Crazy Love thoughts continued…
“You might not finish this chapter.”
That is the title of this chapter!
It begins with the reality that we all like to skip over. The one about death. I can’t say I was eager to read about my possibilities of not making it thru the chapter…as I could die…but Francis Chan did catch my attention by talking about our “preoccupation’ with appointments, work, family, our desires…
Don’t get me wrong! They are not bad things!
But he speaks of our preoccupation of everything else and we don’t stop to think about God much.
We all mostly live our lives as if we will live forever. Indestructible. Won’t happen to us.
After all we are the “all about me generation”.
As the chapter unfolds it gets even deeper…
If we are preoccupied with all else we tend to take things into our own hands. Take stress and worry for example.
If I were to think, dwell, stress and worry about my work, my home, my job, my health…it can and will consume me!
Phil 4:4 says “Rejoice in the Lord always again I say rejoice!” then it goes on to say “Do not be anxious about anything” in verse 6. oops!
So you see stress and worry should not consume us as much as they do! Maybe a lack of trust? think God is not big enough to solve your problems?
Easier said than done …I know.
So… do our responsibilities give us the right to skip over God’s command to rejoice? I don’t think when I am in the middle of stressing over a family thing or a work issue that I am “rejoicing in the Lord”…what about you!
Just imagine…
If we were to be more preoccupied with the things of Christ, if we would trust Him completely, if we could just give Him all our worries and stress…let Him bear it…He actually already has…but just let Him have your burdens…all of them…
You and I might just feel 100 lbs lighter! We just might be able to rejoice!
I am not saying all your problems will go away…I do believe in miracles! But when we go to Christ daily…often…and trust that He will be there…it sure makes the day seem easier!
Crazy love for sure!
Gotta Run!
Mimi
Crazy Love Thoughts
Crazy love.
What does that make you think of ?
Well I have 2 teenage girls in my house so I hear often about their friends crazy love of “ this guy”. ..but as you know the story the next week it is a different one!
I just began a book I had been hearing so much about lately.
Crazy Love by Francis Chan.
I read the forward, preface,the first chapter, and i went to the website as directed in the book and watched the two videos…
and you know what?
I think I know why they are talking about it so much. In just a few minutes of my time this book has my wheels spinning in my head.
The information in the book is not new. Just like the the message in the Bible has never changed.
But… I think that sometimes it is US that changes and we are ready to take in the information. We are ready to dwell on the scriptures and what they actually mean to us. Authors have a way to connect with certain readers with their style.
Think about this for a moment…
We have all been there…well I have. I took a class in a certain subject…chemistry…failed miserably…not really… but a C in high school in my day with no honors /no AP’s was not impressive. So I thought great i stink in the sceinces so what can I major in and avoid sciences.
I became an education major only to graduate and decide to become a physical therapist!
So I had to take many science classes!
I ended up with A’s in all the science classes because the teacher’s were perfect for me and my learning style!
The same is happening with this book. I am eager to learn more and dig into the Bible and Francis Chan has pulled me into his book with his writing and the videos…as I am a visual learner!
So go to the website and think about this crazy love that God has for us!
I hope your wheels will be spinning too!
Gotta Run!
Mimi
matt 22:37-40
Smile Train Tri
Today was awesome!
I was blessed to watch my husband and daughter complete a ‘sprint’ tri today! A sprint is usually less than 1/2 mile swim, 12-15 miles biking, then a 5k run…give or take.
My husband has completed >20 of these as they are a distance he can comfortably train for and still work full time, do yardwork, and have a social life! The cross training is great!
My daughter…well it was her first…and I don’t think it was her last! She had a blast! No nerves at all. She just enjoyed herself…smiling the whole way!
The tri was a charity fundraiser for the Smile Train organization. Very worthwhile cause! They raise money for kids born with a cleft palate who cannot pay for the surgery themselves. Just look at some of the before and after pictures of these kids and you will be amazed!
The most fun part of the day was to see the two come in on the bike together, smile for a pic in the transition area, then kept going for the final 3 mile leg….if that was not enough… to see them coming in together cross the finish line hand in hand…priceless!
Yes! I am blessed! Awesome day!
There are so many worthy causes out there that need our help. Do some research and pick one or pick several and do what you can to make a difference. I know the tri today will make a difference to many kids with a more beautiful smile!
Gotta Run!
Mimi
I have been trying to learn new internet marketing techniques for my online home business. I am relatively new to the world of internet marketing and the all the social media marketing techniques.
There is sooo much to learn and sooo many “gurus” to learn from!
So what is a newbie to do?
