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I did it!

Every year my kids’ elementary school sponsors a 5K fun run. All the students can participate for free. This year I was determined to start my racing career with this run, but my son’s baseball game schedule created a scheduling conflict. Most of the routes I take my runs on are along the path that the race is run. The start of the race and the start of his baseball game were 15 minutes apart, even though they were across the street from each other. So, I determined that I would just have to wait for another local race.

However, at the last minute, the baseball game was rescheduled for later in the day. This gave me the opportunity to run. My son also decided that he wanted to run, too, which made it difficult for me to run my own pace if would need to stay with him. We decided that he would ride his scooter along to keep up with me.

The start was interesting since we began on wet muddy grass before going onto the road, so I had Davis carry his scooter on the grass until we reached the pavement. This put us behind a bit, but we started to catch up. The other problem at the start was that I had to navigate both for him and for me through the different runners that were ahead of us. And, to make matters worse, the road still had traffic, so we had to be cautious about how far into the road we ran.

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What Now

What Now

By Steven Curtis Chapman

I saw the face of Jesus in a little orphan girl
She was standing in the corner on the other side of the world
And I heard the voice of Jesus gently whisper to my heart
Didn’t you say you wanted to find me?
Well here I am, here you are

So, What now?
What will you do now that you found Me?
What now?
What will you do with this treasure you’ve found?
I know I may not look like what you expected
But if you remember this is right where I said I would be
You’ve found me
What now?

And I saw the face of Jesus down on Sixteenth Avenue
He was sleeping in an old car, while his mom went looking for food
And I heard the voice of Jesus gently whisper to my soul
Didn’t you say you wanted to know me?
Well here I am and it’s getting cold

So, What now?
What will you do now that you found Me?
What now?
What will you do with this treasure you’ve found?
I know I may not look like what you expected
But if you remember this is right where I said I would be
You’ve found me

So, come and know
Come and know, know me now
Come, come and know, know me now
Come and know
Come and know, know me now
Come, come and know, know me now

What will you do now that you found me?
What now?
What will you do with this treasure you’ve found?
I know I may not look like what you expected
But if you remember this is right where I said I would be
You’ve found me
What now?
What now?

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Battle of the Blackberry GPS applications

I’m posting this blog post both on my personal blog and my technical blog because the subject matter crosses over both topics. Since I started back into running often I have been obsessed with tracking the distances that I’ve been running and the times and figuring out my pace. I like doing this because it helps me see the progress that I’m making.

Since my new Blackberry has so many additional features (other than just being a phone) like allowing me to watch video, listen to the radio, listen to MP3’s, get directions on a map and update facebook (amongst other things). I had been reading about all the cool GPS devices that attach to your shoe or wrist that allow you to track your pace and map your routes automatically and then upload them to a website. However, many of these devices are several hundreds of dollars. So, I decide that I would look for an application that would allow me to use the GPS functionality of my blackberry to do the same thing.

My search uncovered several applications, but two of them actually had free trials that I could download and test during my real work outs. The two that I downloaded to try were RoadrunnerGPS (http://www.roadrunnergps.com) and AllSport GPS by Trimble Outdoors (http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/). On the immediate surface one of the main differences between the two are the price. RoadrunnerGPS is a single purchase of $4.99 while the AllSportGPS is a monthly subscription of $5.99.

As the name implies the AllSport covers not just running but cycling, hiking, mountain biking and walking. They both upload their data to a website which you can log into and review the data. One of the advantages of the AllSport is that even after the data has been uploaded to the website you are still able to review the data on your Smartphone, while the RoadrunnerGPS “loses” the local data once it’s been uploaded to their website. Both applications gather very similar data, however and are joy to use for data geeks like me.

The AllSport has a 7 day trial while the Roadrunner has a 14 day trial. So, I will have to get busy with the testing the AllSport.

More to come later.

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Round and round we go!

