Run Your Own Race

A very wise woman once taught me about developing a motto...a phrase or sentence in which to live by. This motto could be for a season of life or longer depending on how it applies. I myself found it difficult to come up with a motto that applied to me and my life. Most of the time it was something like "Keep your head above water" "Just keep swimming..." or "This too shall pass...". I look back at these attempts at a motto and realize that I was just trying to survive.

 Even though there are times in our lives when we find ourselves in survival mode (new parents,the toddler years,family tragedy, just to name a few), there is more to life than just surviving. And so was born my motto....

Run Your Own Race

(Luke 10:38-42)

 

This passage attached to my motto is the story of Mary and Martha. You see, Martha had a rather important guest, Jesus. As she was busy preparing her house for Him (possibly cleaning, cooking etc.), her sister was at his feet, hanging on his every word. Martha gets upset and says to Jesus, something like this..."I'm am running around here like crazy and you are just going to let her sit there and not help me? Tell her to get up and help me take care of you." Jesus anwers "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it's the main course, and won't be taken from her."

Some see this well known Bible story as a way of describing how being hospitable is not always about being busy preparing for your guests. It isn't all about the acts that you do but sometimes it's more important to be like Mary. I whole heartedly agree with this, however I've gained a new perspective from this story. God made us all differently. We aren't all fulfilled by the same things. We aren't made to be good at the same things. This is where "run your own race" comes in. Run with your talents, run with your hearts desires, run with the flow and by all means run with God's gifts in your life. Some would be filled up by sitting at Jesus' feet (I know I would) and some are filled up by cooking him dinner. And sometimes the things that fill us up change throughout our lifetime. 

So, as I walk out this motto "run your own race" (no pun intended).....I am reminded that no one else is like me. I would love to be a mom like June Cleaver or Carol Brady, but I am not them, I am me. I am Tommy's only wife. Bryce, Caitlan and Taylor's only Mommy. I am priceless and cannot be replaced. There are important things in this life that I am here to do, and if I spend my days chasing what others think is important or trying to run someone elses race, because I think what they are doing is right, more important or more worthy than the things I have going on in my life. Then I will have wasted my life.


This coming year I encourage you to dig deep and find the courage to stay true to who you are. Keep your eyes on the road under your own feet and "run your own race".

Living Intentionally

So something's been missing in our lives and we weren't sure what it was. We've tried almost everything and it seemed that nothing fit the void that was there. I thought, maybe we needed to move and find it elsewhere. Well, we never ended up moving but we have decided to "live intentionally". We want to say the things that need to be said, do the things that need to be done, and enjoy the people that God placed in our lives as family and friends.

We've spent the days since the funeral totally engaged in our children and family. It has been so fulfilling. I am completely sure that God has had me on a journey while trying to move (over the past 4 years) to learn something. I was sure that the lesson involved actually moving, but I'm not so sure anymore. You see, our kids are with us so much of the time that we had become numb to the treasures in this life. Going through the day to day life had left us with a "same ol same ol" attitude and we had become stagnant. We have decided that we are not going to be that family. We want to enjoy our children, our family and our friends. We want our children to enjoy their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins; oh and us too (wink, wink). The kind of connection I'm speaking of is not by chance. It is not developed by having the "same ol same ol" attitude. It is, however, something that is completely intentional. You have to be connected, plugged in and yes vulnerable. I look forward to living intentionally.

Here we are again...





So, here we are again...this time last year we were having the same conversations. The same questions and concerns were on topic. We were in a position that we should be moving, but yet we just hadn't climbed in the car and gone. With a sweet job in place, a house already leased and my best friend waiting for my arrival. My husband and I sit wondering what continues to keep us here. Last year it was fear. Fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of making the wrong decisions. This year we were 100% confident. There was 'NO FEAR' involved or holding us back. We were ready, hands down. But how come it's moving day and we are still here in Florida? Why aren't we spending our first night in our "new" house, waiting to start a new job on Monday? The only answer I have is because we are supposed to be. Tuesday night, I sat on a pew holding on to my husband as we grieved the loss of our friend and we realized what our family is missing and it wasn't what we had thought (more about this later). So, do we stay or do we go? There are many many reasons to stay here and endless possibilities if we go, but one thing is here that I can't get back and that is time. Time with our parents, our brothers and sisters and their families, especially our nieces and nephews who are growing so fast.

Time is short, life is short and it looks like "Our Big Adventure" will be continuing here in Florida. With short trips to new places here and there. 

Life is short!

Last Thursday my husband lost his best friend. A friend that was like a brother to him. He can be found in some of our fondest memories. He was even the best man in our wedding. With his quiet temperament and his giving nature, he always seemed to make me smile. We were always laughing.

