Well hello there my faithful readers.  Apparently I’m making up for not blogging much over the past few months.. purging of the mind and soul I guess.

What is it about Fridays???  They always are SO SLOW!  I don’t know what the deal is.. some kind of conspiracy probably.  I have a few things on my to-do list today, but for some reason, I’m blogging now.  While eating peanut butter m&ms.. at 10:30 am no less.

I’ve been injured this week, so haven’t run much.  Last Saturday, upon completing 16 miles, as soon as I stopped running my knee started throbbing in pain.  I stretched and rested the remainder of the day, and limped around Sunday and Monday, deciding I needed a couple days off.  Tuesday, I slipped on my running shoes, and as soon as I took two steps, my knee began to scream at me.  Wednesday I ran a mile, then turned back and walked home.. I couldn’t do 8 in that kind of pain.  Last night I decided on a short bike ride after worship practice, at 9:30 PM (probably not the best decision.. kind of like the time I ran in a thunderstorm a couple weeks ago).  I did a couple miles, and so far so good on my knee.  My crazy marathon-runner-friend Suzanne was telling me today about doing water running…. humm, I’ll have to think on that one.  Or maybe tomorrow I’ll just do a longer bike ride.  We’ll see.  Yoga and a potential massage might be just what I need too.

Alright.  Now organic almonds with M&ms.  Taste and see that the Lord is good.

So I’ve been thinking a lot, about a lot lately.. which isn’t new.  You who know me well know I think a lot.  It’s interesting how God intervenes in our lives in the strangest ways.  Sometimes we think he’s leading us one way, sometimes we wonder where he is, sometimes we ask more questions than we thought possible…sometimes at the end of the day, all we can do is just sit in his presence and keep saying “I trust you Lord”, “I trust you Lord”, even when it hurts to say it.

I was reminded today of that glorious day… when we will see Jesus face to face… in heaven one day. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.  And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’… I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  To the thirsty I will give from the spring of water of life without payment…”. (from Revelation 21…).

No guarantees are given for an easy life.  I think about my friend Lisa.. who was in a car accident almost exactly a year ago in Thailand.  She’s still recovering, yet the brightest shining light for all to see today.  You are an inspiration Lisa.  Today during teacher devotions Dave reminded us of the verses listed above as he recalled the past year, and his wife miscarrying.. twice.  Pain and tears may mark our journey, but we never walk alone through it.  Our pain and tears are held and seen by him.

Our own personal “Theology of Suffering” may be different for each person… but if we believe in the end God is good, and that those who seek Him lack no good thing… we will somehow begin to muster the strength to walk by faith.  One step at a time.

Wow, I didn’t mean for this to be so serious.  In the beginning, I was just thinking about the fact it was Friday, and that I love chocolate almost as much as Lindsey Jones right now.  I’ll refrain from eating the whole package of M&Ms.  Self control.

Happy Friday.  Having dinner with some of my favorite people tonight… Michelle and Marvin.. you guys rock!

Later.