RETRO-ACTIVE RUNNERS COME ON DOWN (running news) July 26, 2007

Hey Guys and Gals!

  

I know it’s been a little while since my last “running news” and I apologize for the delay, but it has been a CRAZY summer!  I am in the process of buying a house, so I suspect that the next couple of months, I might possibly slack up on this type of activity on line.  Anyway, most of you receive an assortment of athletic emails containing repeated info, so I imagine you are fairly well updated. However, I do enjoy sending things to keep everyone “in the know.”  Today, I only have the time for a few items.  I would take me 24 hours per day for seven days to compile all of the race results since PeaVine Falls on July 4, so this is your opportunity to utilize the handy websites I have included on my blog.  Congratulations to all of you….you have really shown up this summer with successful race rankings! I hope you all are staying cool and hydrated, because it’s been a HOT DRY SUMMER….I am ready for winter….whew!

  

NOW…………….

The race we have all been waiting for takes place this upcoming weekend!  Put your hip style out there for the TWILIGHT FIVE RETRO RUN 5K beginning at 6 PM at the Trak Shak this Saturday, July 28. (USATF Certified Course)

  

Don’t miss the fun post-race festivities –

Jim & Nick’s B B Q, adult beverages, and live music!  This is always an entertaining event! And, the singlets for participants and volunteers….well, they are the BOMB!

Awards presented not only for overall and age group winners, but there’s a 70’s style wardrobe contest as well.  I wonder if Sam Dillashaw will try to defend his shagadelic title!  Yea Baby! For additional information, contact Valerie and the Trak Shak Gang at 870-5644

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULY & AUGUST!!

  

Leah Scroggins  July 2Ed Mitchell July 4Kathy Goolsby July 6

Mark Hales July 6

Brenda Robbins July 8

Jennifer Schuble July 8

Mary Jo Schmalz July 9

Bruce Adams July 11

Carol Adkins July 17

Christy Burchfield July 17

Jeff Scott July 20

Mitzi Dayball July 23

Dan “Dirt Dog” Watson July 25

Kathy “K2” Lawson July 27

Gibson Holladay  July 28

Jill Prestridge  July 28

Ann Eller July 30

  

Stacey Gordon (August 4)

Micki Haralson (August 5)

Cara Hunter (August 6)

Trent Lowery (August 6)

Deanna Frank (August 7)

Nan Filler (August 12)

Craig Cecil (August 18)

Mallory Slaughter (August 21)

Tim Lawson (August 24)

Casey Fannin (August 25) **Corrected Birthday**

  

Congratulations to new parents, Michael and Holly Brown of Oneonta.  They have been blessed with a baby boy! Holly is a personal trainer at the YMCA in Trussville. 

  Aden Michael Brown7/11/20077.3 pds

19 1/4″ long

AND

Elle and Verdon Hargrove, and son Christian are expecting a baby boy to arrive in their family around December 20….now that will be a Merry Christmas!! Bring on the boy!

  

  

SAVE SOME CASH$$$

Shane Shelnutt, the director for the Hometown Bank Butterbean 5K and

1 Mile Fun Run asked me if I could mention to my readers that he is offering a discount to anyone on my distribution list.  Go to active.com and put in the discount code “bean” for $5.00 off of your registration.  For more details on the Butter Bean Festival held in Pinson, Alabama, go to www.butterbeanfestival.com I have heard rave reviews of this race…so just do it…and check out the festival while you’re there!

Sponsored by: Realty Resources, Inc

Where: On Main Street next to Triangle Park in Pinson, Alabama

Date: Saturday, September 1, 2007

Distance: 5K (3.1 MILES) and 1 Mile race

Registration: 6:30 am – 7:15 am

Race Starts at: 7:30 am for the 5K and 8:15 am for the 1 mile

The USA TRACK & FIELD has certified both courses, 5K & 1Mile.

 

Couch to 10K – Fall Edition

  

A “Couch to 10K, Fall Edition” Info meeting will take place on Saturday August 11, 9:30 a.m., at the Trak Shak in Homewood.

This program is for those new to running or returning to running with the goal to run and complete a 5K and 10K (Vulcan Run).  This program is designed for the beginner or those returning to running who desire to get in shape or achieve a goal — regardless of age or ability. The program begins with a walk/run steadily building to the goal of running a 10K. This program is NOT about speed — It’s all about accomplishment. Current runners are encouraged to come out and run with the newbies as “coaches” too.