His name was Bobby. He was only 35 years old and he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in April of this year. We researched what all this meant on our own and soon learned that Bobby was in this fight for his life. You see, the cancer was already stage 4 when they found it. We knew that this would take a miracle. Bobby was a fighter! He fought til the very end, harder than anyone I've ever seen fight, but in the end the cancer won and the world lost an incredible man. 

I find it very sad how it's so easy to say these things about a person after they die, but our pace of daily lives or maybe the fear of sounding silly keeps us from saying them directly to the person when they are alive and really should hear it. 

Tomorrow is the funeral. It will be the second funeral we will attend for a friend that was more like a brother. Like SteveO's funeral, we will gather at the funeral home. Old friends standing shoulder to shoulder, talking about memories of Bobby. About how much we love him and how much he will be missed. Then the conversations will turn to how fast time flies and that we should get together more often. How we should let conflicts from the past go and how we should stop having reunions at funerals. 

Well the truth is....life IS short. You never know when your time is up. You never know when your spouse, your brother, your sister or your best friend's time will be up. So, tell them you love them. Tell them how great you think they are. Tell them the things you would say about them when they are gone, because really WHO CARES if you look silly doing or saying these things. The reality is one day you may not be able to.

As my husband and I were saying good-bye to Bobby's dad in the hospital parking lot Thursday, he said "Go home and kiss your kids." And that's just what we did.

We love you Bobby and can't believe that you are really gone. You will be missed so much, but you will live on through your baby girl. See ya in heaven, one day. Tell SteveO we miss him.

11 more days.....

So, here we are 11 short days from the biggest adventure that we have ever been on as a family. On November 27, in the wee hours of the morning, we will kiss our mothers and brothers (and everyone else, too) good-bye see-ya-later and point the nose of our truck to the north east. We will drive for more than half a day arriving in Tennessee. To a house we've never seen (well only in pictures). I will start a job where I have not see the facility or met the managers face to face. Some may see this as scary, while others think we are just plain NUTS. We see this as perfect opportunity to trust that the Lord has orchestrated this right down to the fine details and that he is in control.

Strawberry Pickin'

We took a trip with our friends to a local fruit/veggie farm to pick strawberries....the best thing is that we didn't have to spend time on our knees to pick these strawberries....everything is grown hydroponically on towers...it was great!!

Some of us and our friends...

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

I'm personalizing a post a came across here while randomly searching other mommy blogs...

Outside My Window… the sun is shining and it around 70 degrees. It was supposed to be colder today, but has warmed up very nicely. It's warm in the sun and cool and breezy in the shade.
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I am thinking… doing my taxes, what I'm cooking for dinner, how much I'd love to take a nap but can't because I will never fall asleep tonight, my camera battery dying right as I was taking the very important Pocahontas Park picture for Sharon, how my girls are digging in the black dirt in the hole the dog keeps digging under the fence.....

I am thankful for… my husband and that we are still friends not just husband and wife, I'm thankful that God is who He says He is, for my job in these times of economic crisis, healthy children (thank you God) and MANY MANY more things to come.
God who lets me put all of my worries, cares, struggles, burdens and doubts on Him. I couldn’t carry it all. His strength is very much a part of my daily life.
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From the kitchen… Looks like steak and rice tonight..beyond that...your guess is as good as mine :o)
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I am wearing… My old navy pink velour pants and my long sleeve black shirt...its either this or scrubs...been a long time since I've needed to wear anything more...no shoes, hair down....and my normal hodge podge of jewelry...
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I am creating… well in my head I have a hand full of pages I'd like to accomplish when I go to work on my scrapbook with Kristen on Saturday...I'm also creating our wish list for next years curriculum.
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I am going… to take Bryce and Taylor to their first karate class in about 45 minutes...and then I'm going home to finish dinner...then I'm going to put some kids to bed and myself to follow.
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I am reading… The Politically Incorrect Wife...

I am hoping… that tomorrow's bible study will prove to be what God wants for me...I've decided to do the Beth Moore study...I real excited.
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I am hearing… Bryce playing the XBOX in the living room...the girls outside....the neighbors little doggie barking...Oh wait...I could hear the dog barking because he was crawling under the fence into my yard....I hear my husband breathe as he naps after school....
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Around the house… There is entirely too many things in this house...that's a goal of mine, some things have to go. We love this house (even though we are out growing it)...so since we aren't getting any smaller....some things have to go.
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One of my favorite things… Ummmmm, I will have to get back to you on this one because I am so tired the only thing I can think of is curling up next to my husband and taking a nap....
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A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Bible Study, one night of work (instead of the usual 3 nights, the Frog Leg Festival (yep, I live in the south for sure!!) a night cropping with my bestie!! and finally a Sunday where I can go to church without having worked the night before or after. Oh and lets not forget MLK day...that's a FREE day!!