As a teenager I spent every spring running around oval tracks throughout Western Washington. Road running has been good for building strength and endurance for me; however, getting back on the track has been invigorating for me. Sometimes it feels like I’m stepping back into time to familiar surroundings (especially since the tracks I’m running on are the tracks that I ran on in Jr. High and High School). I love the feel of the track on my legs instead of the asphalt and concrete of running on the road.

What is encouraging is that my times are starting to improve. I dropped 20 seconds from my mile time that I clocked just a week ago. I’m getting the speed down and improving. Now, I just need to work on building my endurance more. It also helps that I keep losing the extra weight. I’m down 25 pounds since September.

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Follow You


By Leeland with Brandon Heath

The first time I heard this song I knew it was powerful. As I read through the lyrics, it touched me even deeper. When I stumbled across the video on YouTube, it hit me even more.

The setting of the video is Cambodia, where the communist Khmer Rouge, under the leadership of Pol Pot, took control in 1975. The Khmer Rouge attempted to turn Cambodia into a classless society by depopulating cities and forcing the urban population into agricultural communes.  Its attempts at agricultural reform led to widespread famine, while its insistence on absolute self-sufficiency, even in the supply of medicine, led to the deaths of thousands from treatable diseases.

The regime arrested and eventually executed those suspected of connections with the former government or with foreign governments, as well as professionals and intellectuals. The Khmer Rouge wanted to eliminate anyone suspected of “involvement in free-market activities”. At least 200,000 people were executed (while estimates of the total number of deaths these policies, including disease and starvation, range from 1.4 to 2.2 million out of a population of around 7 million). The killing fields were a number of sites where large numbers of people were killed and buried during its rule until 1979.

The message of the song tugs at your heart even deeper. How can we, who have so much, not give to those in need around the world?

Due to the Christian foundations of this country and the incredible way that we have been blessed financially, the citizens of this nation are extremely generous and giving to those around the world. Just look at the free will response from people to such tragedies as the 2004 tsunami and the recent earthquake in Haiti.

“You live among the least of these, the weary, and the weak, and it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.”

Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:31-32)

I love the line in the song, “all my needs, you have supplied, when I was dead, you gave me life, how could I not give it away so freely?”

From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded. (Luke 12:48)

“Because faith without works is dead, and on the cross your blood was shed. So how could we not give it away so freely?”

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26)

“Follow you into the homes of the broken, follow you into the world.

And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You?

And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?

And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me. (Matthew 25.38-40)

“Meet the needs for the poor and needy, God. Follow you into the world.”

“Use my hands, use my feet to make your kingdom come.”

“Through the corners of the earth until your work is done.”

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)


[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ajIFfSaEzE]

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We Are the Reason

Another great song performed by David Meece (and by Avalon). I think the words say it all. Put things in perspective during the Christmas season.

* * * *

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBKr7gUY1Mo]

As little children
We would dream of Christmas morn
And all the gifts and toys
We knew we’d find
But we never realized
A baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

Chorus
And we were the reason
That he gave his life
We were the reason
That he suffered and died
To a world that was lost
He gave all he could give
To show us the reason to live

As the years went by
We learned more about gifts
And giving of ourselves
On a dark and cloudy day
A man hung crying in the rain
Because of love
Because of love

Chorus
And we were the reason
That he gave his life
We were the reason
That he suffered and died
To a world that was lost
He gave all he could give
To show us the reason to live

Bridge
I finally found the reason for living
It’s in giving every part of my heart to him
In all that I do
Every word that I say
I’ll be giving my all just for him
For him

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Forgiven

Opening the song with the crack of thunder and the sound of pouring rain, nobody sings a song like this better than David Meece. His piano playing and voice bring a lot of emotion into the music and you can almost feel yourself standing at the foot of the cross of a dying man, soaked by the pouring rain.

How the rain and the darkness that fell upon that day must have hung heavy on the disciples as the few remaining stood watching their leader, the man that they put their hopes in, had been beaten, with all the brutality the Romans were known for, and killed as a lowly criminal.