Please spread the word to anyone whom you think may be interested.

Danny has literally coached 1,000’s of local runners with this very same program and many members of the BTC went through this same training.

For more information on this highly successful and popular program go to:
www.rununiversity.com or www.birminghamtrackclub.com or contact Danny Haralson at dharalson@sterneagee.com or 205/862-6607.

Cost of the program is $49.00 through the Vulcan Run 10K.

This just in……A Warning/Reminder to All Cyclists:

  

Wayne Quick was the unfortunate recipient of a ticket violation for rolling through a red light at Highway 78 and Kilgore Exit.

  

Just a heads up–be sure to obey ALL traffic rules in Irondale. A friend informed Sarah Viamonte that a note is up on the ‘board’ at the Irondale Police Station to pull over and ticket cyclists who break traffic laws. 

Well, folks…that’s all I have time to include today….so don’t run traffic lights, smile, and KEEP RUNNING/BIKING/SWIMMING!!!!

  

SUSIE MC 

Verse and Message (Thursday, July 26, 2007) July 26, 2007

This week I had the opportunity to attend a singles small group at Church of the Highlands.  Pastor Joshua Canizaro  shared some wise words about creating a new reality for our lives.  So many times we may become so frustrated with our circumstances that we take it all out on God.  Instead of blaming God or even quitting God, it helps to obtain HIS PERSPECTIVE.  Josh explained, “Sometimes our greatest set-backs become our greatest gains.” As I reflected on his message from that evening, I was reminded of a verse and message I wrote during the summer of 2005.  The theme to the following message is based on a promise I was taught in Sunday School in the 4th grade — “Every time a door is closed, another one is opened.” That thought parallels the attitude that we must take if we want to create a new reality in our lives. When we become disillusioned with our current place in life, it helps to know that God will guide us to our full potential for His best future for us.  Check out the following words, and be encouraged that our Father guides us through the doors of promise.  However, we must be obedient to follow Him without wavering.  Preceding the archived mini message, I have included the steps that Joshua suggested in order to create a new reality.  Don’t you want God’s best for your life?

Psalm 23:3

He renews my strength.  He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.

  

Romans 5:3-5

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us–they help us learn and endure.  And endurance develops strength and character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.

We have all had moments where doors have been slammed shut in our face.  I am in the door, frame, and hardware business so I know a lot about doors!  A door can have the following items:   three to four hinges to swing, a lockset, a deadbolt, a closer, weatherstripping, threshold, panic bar, pivots, silencers, …..and a number of other possible coordinates to complete the opening.  I am not here to sell you doors and hardware, I am simply identifying that a door is more than just a piece of wood or metal.  There are a lot of components involved with an opening.  In life, there are many different types of doors!  Some of the doors in our lives are secured specifically to keep us from danger.  Some are secured temporarily, and some are secured permanently.  We must respect the doors that are shut by the Savior, because a forced entry will only cause damage to ourselves and possibly others.  As much as we want to see the other side, it is not always necessary to know what is on the other side of the door.  However, when a door is locked………………….God is not going to leave you waiting too long.  If you stare at the closed door, you are wasting your time.  You need to keep moving through the corridors that are open, because you just never know what you might get.  There are many doors, and you are not going to make a mistake if God has willed you to walk through a specific door!  God’s timing is always perfect, and He never makes mistakes! He wants the best for you, and He will not trick you or tease you.  He will restore what you lose and will surprise you with His magnificent abundance if you allow Him to guide you.  Also, He will never leave us to walk through the corridors of life alone! Tricks and teasing belong to the Dark Prince of this world, and Satan’s intention is solely destruction and sorrow. Pray for Christ to lead you through the corridors of promise and remember that all choices have consequences.  We need our Compass to stay on the right path.

According to Pastor Joshua we can respond to the following steps if we are interested in creating a new reality in our lives:

REVIEW our current place.

(Take an honest assessment of our lives..where are you?)

  

RENEW ourselves spiritually.

(We must be changed by His Power from the inside /out!)

  

REALIGN ourselves mentally.

