Jingle Bell Run

The Jingle Bell Run is my second 5K! I set my pace and stuck to it...even when I had to walk.

In the end I completed the event in 44:19 (this was 2:15 faster than the Vineyard Run on Oct 2 - 46:34).

I averaged a pace of 14:44 mph. Feels great to be under my original goal of 15-minute miles.

 Registering for the event with friends made it so much more enjoyable (even though we didn't run together). Just knowing they were there at the finish line was great!

Robin, Melody, Katy, Me, Linda, Kristi and her daughter Megan

fun with co-workers who have become great friends!

my sweet Katy!

 Afterward, we enjoyed our selves at the post-race party.

Dallas Mavericks Maniacs

Looking forward to the next one on January 15 - Hot Chocolate 5K-10K in Addison, TX.
 I'm doing the 5K....just sayin'

Lunar Eclipse on the Winter Solstice

here are my photos

and an incredible time lapse video by William Castleman

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse from William Castleman on Vimeo.

Devotion to Pray - "Oh that I were as in months past"

this was originally to have been published Nov 26, 2011... now seems like a good time!

This is the a devotional from a series put together by Charles Spurgeon. It really matched well with the sermon, Devotion to Prayer (Colossians 4:2-4), preached by Matt Chandler (@MattChandler74) at The Village Church on Sunday, August 8, 2010 (http://bit.ly/cquJwr - mp3)

I just had to share...

"Oh that I were as in months past." - Job 29:2
Charles Spurgeon

Numbers of Christians can view the past with pleasure, but regard the present with dissatisfaction; they look back upon the days which they have passed in communing with the Lord as being the sweetest and the best they have ever known, but as to the present, it is clad in a sable garb of gloom and dreariness. Once they lived near to Jesus, but now they feel that they have wandered from him, and they say, "O that I were as in months past!" They complain that they have lost their evidences, or that they have not present peace of mind, or that they have no enjoyment in the means of grace, or that conscience is not so tender, or that they have not so much zeal for God's glory. The causes of this mournful state of things are manifold. It may arise through a comparative neglect of prayer, for a neglected closet is the beginning of all spiritual decline. Or it may be the result of idolatry. The heart has been occupied with something else, more than with God; the affections have been set on the things of earth, instead of the things of heaven. A jealous God will not be content with a divided heart; he must be loved first and best. He will withdraw the sunshine of his presence from a cold, wandering heart. Or the cause may be found in self-confidence and self-righteousness. Pride is busy in the heart, and self is exalted instead of lying low at the foot of the cross. Christian, if you are not now as you "were in months past," do not rest satisfied with wishing for a return of former happiness, but go at once to seek your Master, and tell him your sad state. Ask his grace and strength to help you to walk more closely with him; humble yourself before him, and he will lift you up, and give you yet again to enjoy the light of his countenance. Do not sit down to sigh and lament; while the beloved Physician lives there is hope, nay there is a certainty of recovery for the worst cases.