The "I Run for Me" Running Company

I think I'm gonna start my own running company.  I know I have only been running for 6 weeks or so, but I have become infatuated with this new sub-culture within our society.  I see ways they operate and the attire they wear (and boy, some of the attire they wear, I'm actually surprised they don't feel embarrassed wearing that in public).  I see bumpers stickers like 26.2 to symbolize their achievements or goals.  I see their iPods strapped to their shoulders.  I must admit, I am getting sucked in moment by moment, new shoe by new shoe.  It is a very interesting sub-culture - not bad, but interesting.

But honestly, the more I think about it, this is not me.  The MAIN THING I have learned about running is that I run for me.  I don't run for anyone else.  I run for me.  I don't run so that I can do a marathon.  I don't run because I really like it or because I really want to.  I don't run so I can l can wear those really short running shorts :) (kidding, I would never wear those running shorts - ever!).

I run for me.  I run because I need to.  I run to get focused on my day.  I run to vent and pray to God.  I run to ask Him for wisdom and discernment.  I run to actually listen to music I like (not Miley Cyrus :)).  I run to feel better about myself and to become more healthy, for me.  I really do run for me!

I don't care what I look like when I run or what I wear (For what it's worth, I wear a long sleeve shirt, my sweat pants that probably smell really bad right now and my non-professional-running shoe.).  I don't care if I run like a boxer.  I don't care if my pace is too slow or too fast for someone else.

I don't care because I run for me.  So, that is why I'm starting the "I Run for Me" Running Company.  It's about you and running for you and you alone.  I know it sounds really selfish, but in reality, you need to be selfish about some things so that you can give out appropriately when needed.  Christ calls us all to serve (Luke 10:25-37 & John 13:1-17).  He modeled it in all he did, even death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8 & Mark 10:45).  How can we possibly serve others with all we have if we aren't selfish about filling up our tank and getting right ourselves?  We need to be selfish in some things.

So, everyone is welcome to join the "I Run for Me" Running Company.  There are no fees to join, all you have to do is walk outside your front door or down where your treadmill is and start running.

Who knows, if we can start a movement here, we might even want to make t-shrits and sell them at running shops :)

http://tompounder.blogspot.com

Injuries

I had to sit out my run yesterday because my knee was hurting.  See, the day before when I was running, I felt that I tweaked it in such a way that it caused some soreness after the run.  Then, throughout the day it continued to feel awkward.  Then, yesterday morning, as I was getting ready, my knee just felt too sore to try to run on it.  So I decided that it would probably be better for me to sit out a day and let my injury heal than to try to rush it and maybe injure my knee worse.

This made me think of injuries in our personal lives.  It made me think of all the times that I have been injured in life and try to rush back to quickly.  For instance, if my heart has been broken by a broken relationship(s), do I try too quickly to mend the relationship or try to force the relationship to mend or do I just let it be?

But there are other examples of being injured in life as well.  Things could have happened in our past that were not our doing that have affected the way we respond to circumstances or life situations.  Whatever it is I think sometimes if we rush back into rectifying the situation too quickly, we may do more harm than good (just like running with an injured knee).

So, as I process my life and how I respond to injuries, I can rest on what Christ said in these 2 passages:

• Matthew 6:12, 14-15, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors...For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
• Matthew 18:15-16, "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."

Christ calls us to forgive and to confront in hopes to rectify the situation.  He doesn't say it has to be immediately (although Paul does say in Epheisans 4:26, "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry").  Since Christ does not give a time frame, I would suggest going before God to find out the right time and place to confront.

The reality is I don't know where you are at with your injuries, but my hope and prayer is that you can forgive and confront in a loving way so that you can learn from all situations.  That way you can continue to move forward in life so that you can be all that God created and designed you to be.

http://tompounder.blogspot.com

Not because we want to always, but because we HAVE & NEED to

Many of you all know that I have been running regularly for the past month and a half.  It has been a great stress reliever, processing time and Christ time as I listen to worship music and spend time in prayer.  It is my goal to run between 20-30 minutes and 5 of the 7 days of the week.

As I wake up in the morning to run, there are many days in which I don't feel like running.  I'm tired or my mind just doesn't want to process that day or there are other things I feel that I need to do instead.  BUT, I get out and run anyways...not because I want to, but because I HAVE to.  I make myself run because I HAVE to vent to God.  I make myself run because I HAVE to listen to worship music to keep my focus on Him.  I make myself run because I HAVE to get in shape because I need to be more healthy in my own life.

In the same way, my running is similar to my relationship with Christ.  I don't always feel like spending time with Him. I don't always want to process with him because sometimes I'm mad and want to be angry. I don't always want to spend time with Him because I could be doing other, more "productive" things.

BUT, I NEED to spend time with Christ everyday.  I NEED to get His input on how to handle certain situations.  I NEED His wisdom and guidance.  I NEED His peace.

Because our NEEDS always overrule our WANTS, we need to spend time with Christ everyday, including today.

So, right now, as soon as you stop reading this blog, I want you to click on the link below and spend time with Christ.  You will benefit from it no matter what the topic is.  I just pray that the Lord blesses and nurtures your heart wherever you are at right now.

Our Daily Bread

http://tompounder.blogspot.com

Why I am BACK on Facebook!

So, I've made it a week without Facebook.  I deactivated it and then took the App off my iPhone.  It has actually been a really good week without Facebook.

However, on Tuesday I found out that I was going to be taking the primary role in Cedar Run's College and Young Career Ministry this Summer.  In years past, I have always been involved with this ministry as a person who helps transitions the high school graduates into this new ministry.  But this year the Church Leadership has asked me to be the primary leader and organize this group to get some momentum behind it.  This is something I am really looking forward to doing as I LOVE to create new programs and groups.  And, I am going to love reconnecting with old students.

But, because of the short time frame I have to work to get this program started this summer, I know I need to use every tool I can to reconnect with a lot of old students.  Considering these students do not love emails so much and I don't have all their cell numbers, I am going to HAVE to reactivate my Facebook account!

For all that I do not like about Facebook, the 1 great ministry tool it does do is it connects the masses of people all together.  It allows me to get all the information out that I need to get out to a bunch of people at the same time.

So, I'm reactivating my account and I'm going to use it to kick butt in this new ministry opportunity I have.  But please, in my attempt to re-engage in this social media try to keep your Mafia Wars, your Farmville Animals and your Jammin' Java concert invites to yourselves :).