random thoughts on todays run

my run this morning

It's the first run over 10 miles I've done in a while... and it was OK. The time may have been REALLY slow...but I bumped into a friend along the way on his run and we stopped and caught up on our families, running and mutual friends. The time needs to pick up- it was all downhill -but all things considered... I'm just glad to be out there- smoke cleared, cooler weather and my body feeling reasonably good.

Simple things please runners... I ran in a new pair of shorts and they fit perfectly. They've got cool pockets, so you've got someplace to stick your hands when you stop to talk. The basic key pocket, but it's built in to the inseam with spandex to keep the key from bouncing around. They're a very cool, light gray color with yellow, orange strips on the hips... any splash of yellow/orange makes you look a little faster while running. And perhaps best of all, they've got a little zippered pocket at the small of the back- I carried cliff shot cubes and ate one every three miles -but it's plenty big enough for a cell phone or some other silliness. Wish I had ten pair of shorts just like them, I'd wear them everyday! Made by a company named RUN - who knew?

If you click on the sattelite shot of my run, you can clearly see Lake Matthews to the west, Lake Perris and Elsinore to the east and a zillion other points of interest. I didn't run by any of them... but cool to see just the same.

Running... it got me out the door again today... my mind stayed relatively free and clear... if I could send it a thank you note, I would. Just 6 weeks ago I laced up my shoes again and already I'm feeling like it's coming back. This afternoon, resting, not needing to work today, tempted to take a nap, I feel blessed. Blessed to enjoy getting outside and blessed to have the health and desire to pull myself out of bed and do it. Hope there's something you're making time to enjoy. Life can come at us fast and it's good to know that the road, the water, the weights, the whatever it is... are waiting and ready for us to get involved. Go. Do. Be.

blessings

tune into the song of the day on the sidebar... it's one of my favorites
Click to hear music file

Good Advice for Men

http://health.msn.com/centers/mensexualhealth/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100164474>1=10105

That's me, my father and my cousin Jim Minnis at Dad's 90th birthday celebration. Dad will be 93 in September, Lord Willing. Jim's in his 70's... may even be pushing 80... me, I'll be 53 in July. Around the world, in all but the most developed nations, all 3 of us would be considered old enough to be wise... having lived well past our prime and shared in blessings most never imagine. The Bible says a man's time on earth is three score and ten - that's 70 years -Dad always said anything beyond that "was just gravy." Dad and Jim are well into their "gravy" years and doing their best to enjoy it every step of the way.

Good article posted above on the top ten ways men die. Which means, if you're a man, this may be your final scenario. Interestingly enough, old age wasn't listed. Guess no one just gets old and dies anymore. I've watched loving friends in their 90's one over 100 die and people still ask me- "What'd they die of?" Doctor's have to write something down I suspect. We all want to have a reason for everything. But I try my best to be honest and say- "They were old and ready to go." There's no shame in that.

I suspect one of the reasons old age isn't listed as a cause is because there's no solution for it other than salvation. Old age is one of the few things that makes Heaven seem like a wonderful welcome home at the end of a day that stretched a little too long. That said, the advice given for prevention of almost every other cause of death in men was the same: eat right and exercise. (In a desire to meet all standards of full disclosure and to be completely honest, I wrote this blog while eating left over oreo cookies for breakfast and dreaming of a great big root beer... after not exercising one lick this morning.)

My Dad and cousin Jim are two of the hardest working men I've ever met. Both could work me into the ground and take pride in doing it, even when I had the advantage of age. Both grew up athletes and played ball, fished, walked, golfed and accepted almost any challenge that came their way- late into life. Both have lived adventures most of us will never dream about- while serving The Lord in parts of the world most will never learn to pronounce much less ever hope to see. Their examples are living legacies to our family, and I mean it in the biggest sense of the term when I talk about our family... we're a BIG family... that have liberated the rest of us to live out our dreams and calling from God. We've been blessed.

Eating right... they taught us to love peach cobbler, to never pass the opportunity to eat good Mexican food together and to understand that the best food is food shared with family and friends. I still believe that's the way to eat "right." You might live longer avoiding biscuits and gravy but you'll rarely live better.

Exercise... again, something to be shared with friends. Golfing, softball, basketball, fishing, whatever... get outside, get outside together and get outside often. These guys didn't golf together for weeks or months but for lifetimes. Life is an investment in each other- in good times and bad -don't let the challenges keep you from exercising every opportunity to have a little fun with friends. It doesn't matter what the exercise is... just enjoy it with someone... enjoy life and you'll live longer.

Exercise and eat right... do it all with friends and when the end comes, however it might come, whether we make the top ten or not... we'll know we've given it our best and given it all for God. He's too good.

blessings,

Eric