Billings, Montana!

My packages to The Bikers made it to Billings, Montana. Hopefully they'll make it to the "general delivery" location before Wednesday. Who doesn't love the package tracking technology? I seriously do love the US Post Office. Well, most of the time.

My friend Greg finished his 300-mile, mountainous terrain, week-long, self-sufficient (carried all his gear on his bike) trip and apparently was humbled by God during the experience and this is what he has to say: "But here is what I can tell you......I am feeling very humbled, fragile and weak. I see clearly how imperfect I am. I see clearly how my energy is no match for the power and energy of God's creation. I see clearly the goodness of people much less "out there" in the limelight than myself. All in all, I finish this ride with a feeling of I did nothing worthy of note, and all that was done was done so because of God's provision. It really was all His glory......not FOR His glory.......His glory."

My biking-across-the-US friends have officially hit their 1000 mile mark--1/4 of their trip! Hip hip hooray!

I got up yesterday morning and decided that I wanted to run to my friend/coworker's neighborhood that's 1.5 miles away from my apartment. So I did. That means I ran 3 miles yesterday--and I didn't get started until about 920 am...it starts to get real hot in GA by then. And man, it was humid! But I feel great--I ran most of that again this morning, but my weekday mornings are under more of a time crunch since I do have to get to work. Maybe I'll get up earlier. Or maybe not. Maybe I'll just continue on as I have been.

I've found I really enjoy running outside (as opposed to the treadmill). It forces you once you've gotten somewhere to have to turn around and make it back home. You can't just hit the stop button and hop off. I've been trying to pray during my runs--and I actually thanked God this morning for my iPod. Ridiculous, I know. But I love that little darn machine. My mom is apparently really inspired by my running (this is week number three!), and she wants us to run the Peachtree Road Race next July 4th (as in 2009). I don't know. It's pretty hot in July, mid-day, with 50,000 runners. We'll see. At first I wanted to loose X amount of pounds by my 28th birthday (October 2009), but now I just want to be healthier. I want to have more energy and just be able to feel good about myself. I had a friend comment that I was the most confident person she knew--and I really gnawed upon that for a while. I don't see myself as being that confident, but I guess I am. I came to terms with my weight long ago and I'm tired of it holding me back. I go after the things I want (except for boys and that's only because God told me to stop!), I talk to strangers, I don't have the mindset that I'm not going to succeed.

I've been inspired by how much Bep reads, so I'm trying to read more. I got a book that's Christian, fiction, and written from a fat-girl protagonist's perspective. Sure, it's not a "classic," but I gotta start with small steps.

I went to church last night. It was good. There were several new people there, and several people came for the second or third time--it was nice to see this ministry we all believe it start to grow. My friend Adam, the lead singer/guitarist/my friend from high school is having a hard time with his son's mother (with whom he is no longer in a relationship)--so please pray for him. My friend Keith has been homeless the past three weeks (an argument with his landlord about air conditioning resulted in him having to move out...A/C is serious here in the south!) and he's been living in the gym where he works (I haven't had the guts to ask him if his gym boss knows...let the man have a little bit of dignity)--but anyway, he's an author. I plan on buying his book and you should too! He wrote it while he was in prison (I also don't know that story). Anyway, he comes to church faithfully, is extremely well-read, has a passion for Jesus, and is a really nice guy (and sometimes he flexes his arms for me--he's a personal trainer!). Anyway, this Thursday he's moving into a boarding-house type place downtown and we're really excited for him. So just pray for Keith's life and apparently he's writing another book for women (his first one is geared toward men) and he's really excited about getting into his new place so he can write again--and get a good night's sleep. I'm excited for him!


Also at church: PB, after exiting the stage, came and sat in front of me (I was on the inner part of the second pew, he on the first) and as he sat down he smiled straight into my eyes. I had to pray extra hard to hear the message that was preached last night (Parable of the Talents). I will refrain from typing more because I'm trying to show some restraint, but let us continue to pray that doors will be opened through which I need to go, and others will be shut if I need to turn around.

So when I went to City Stages I parked my car in a friend's driveway. On Sunday morning she accidentally backed into my car with her Xterra. She was frantic, but since it's not totaled, I'm not that worried. She filed a claim with her insurance and I went to get my car appraised today during lunch. My rear driver's side door is going to have to be replaced. Oh, and when I walked into the body shop the appraiser met me at, I was greeted at the door by a giant fridge of a man. Naturally I chose that body shop to complete the work on my car.

So, friends--sorry for this merely informative and not so humorous blog...I guess I just have a case of the Mondays. But please pray with me for a few things: PB and some discernment; how I'm investing the talents that God has entrusted to me (this is HIS life that he just let me borrow, after all); a home that we just stumbled upon this weekend that could be an answer to our prayers of looking for somewhere to live come September when our lease is up; and the biggest prayer request of this week: the only man I've ever loved is getting married this weekend. To someone else. And I'm ecstatically happy for him, I really and truly am. I'm going up Thursday to join him for family stuff (I'm referred to as 'sis' now) and I'm excited--but it's still awkward. And no matter how confident I am, I have a penchant to get emotional and morose at such events. The ole "this should have been me" kind of scenarios. So let's pray for their life together, let's pray for the rest of his time in seminary as he'll now be married, let's pray for my friend Beth who is his ex-fianceé, and lastly: let's pray for me to survive on hope for what I can't yet see!

Ok, gotta head to TJ's...I'll leave you with a photo of me and the happy couple.