(Ask for help when the Lord reveals deficiencies within us, and allow Him to transform you.)

  

REPOSITION ourselves physically.

(JUMP-It wouldn’t be considered faith without taking the leap!)

  

Be RESILIENT.

(Get right back up when you fall…..keep moving forward.)

  

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.” (Robert Schuller)

PONDER THE DOORS AROUND YOU! 

 

DON’T FORCE A DOOR TO OPEN THAT NEEDS TO REMAIN LOCKED!

APPRECIATE AND ENJOY THE DOORS OF OPPORTUNITIES OPEN TO YOU!  

SUSIE MC

Verse and Message (Thursday, July 19, 2007) July 19, 2007

2 Corinthians 5:7
We live by faith, not by sight.

  

Mark 4:41
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

A co-worker of mine, Pam Pogue, sent me an incredible article entitled “Floating Without Your Life Vest” by Virelle Kidder.  I was so moved by the story, I rewrote it as it pertains to my life.  I also incorporated some thoughts delivered in a message that author and motivational speaker John Maxwell shared at Church of the Highlands this past Sunday. 

Do you remember the first time you learned to float?  I do.  I was very young…around age three. My family belonged to Birmingham Eastside Swim Club located in South Roebuck of Birmingham.  Learning the art of swimming began when I jumped in the pool while my brother was competing in a swim team meet.  As my mom frantically jumped in after me, causing the meet to come to a complete halt, I was bewildered as to what all the commotion was about.  My faith didn’t allow me to be concerned about drowning, much less disrupting a competition.  At that point in my young mind, water seemed like a neat thing, until I recognized the fear my mother demonstrated.  Immediately, she scheduled me for swim lessons.  Eventually, at age ten, I obtained 2nd in the state in the butterfly stroke.  But….learning to float after the memorable pool incident was just the beginning of that victory. 

God wants me to have that same “childlike faith” in my walk today.  He wants me to just JUMP IN and trust Him, even though the world around me circles in chaos.

  

Letting God have control of our lives is like learning to float without a life vest.  Inch by inch we breathe in, and we breathe out.  It’s freeing and exciting!  But then some wave of fear overwhelms us, and we begin to sink.  What happened?…We simply take our eyes off of our Life Guard. 

  

Life happens.  We float along with God in control…then we grab the reins.  With each new avenue, we aim to gain control again.  It’s kind of like touching bottom. We feel safe until we reach the deep end…..”Hey, God, are you there?”

Really, now, was God surprised that we meandered to the deep end without Him?  Absolutely not.  However, He wants us to depend on Him to take His lessons effectively so that we can be confident in His Spirit when the waves become fierce.  Therefore, we won’t get in over our head, or when we do we can be sure our Life Preserver is right there with us, and we are never ever alone.  Even though the waters can be treacherous, we sometimes forget that the Almighty of the Universe can handle our problems.  Taking responsibility to manage everything around us can be exhausting; I am a pro in that realm of madness…..but then I start splashing frantically! 

God doesn’t need our help! Most of us seem to think we have our own lives and everyone else’s lives arranged just perfectly. 

We try to do things without Him because, “God may not care what happens to me? or He might make me look foolish!” (I don’t need God’s help for that; I can look foolish effortlessly myself)…ha!  Imagine how Jesus’ disciples felt the night of the violent storm on the Sea of Galilee……Indeed Jesus proved a point…..He calmed the storm. His GRACE and STYLE were compelling then, and become even more profound when we dive in to know Him more.

“The reason you and I get scared when we think we’re going to drown is just the same as it was for the disciples; we have no idea who this Jesus is we’re dealing with.  Our idea of Him is way too small, too weak, and ill-informed.  The truth is, He is all life, love, and truth in one Being.  He is the One who came to lead us home in a very unexpected way–by overcoming far worse than a storm.”

  

We are asked to be in complete submission to our Lord.  According to John Maxwell, submission means that we quit making suggestions in our prayer journal.  Sure we can call the shots, but that’s when we develop the “destination disease.”  We start analyzing every detail of our lives, especially our future….We tend to exaggerate our yesterdays, we overestimate our tomorrows allowing the concerns of the future to overwhelm us, and then we miss out on the NOW…because we simply underestimate the GIFT of TODAY. 

