The Inside Out

Dr. Larry Crabb’s book 66 Love Letters was very insightful. It discusses each book of the Bible as a love letter written from God. Each chapter is an honest conversation between God and a person reading the Bible and asking real-life questions. It’s a very upfront book that answers some VERY hard questions, but it is not the easiest read. I like what it’s trying to do but it’s a bit overwhelming taking it in all at once. I’d love to re-read it as a daily devotional, taking more time to really digest each chapter. It was too much for me to process all at once. I think it would be a great addition when you’re studying a certain book of the Bible and want to go deeper in to it.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Today was the half way mark in my training for the half marathon and God presented me with a 70 degree day in February! Only in SC. Apparently that made anyone and everyone show up at my favorite running spot today! The fam and I headed to Riverfront park about 2:30 with a billion other people. We couldn’t even find a parking place! Scott and the kids were going to bike ride so I took off and they planned to catch up as soon as they could.

There’e been a lot of talk about treadmill running and outdoor running lately, particularly from Runner’s World. Right when I started running, I remembered the twitter that I recently saw from Cool Running kind of asking the question: What’s the difference to you in a treadmill run vs. outdoors and why you like one or the other. And today I answered that for myself:

PEOPLE.

This isn’t a technical, logical or even scientific answer, but  that is definitely my answer! Now, I’ve been confined to the treadmill for several weeks because of the cold or finding the time to run, so I was starting to really enjoy my ‘mill. I was kickin’ out some decent runs and catching up on episodes of Lost…all was good! But today’s weather was way perfect and drew me outside for my long run! As I got started there was this girl running in front of me, going what I would call “slow” (she was probably flying but she looked like she was slow to me!). And she had next to nothing on. And was covered in tattoos. Now please don’t think I’m judging cause I’m not against tattoos at all! But these were the things that were defining the skinny mini in front of me – and she was challenging me some. So I said ok…I’ll try to pass her. At this point my ipod was blasting a little Addison Road This Could be Our Day and I’m thinking “Yeah, my day…I’m rockin’!” So about a mile or so later I pass her, then I walk and she passes me, then I realize she’s wearing makeup and dangling earrings and I’m even more motivated to top this person I’ve never even met…and I pass her again. She’s probably the nicest, best friend, spreading the love of Jesus to the world and feeding starving people girl around…but today she was my nemesis. Then Man-who-Runs-So-Fast-I-Look-Like-I’m-Standing-Still passes me. Ugh. So, Riverfront ends at the clever little dam that creates a beautiful waterfall and since I’m ahead of Girl-Who-Runs-With-Tats. All is good. I ran the little bridge at the end and started my turn around to head back and I realize…she turned early. That’s cheating! She didn’t even go to the end of the trail! Oh no she didn’t! And now, we’re running. Christy Nockels is egging me on with Let My Life Light Up and I’m on fire! Fire I tell you! And U2 tells me the Streets Have No Name (I’m secretly wishing it had been Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For to keep me going but I’m just lettin’ it play!). But my perspective gets a little changed. I start noticing the kids and the puppies on the path today, the bikes and the birds. Then I pass Kid-With-Too-Much-Static-in-His-Hair and giggle a bit. Then I see my family and my baby boy who is riding his two wheel bike like the big boy he is, and he’s smiling at me. Huge smile. Yes it’s only mile 4 but I’m feeling much better! After a little family love I follow them out. And I pass the bridge that the homeless people live under. And all their stuff that’s usually there is gone. Perspective change #2. What a silly thing I am to be worrying about some girl when there are people with no homes, no nothing, right next to where I am. And Steve Fee reminds me, Glory to God Forever.

People surround you when you run outside, and they have the ability to effect your run – good or bad, but that’s up to you. So I ran the longest I ever have before today. 6 miles. In an hour and 6 minutes. Not bad for a girl who’s only been training for 2 months! But I owe a thanks to the pretty girl who made me work for it today. Hope you finished well today, Girl-Who-Kept-Me-Going. Thanks.

Our latest bible study is all about about our “thought closets.” You know, that place you have in your head that you talk to yourself, the place you make decisions and the place where you’re hopes, dreams and beliefs are stored. It’s an interesting, tangled place for most women (and men too!) so actually talking about it with all these women that I respect so much, has been quite interesting!  I loved the description in the book the Shack of what our souls look like: untamed gardens with winding vines and flowers and to an outsider a complete mess. But to the Holy Spirit, its, well beautiful.

One of the things that seems to keep returning in this study is the effect that other people’s comments have had on our thought closets. The things that other people have put into them. Family members, friends, men..who ever we let say something about us and it have an effect. I can remember in middle school, a friend of mine told me I had ugly toes. Not just ugly,but gross. My toes are a smidgen on the long side…a SMIDGE, but everything about me is lanky so why not expect my toes to be a bit long? My mom actually calls them “toegers.” I was so effected by this that I think at some point I actually started believing it and not wearing open toed shoes or painting my toenails or anything! What’s funny about this is that the night I first ran into Scott, I actually was wearing a pair of pretty sexy sandals…and he noticed. He even mentioned it a few dates later by saying that he thought I had very pretty feet. At the time I actually remember thinking, “Maybe he’s lying about everything.” A few months later he brought it up again and admitted that he was very particular about feet and that mine were the prettiest he’d ever seen (yes, I KNEW he was lying then…cause my toes were hideous!).  After awhile of us dating I actually started wearing sandals again and painting my toes, mostly because I knew he liked it and honestly, I was trying HARD to impress him. But over the years something very interesting happened. I started liking my toes, thinking they actually were kind of pretty. Then Sarah came along and started wanting her nails painted constantly, and I really wanted to do it with her. Last year Scott was awarded a trip to Vegas at the Bellagio, and it was such a fun trip (what a different world that place is!!)! When I had my manicure and pedicure (yes, my first one EVER), the lady said, “I’ve seen some ugly feet, and yours are beautiful.” She mighta’ been smoozen me, but she also knew that it wasn’t me paying her, it was Scott’s company so I’m thinking she was being honest. But that was the confirming moment…I finally believed my feet were beautiful. Isn’t it funny that it took one 2 minute comment about 15 years to be refuted?

The best part of this is that what Jesus does to our whole lives is that exact thing. He takes what looks like a messy vine infested garden and helps us view us for what it really is: His beautiful creation, made just like he intended it to be! Thank you Jesus!