year.  How the ten years between us seems less like ten years as she matures into a beautiful young woman... but isn't she only 11?

Running North

I used to hate running.  As it turns out, it's probably because I was doing it all wrong, resulting in all sorts of lingering pain for days after running only a mile.  Wearing proper running shoes instead of my standard 80's KEDS probably would have helped, also.  

Part of my re-discovering who I am (or maybe even re-inventing who I am) during these last few years has been an increase in exercise and a desire to learn things.  I have also discovered that a self-motivational pep talk does wonders for the success of the new talent/project/activity. 

So I asked my trainer friend to please, please, please show me how to run properly.  Then, I went out and properly outfitted myself with new shoes and clothes designed specifically for running... this is all part of the mind thing, remember?!  After a few weeks, I found my stride and didn't have to concentrate so hard on my steps or my breathing, it started coming naturally; after I got some headphones and music with a steady beat, I started to actually enjoy running.  

But what I LOVE about running, the thing that makes my morning every time is running North.  See, there is almost always a cool breeze blowing from the North in our valley; and even more than its cooling factor, I love that it pushes my hair out of eyes and off of my sticky face so that I can see clearly where I am going.  The sun is warm on my back, the final push home is always North; and subconsciously I am excited to be home with my family, to take a shower, to start another day feeling good about myself and the progress I've made before anyone else even woke up.

It struck me today as I was jogging up that last stretch north that this euphoric feeling I experience running north is the same way I feel when I am figuratively running toward God.  When He is the cool breeze on my face, pushing my hair out of my eyes so I can see Him, cooling me down when I am sweaty from trying to do it all myself, giving me hope and strength to get through the next stretch of life because I know I will be home with Him soon.