We must all remember that we haven’t arrived until we meet our Maker at the Summit in Heaven!  Our life is based on choices and decisions, and learning to swim intricately with focused strokes in this journey doesn’t have to be complicated!  We need to leave the anxiety of our perceived complicated lives to the Master who designed us and everything around us. If he knows the number of hairs on our heads, I am certain He is capable of taking care of our problems. Pastor Chris Hodges has recommended that we stop telling God how BIG our PROBLEMS are.  Instead…we should tell our PROBLEMS how BIG our GOD is!!

So the next time you are floating along and are tempted to panic because you think you are sinking….stop looking below into the abyss….start looking at the SON above.  Keep looking up……forget fear…….and succeed in the Savior!

SWIMMING WITH THE SAVIOR EQUALS SUCCESS!

  

EVEN THE WIND OBEYS HIS COMMAND!

THE DESTINATION WON’T BE A DISASTER…

AS LONG AS WE FLOAT WITH PURPOSE TOWARD THE PRIZE!

  

SUSIE MC

Verse and Message (Wednesday, July 11, 2007) July 11, 2007

Psalm 62:7
My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

  

Isaiah 55:9

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

At the conclusion of the dedication service this past Sunday at Church of the Highlands, the worship and praise team lead the congregation in a powerful contemporary combination version of “In Christ Alone/ The Solid Rock.”

Can I just say that there is no way that anyone could ignore the Holy Spirit! His PRESENCE permeated the room throughout the service, but WHOA what a grand finale! It’s difficult to put into words the power of that moment. If you missed the amazing dedication service, don’t worry….it was just the beginning of a beautiful new chapter overlapping what God has already done within Highlands advancing The Great Commission. We hope to see you there soon, please join us! 

Now, I encourage you to reflect on the reason we have to celebrate!  Absorb the words…their meaning…and recognize how valued we are to belong to Christ the King. Following this expression of worship, I have included what these words mean to me personally.  When you have time, I urge you to take in each stanza and meditate on its meaning to you. 

IN CHRIST ALONE/THE SOLID ROCK

Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend (In Christ Alone)

Edward Mote and William B. Bradbury (The Solid Rock)

  

In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my light my strength my song

This Cornerstone this solid ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love what depths of peace

When fears are stilled when strivings cease

My comforter my all in all

Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone Who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

‘Til on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For ev’ry sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand

All other ground is sinking sand

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand

All other ground is sinking sand

No guilt in life no fear in death

This is the pow’r of Christ in me

From life’s first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No pow’r of Hell no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

‘Til He returns or calls me home

Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand

All other ground is sinking sand

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand

All other ground is sinking sand

What these precious words mean to me:

One thing I have learned over time is that I know that my dependence on myself or another person is a futile endeavor.  I know that the only foundation that I can be fully secure is in my Cornerstone — Jesus Christ.  I understand via many attempts of running my own life (gripping the wheel with furious intensity at times) that my plans are not His plans….my ways are not His ways (Isaiah 55:9).  He knows my destiny, so why would I use my energy to STRIVE to succeed on my own measly power?  His sacrifice took place so that I would no longer have to be in control of my complicated universe (which becomes complicated, because I refuse to LET GO and LET GOD take the reins)!! Instead of restraining me, an attitude of sacrifice to Him frees me to live in complete JOY and CONFIDENCE – but only when I release my all to Him.  When I let Him be my Guide, He is able to work more effectively in my life, without my stubborn flesh getting in the way.  God’s wrath was satisfied at Calvary, so when I choose to take my eyes off that CROSS at times, I am denying the POWER provided for me.  In order to grasp complete power in Christ, we have to surrender our whole heart, not just part of it.  Our society may cringe at the thought of ”surrender” or “submission” but to faithful Christians these words equal BEAUTIFUL SALVATION. His PERFECT LOVE should be enough for us to remain faithful to Him. We are only worthy of this GIFT because of Christ, and until we realize that ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND…..we won’t GET IT! No storm or drought can take us away as long as we trust in His Holy Word.  No scheme of the Enemy has a chance to pluck us from the Savior’s Hand.  We are SAFE, and we can thrive within a realm of peace that transcends all understanding if we accept His LOVE and dismiss the lies of Satan.  The Devil’s lie is believing we can make it on our own.  But when our HOPE is in CHRIST ALONE, all fear of the opponent is vanquished because of the reality of our VICTORY in Jesus!  Jesus knows my past, He is actively working in my present, and He has secured my future! 