I wonder if John felt that the world was truly coming to an end. That there was nothing left if the Son of God could be made to suffer and die as he had. What hope was there? If this would happen to a man who had the power to heal the sick, feed the hungry, give sight to the blind and raise the dead and claim to be the son of the Great I Am, then who else could escape the clutches of death? How could there be any hope? How could there be any victory?

Of course if that was the end of the story then we’d all be worse off, but it is not.

But, what is that he just said? Who was he addressing? His tortourers? His killers? The crowd that jeered at him and taunted him in his suffering? To all mankind, across the world? To the past, the present and the future?

The chorus is where Meece’s voice rising with emotion and strength. A statement of victory and hope. This is the strength of the cross that cannot be defeated. It is not in the brutality of the victor. It is in the meekness of the defeated. Though, he dies, yet he lives. Because of his sacrifice, God has given life to us, so that we need not suffer the death that he chose. He has shown us a better way.

The second verse, Meece describes, much like Paul did in books of the New Testament, what Jesus sacrifice on the cross means.

Now comes the final, victorious anthem of tHe victory. Here were realize that the music and the sounds of the rain have turned to the thunderous rise. This is our victory! This is our hope! He has paid the price of our sin! He has risen to life again! Never to be defeated! Never to be destroyed! Death has no victory. The grave holds no sting! Though we may say good-bye to our loved ones, it is only for a time.

***   ***   ***   ***   ***

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef0EMjVOybc&feature=related]

Forgiven, by David Meece

It was a cloudy day
The earth stood still
Man hung crying in the shadows
Of a hill called Calvary
An innocent man, belied and scorned
Had gladly borne the pain
And suffering for a world
That should have died there in His place
And as He did, He said,

“Forgive them no matter what they’ve done
Forgive them and tell them they are loved
And give to them a chance to go on living
And give to them a life that they could
never have before
Father, forgive them”

And to pay the price
He became the sacrifice
Surely, He carried all of my sorrows
And He bore my every grief
And did it willingly
He shed His blood for me
And through the tears, I still can see Him
Gaze with love upon the ones who cursed His name
He gave his all to say

We’re forgiven no matter what we’ve done
Forgiven and sheltered by His blood
And we’re given a chance to go on living
And we’re given a life that we could
never have before

No matter what we’ve done
Forgiven and sheltered by His blood
And we’re given a chance to go on living
Forgiven no matter what we’ve done
Forgiven and sheltered by His blood

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On Running

OK, I’ve been keeping this a small secret for some time. Since high school have I been much into running. Most of the time adult running consists of running distances over a mile, like 5K, 10K, half marathon or a full marathon (26 miles!). Now, there are triathlons and even 50 mile and 100 mile races! However, for me this is a problem because as I teenager I was a sprinter and had a body built for short fast bursts of speed.

However, I did have some endurance in me and competed at distances such as 200m or 400m. So, doing anything close to a mile was challenging, much less to be able to run 2 miles or more. I did get my times for the cross country mile+ course in junior high and the 12-minute test in high school down to reasonable ranges, I pretty much lost any endurance beyond that level. Funny, because looking back I think that had I continued to compete in college, it might have been a good idea for me to attempt to compete at the 800m distance.

Thinking this over obviously was the fact that I do not have a great amount of endurance, but this, like working out in the gym can be improved upon by conditioning and training. When it comes to walking or even hiking I have no problem with going as far as necessary. For me, the walk wasn’t even taxing enough on my body to break a sweat. Therefore, this has become my most recent goal is to speed up my pace and push myself as far as possible to build up my endurance level that is so lacking.

As I’ve been running, one thing that I’ve noticed while pushing myself is how different my body is built from the average distance runner that I know. Obviously, I have a few extra pounds that I need to shed that I put on in my post-HS and post-college years and the lighter weight on my frame would help me be able to push myself further and faster. Beyond that fact is that much of my body (especially my legs) are bulky and muscular — weighing even more than fat. My body was built (naturally and through training) for traveling very short distances as fast as possible and for the physical “combat” of football.