I subscribed to way too many newsletters, blogs, watched videos like crazy, have a paid subscription to a marketing company to help teach me (good stuff from Blueprint by the way), bought books that I thought would be helpful ( i love stuff from Ben Settle and Mike Dillard), and tried to work my “regular job” and tried to work my home job…
Well you get the picture!
I have a bad case of information overload!
So what do I do about it? All the “stuff” is good information as I would not have subscribed or bought if it were not “valuable” information!
What’s the bottom line?
You just have to decide for yourself who has “clicked” with you!
You know what I mean…there is someone out there that said the same thing all the other “gurus” have said but it finally clicked in your brain. You had that aha moment where you put all the pieces together!
So what does this mean?!
For me it means I gotta “clean house” for a while…and I don’t mean it in a literal sense!
I need to narrow my focus…begin putting what I have learned work… to implement it…take action! As I need to see better results!
So for me cleaning house means I need to clean out my emails…unsubscribe…even to the good ones…it is too hard to pass some up and open them up and them my limited time is gone!
But just for now…I can always add them back in or just visit their blogs from time to time!
I am keeping my favorites related to work…Steve, Mike, and Ben…but the others…sorry for now! OOPS…Kelly I will keep your blog too and Jerry Chen’s videos too! See what I mean…lots of good ones out there!
Well…gotta clean!
Have a great productive day!
Mimi
Mark 1:41
Bambi… For Real!
On Tuesday this week I ran with a group of girls…we call ourselves the BADD Girls…but we really are not at all bad…it was just a joke. One of those that is hard to explain but it just makes us giggle and the name stuck!
Anyway.
We ran in our favorite place in Raleigh to run…Umstead park! It is an awesome park in the middle of Wake county with miles and miles of both carriage trails and single track trails. It definitely not flat or easy! But…
No cars! No exhaust fumes. No honking horns…well sometimes you might have a bike yelling “on your left”. It is just nice to run on hard packed dirt! Much easier on your legs!
Lots of nature but lots of hills too! This was hill workout day!
Just as we started our run we saw a family looking at something in the woods. Out came a baby deer! She was so small and so cute! I am not sure where mom was but I am sure she was not far!
I have never seen such a young deer! We had to stop and marvel at her for a moment.
We all decided this little Bambi was our reward. She was a good reminder that sometimes running…especially trails… provides those moments where you can get away from “stuff” ,enjoy nature, see wildlife, see families out having fun, see others out running, biking, walking.
I know the gym and the treadmill have their benefits but just think of what you miss! The fresh air! The real hills! And Bambi!
I was a great run! 40 minutes of hills and fun…really!
Grab your friends or family and go explore your state park!
Never know what you might see!
Gotta Run!
Mimi
Mark 16:15
Are you Ignoring Your Customers?
Sounds stupid but here is a true story…
Here in the south we have a fast food company called Bojangles. They are famous for their spicy fried chicken(as if we need more fried food here in the south) and their very, very sweet tea.
I confess I went for the sweet tea one day…ordered at the drive thru…paid…then the Bojangles employee handed me my tea literally with her back to me! She was talking to her co-worker and handed me my tea reaching out her window with her back to me…she never said thank you,she never even gave eye contact, she never said “its my pleasure” like they do at Chic-fil-a…
She just ignored me and kept talking to her co-worker friend!
Guess I learned my lesson! Don’t bother people at the drive thru when they are talking with friends! Bojangles is not interested in you as a customer! Not really but you get the idea.
I am sure the owner would have had a fit. ..I hope!
That brings me back to my question. Are you ignoring your customers?
What would happen if we went back to the good ole days of being polite? Saying please and thank you? Writing thank you notes with your own handwriting (to some of your big customers)instead of a typed email or text message? What if we asked for their feedback and then responded back to them results? What if we actually followed thru with things we may promise? Ouch!
How do you show them that you appreciate their business?
I know I have never be to a Chick-Fil-A where I felt ignored. They are always smiling, polite, multiple cash registers so the line goes fast, and in the end they respond with “its my pleasure”.
I am not selling chick fil a but I guess I should…I just gave them some nice marketing! But you see what happens when you do something nice! Something polite!
Good things like repeat customers!
And that is how to grow a business…do the right thing…treat your customers like you like to be treated…try the good ole Golden Rule!
In this day of too busy too entitled too arrogant…some of us need to step back in time.
Manners! Simple. Show your customers you want them to come back…to you for their business…they know there are others they can work with/buy from! Take the time…smile…you might like the results!
Have a great day!
Mimi
Tops Things to Take on a LONG Run…
Marathon training season is here for me. I have one in the fall…yeah!
I went out last Saturday am with 2 other friends and I was just amazed how many others were out running. Of course it was a beautiful day which always brings people out in force especially in the spring!