He is the SOLID ROCK!

  

I urge you to dissect the hymn/worship song above…..I guarantee that the intimacy of your meditation on this will strengthen your connection to the Holy One who chose YOU!

ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK I STAND,

ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND!

  

SUSIE MC

Verse and Message for July 4th July 3, 2007

John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

  

Yesterday during an email exchange regarding the events scheduled for Church of the Highlands 4th of July Celebration, Rusty Mitchell, a brother in Christ, revealed his thoughts reflecting our beautiful freedom in Christ.  I couldn’t resist sharing his words with all of you as an inspiration to ponder for this Independence Day upon us.   

Expression of freedom written by Rusty Mitchell:

“We are blessed to be in a country that gives us freedom to express ourselves and the freedom to worship God. So, I am thankful to the men and women that went before me to live out their legacy for us and fight for our freedom and independence from other countries to become the United States of America .  They had a sense of destiny and longing to live out what God put into their hearts.  I recently read a book called The Barbarian Way, and in it the author states that these qualities are set in every man.  God calls us to live a life that is found only by listening to the voice of the Spirit.

It is our call, as it was in those earlier barbarian disciples, to take up our cross and follow HIM.  Do you want to know what describes a Barbarian?

The barbarian way is about love, passion, and sacrifice.  barbarians love to live and live to love.  For them God is life, and their mission is to reconnect humanity to Him.  Their passion is that each of us might live in intimate communion with Him who died for us.  The barbarian way is a path of both spirit and truth.  The soul of the barbarian is made alive by the presence of Jesus.  So, my heart and prayer is that each one of us will take a moment this July 4^th, and ask God how He wants us to live out our call in intimate communion with Him who died for us.  We are only given one chance to live out His Grace and Love while we are here on earth.  Let us encourage each other to unleash the untamed faith within all of us and live the barbarian way.  Are you willing to lose everything on My behalf to gain everything I desire for you?  Rather than living a long life, are you willing to live a life worth living?”

  

Thank you Rusty for sharing that insightful and inspiring expression. I don’t know about you all….but that sentiment shared and reinforced what we all have been given in Christ and the amazing blessing of being born in the United States of America.  God has blessed America, and it’s up to us to continue His way and bless others!  God bless you all, and have a wonderful 4th of July!  And…if you don’t currently have holiday plans, Church of the Highlands will be celebrating freedom on this 4th with a powerful worship service beginning at 7 pm, and following the event beginning at 9 pm, there will be a glorious fireworks show to be viewed from the lawn of the new home of Church of the Highlands.  We are located at Overton Road and Grants Mill Road.  Come Celebrate FREEDOM in Christ!

  

FREE INDEED!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

  

HOME SWEET HOME IN CHRIST!

SUSIE MC

Have a Happy 4th, but BEWARE of SNAKES…check out this story! July 1, 2007

   

Last week my son begged me to go to Oak Mountain to play in the canoes and swim with one of his friends.  I am a strong swimmer, but I have always been over cautious when it comes to kids and water.  I refused his request by telling him that I didn’t feel comfortable about him going to Oak Mountain on the Friday before the 4th of July when there would be loads of people arriving to camp and celebrate vacations etc.  I also told him that due to the extreme drought that we have been experiencing, I didn’t feel particularly comfortable about the snakes.  If you haven’t heard, the snakes are going CRAZY due to the drought.  My parents found one on their deck just a couple weeks ago.  Snakes typically stay close to their birth place, but in conditions such as these, they have begun to meander further in order to obtain food and water.  The following story will give you the heebie jeebies (it did for me), and it may not have anything to do with the drought since it involves an incident with a water moccasin, but I ask that you read it and be aware of your surroundings.  I enjoy trail running, and I am having to pay particular attention to my surroundings.  I know that some of you plan to run the Annual PeaVine Falls Run at Oak Mt on July 4th, so pay attention, and please hydrate!  I will be at PeaVine Falls, but I will be volunteering instead of running!  I hope to see you out there!

Check out this story…and BEWARE OF SNAKES!!!

  

http://www.bump.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=231&Itemid=60