Because of this, one of the first and most debilitating pains that I experienced when I first started to run was tightness in my right calf. When I ran track I developed shin splints early and my senior year even developed them on only my inside left shin due to running so many curves at top speed (200’s, 300’s and 400’s). So, pain in my legs was nothing new — but this pain was different and difficult to deal with.

I found several things that could be contributing factors. First was my shoes (strange that it would only develop in one leg and not both) which were over a year old and ready to be replaced (I have since replaced them). The other thing is again the size of my calves, built for sprinting not distance running. Sprinters usually run on the balls of their feet and therefore the tendency of a sprinter when running is to run this way as well. Try it some time. It will kill your calves. So I have had to force myself to run a little further back on my feet to force them to run more flat and avoid this pain. Finally, since I’m right handed and tend to do most things heavily on my right side, I think that perhaps just like when I developed shin splints in only my left leg because of pounding my my inside leg harder when I would lean into the curve, maybe I am leading too hard on my right leg.

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Are we on the edge of another Great Depression?

I will have to admit that I get very tired of politicians and news media making such a big deal of our small and relatively minor recessions. I remember hearing in 1992 that our economy was the worst since the great depression, which amazingly we heard again last year. It seems that this is a convenient way for them to state that the current administration has not been doing enough. The greatest hero of the great depression has been Franklin D. Roosevelt, who got this country through the depression and into World War II, which actually ended the depression.

However, economists and historians are now re-thinking this line of thought and beginning to believe that Roosevelt’s constant “tweaking” of our country’s economy and his policies did more to extend the great depression than if he had done nothing. Many in his administration were Stalin sympathizers and hoped to be able to set in place some of the same command economy systems that the Russians had designed and were extremely antagonistic to the free market. They were anything but laissez-faire. Unfortunately, however, what this did was to stifle an already struggling economy and make it not only struggle against the market forces which caused the collapse, but also against the government that claimed to be looking out for the “little guy”.

Last year I thought that all this talk about another depression was comical, just a bunch of Chicken-Little politicians trying to stir up things to get elected. Had things stayed the way they were, perhaps we would be climbing out of that recession by now. However, with almost a year of “tweaking” of his own and attacking the market as a bunch of greedy old men, our current President is doing a good job of walking down the same path that FDR took that very well could lead us to another great depression.

Amity Shays writes an interesting and updated view of the great depression in her book “The Forgotten Man“.

Which makes this debate in the Wall Street Journal very interesting. Could we be on the edge of another depression? Until recently I would’ve said absolutely not. Now, however, I’m not sure.

Eighty Years After the Great Crash — ‘Is It the ’30s Again?’ (Wall Street Journal)

 

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God’s Own Fool

Today I found a piece of paper tucked away with the lyrics to Michael Card’s wonderful song about how the world sees Jesus, as some crazy fool. If you can find a recording of this, it’s worth listening to. The opening phrase says it all for me. Growing up in the church it never occurred to me that the world finds him offensive. And why not? His perfectness shines light in the darkness of our lives and shows us just how evil our hearts can be. But, isn’t that the incredible paradox of the cross? What to the world was loss, was God’s victory!

Powerful words!

verse one
It seems I’ve imagined Him all of my life
As the wisest of all mankind
But if God’s holy wisdom is foolish to men
He must have seemed out of His mind
For even His family said He was mad
And the priests said a demon’s to blame
But God in the form of this angry young man
Could not have seemed perfectly sane

Chorus
When we in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes
When we in our weakness thought we were strong
He became helpless to show we were wrong
And so we follow God’s own fool
For only the foolish can tell
Believe the unbelievable
Come be a fool as well

verse two
So come lose your life for a carpenter’s son
For a madman who died for a dream
And you’ll have the faith His first followers had
And you’ll feel the weight of the beam
So surrender the hunger to say you must know
Have the courage to say “I believe”
For the power of paradox opens your eyes
And blinds those who say they can see



If you’ve never heard this before, watch this video on YouTube. Come be a fool as well!