Catch Me If You Can

I am actually a pretty good runner.  No I wont every win a 1/2 or full marathon, but I can hold my own. The first 1/2 marathon that Barrett and I ran was last October, the 30th to be exact, and we finished are 1:53: and some odd seconds.  That put us just under 9 minute miles, even with the engagement!

So for our upcoming Derby run I am hoping to get it under 8:20/mil run.  I have been training really well despite being really busy with school and some really fatigued legs.  The heat really picked up yesterday, which is always a tough transition when you are use to running in more comfortable weather, but even so I was still able to run my 9 miles in about 8:40 pace.  Not great, but with all things considered I wasn't disappointed.

For the FUTURE: I would love to qualify for the Boston.  That may not happen this year, but maybe after taking a little break from strictly running, I will be motivated and have the time to train right!  Barrett and I are going to attempt to take up TRIATHLONS...we'll pray we don't drown. 

Until the 29th of this month I am a runner though.  I am pretty good and compete well.  Maybe after the race I will be able to come back and say "I'm awesome, I did it!" 

Picture: That is Barrett and I finishing our first 1/2 marathon together, after he proposed right at the finish line.  The race was in Clarksville, TN and all of our family was there to surprise us at the end!  I love him and couldn't have asked for a better proposal or man to give it!

You've Got A FRIEND In Me

I am a great friend.  I am loyal and I do my best to make-up for any wrong doing I have done.  I am not the best to everyone of course, only a select few people can be everything to everyone, but those closest to me I am always there for. 

It's kind of funny to me that I can still remember being very young in church or somewhere similar, and the topic of conversation was on friends, precisely what makes a good friend and what kind of friend you want to be.  My very first answer was always honest and loyal.  I strive to be as honest and loyal as I possibly can.  Honest about who I am and loyal to the one who God has put in my path.

As I have gotten older though I realize one of the most important things in friendship is HUMILITY and SACRIFICE. Humility and loyalty can kind of go hand-in-hand, but I think humility goes a little deeper.  Because we are all sinners, we all need a savior, it's going to be tough to make any kind of relationship work, whether family, spouse or friend.  We each have to do our part to push aside our pride and stand firm next to those in whom we believe.  I continually have to push aside my selfishness and my sin in order to love my friends more and more and I am good at this because I am GROWING.

And sacrifice.  Now I really haven't always gotten this correct, but I think I am pretty darn good at it.  Maybe I am just really insecure, but I have often felt that though I have a lot of friends, really good friends, I still don't have that something that other people have.  You know what I am talking about...that group of friends that's inseparable, the two best friends who can complete each others sentences, the people who always have people diving into their lives, and on and on.  So to me sacrifice has meant knowing that even though it feels like a friendship may be one sided at times, my calling is to bring God glory, and to me that means sacrificing my own desires for the desires of Christ.  I am called to love, and to love FULLY even if I don't feel loved.  And I do a good job of this, for the most part.


So, I have A LOT of room to grow, but I think I do pretty well with friends!

Pictures: Brittany, Megan, Melinda, Kayla, (+Jessica, but we don't have an updated picture)...all of my bridesmaids!! :)