Even When I Forget.....

In the past 3 years, I have scaled down my commitments to value the time that we have as a family while our children are still young. We started homeschooling, I came back to our hometown to work closer to home, we've even started on a journey for Tommy to go to school and learn a new profession. All the while I been seeing God in these decisions. It was terrible when we realized that he couldn't build boats anymore because of the accident, but only God would have known that the economy would have been this bad at this time and that boat building would not be productive nor stable. I didn't chose nursing...God chose it for me more than 25 years ago. There's concrete evidence of this in the "All About Me" book that my mom saved from kindergarten, and today this is one of the more stable jobs in the world. It just amazes me that all the while when I think I'm the one making all these decision....I turn around and find God there with a wink. It was Him along, putting these decisions before us or even sometimes allowing life to give us no choice in the matter.
So, as I rack my brain trying to decide...where or when or if we will move. Wondering if staying in this small yet ever growing town that I (and my parents and grandparents and their parents) have grown up in is the right decision. I take consolation in the fact that my God is ever present and will always help us to make the right decisions...if we allow Him to.
Thank you Lord for always being there even when I forget to invite you in.

Our Very First ROAD TRIP!! (part two)

After we left the Clair's in Gallatin (TN) we headed toward Ober-Gatlinburg. We were determined to see snow even if it was the man made kind. Our friends The Kimbrough's met us there.

FYI - GPSs are not always right and sometimes can make a trip much longer then it has to be.

Here's more of the Smokey Mountains...Ahh, isn't beautiful!!

Taylor cheesin' it up for the camera.

I didn't get many pictures at Ober-Gatlinburg because we made it there as it was closing. But I thought this picture of Ray and Cathy ahead of us going through the tunnel as we drove down the mountain was really neat.

After we left Ober-Gatlinburg we drove down to Georgia where The Kimbrough's live.

Taylor, Ray and Rachelle.

Cody, Caitlan and Bryce.

The Erdwein-Kimbrough Crew

Tommy, Dawn, Bryce, Caitlan, Taylor

Ray, Cathy, Chris, Chelsie, Rheanna, Cody and Rachelle

WHOA BABY!!

8 awesome kids, 4 old friends, too many years in between!!

Making new memories and rebuilding friendships = PRICELESS!!

Rachelle and Taylor

These girls were inseparable.

Bryce and Chris

If you would have told me that this visit would have turned out this GREAT...I would have never believed you.

Caitlan, Rheanna and Chelsie

Keeping them up 'til 2am wasn't the best of ideas...but we didn't want to miss one minute!

Ok, so we kinda found snow.

We had taken the kids to the skating ring and it was closed to the public. The kids were really disappointed so we decided to let them play in the "snow" from the zamboni. It was a small 15ft x 6ft pile of ice shavings that the kids had the best time having a snow ball fight. The four adults were have a great time watching the kids until they decided to start including us.

LOVE IT!!

Me and My Honey Bear

p.s. we had just been stung in the side of the head by a rouge snowball..."yeah, really fun Rheanna!!"

Ray and Cathy

It was so great to rekindle our friendship with The Kimbrough Family.

I hope we will never let this much time pass again.....

Our Very First ROAD TRIP!! (part one)

We decided to take a quick trip...it started out to be a small 48 hour trip and envolved into a 4 day trip. Still not nearly as long as I would have liked but way better than just the "Hunt for Snow" that it started out to be.

This is us heading toward Nashville, TN. See the map, breakfast, crossword and other road trip paraphernalia. We were on our way to The Clair's. It had been way too long since we had seen them. Notice the rain...it was in the 30's and we were hopeful that it would snow before morning. Unfortunately this did not happen. The mountains are so beautiful, I was in heaven! Tommy, however, didn't share this cozy feeling with me. He was rather unsettled among the height of these massive hills.

Here are the Erdwein and Clair girls the morning of Caitlan's birthday. It was so nice to be in TN with them for her birthday (at least some of it). It was 18 degree; 8 degrees with the wind chill. Can you say "Holy Cow!!"Caitlan, Haylee, Taylor, Ciara Bryce & David. (Dalton was at home sick)

Michelle and I = BFF

"ICE"

This is what the thermometer for the outside temp on my truck would flash every time we started the truck. We had never seen this before.

It was so awesome to be together with them after all this time. We can't wait 'til we have the time to go back and see more of Nashville...and the Clair's of course!