One thing I noticed was the number of runners with their “fuel belts”. I normally don’t take mine unless I am running longer than 6-7 miles and it is hot. Saturday was one of those glorious spring days…perfect for just being outside! I love them!
I know what I like to bring along on my long runs…I have experimented enough to figue out what my stomach likes and what it does not.
My favorites are: water of course. If I have 4 small bottles I take 2 with water and two with melon Heed by Hammer. When I run longer than 10 I take Hammer gels…espresso for the little bit of caffeine or sometimes Sport Beans…rasberry!
My running group is awesome! I have been running with the Jeff Galloway marathon training group for several years. We start training the end of May for a fall marathon and we have a schedule planned out for us so when you have along run…10-22 miles…you know not to sleep in! I always do my really long ones with the group as It is very hard to slog out the the miles alone in the middle of the summer…and probably not very safe either!
As a group we coordinate drop spots for drink refills and food! It turns out great as sometimes we have all kinds of fruit, fig newtons, or mini candy bars(not so healthy but good)! It gives us all something to look forward to!
So there you have it. Things to take on your long run: water, electrolyte replacement drink, gel or beans…all in my fuel belt. I need to be better about taking my road ID…just in case. I have done a face plant or two with cracks in the side walk or an unseen post. So you never know…I will be better about taking it this summer!
Have other items that are a must on a long one?
Happy Running!
Mimi
Col 3:23 “I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me!”
Mother’s Day Memory…Blessed Differences!
Yesterday was Mother’s Day. As a Mom and a daughter I think it is a Great Day!
My husband and I were thinking about some very fond memories of our kids growing up…they are now 19 and 16! As God would plan it our girls are very different…but at the same time a lot alike.
My 19 yr old has dark hair, dark eyes, doesn’t mind swimming against the crowd, focused,plans for the future(with God’s will in mind), and loves the Lord!
My 16 yr old has blond hair, blue eyes, likes to be with the crowd,relaxed, can plan only for tomorrow, and she also loves the Lord!
I am blessed!
Differences have their challenges as a parent but I would not change a thing. I love them both and I love their differences as well!
God gives us all special gifts that help us work together toward a common goal as follower’s of Christ…to spread His love for us and His desire for each of us to come to know Him personally…get to know Him…develop a relationship re with Him!
He can do that thru all of His Blessed Differences…Us!
Hope you had wonderful Mother’s Day all you mother’s!
In Him!
Mimi
Gotta Run…
I love that term. Gotta run.
In the south we tend to blend words together often. That is one reason I like it.
There was a running coach in town that always would sign his name with “gotta run” and he probably was going to do just that. He puts in alot of miles and is one of those people that walks by and you say to yourself…runner.
I think that is another reason why I like it…hoping that one day when I walk by someone they too will think…runner!
I have had a very interesting start to my training for the marine corps marathon. I have not run a marathon in two years but I have completed a few halves. But I have had one of those years where I keep having little glitches.
I am trying to stay positive. But I have had a few days where I feel it maybe too big of a goal for this year. Then I think about how much I really like to run. I just like being outside…moving, sweating, looking at yards, waving at neighbors.
I like that feeling of accomplishment when you have finished a 20 miler and you go out that night with friends and they say “what did you do today?’ and I say “oh I ran 20 miles”. Sort of casually. And they say “what? you’re crazy!”
I love it!
You know what?
I think I will get over my glitches! I have plenty of time still. It is not like I am going to win! I just want to have fun and finish. Why? Just because I can.
Well…gotta run!
Mimi
The Hardest Word to Hear…
Wait.
What is your first thought? Yeah me too! It is not a very popular word for any of us.
We live in a day where everything is instant, fast, quick. It is almost a blurr! Technology is great but it has made us very impatient.
Think about it. Fast food. High speed Internet. Mobile phones. Texting. The faster the better…or is it?
I remember when my daughter was applying to colleges last year. It was such an important process. The time and effort she put into her essays and the applications then we waited for the response! Or you present your business to a very important lead and you wait for their response.
What I really hate is waiting in line to checkout in a store…waiting on the person ahead of you to ask for price checks and use 50 coupons. Sure she is smart to save money but I am having to wait!
What about when you pray for a certain decision and you hear nothing from God. Do you wait for His response or do you do your own thing? How does it turn out? Do you think He has not heard you?
Hear is what you will discover. Waiting may not be our favorite thing to do or to hear but it has value. Waiting can teach you…patience, trust, dependence…more hard words!
Now hear is the important part:
Waiting on God’s perfect timing to answer us will be worth the wait. He knows what is best and He knows when we are ready to hear what He has to say!
So that big business decision. It will be worth the wait to have His answer first!
Psalms 27:14 “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”
Gotta run…oops…wait…
Mimi
