Just Who Do I Think I Am?!

Tuesday morning I slipped out the door for a morning run, and as I watched the sun cast my shadow along the road in front of me, a mocking voice whispered in my head, "Just who do you think you are, out here running like some kind of athlete"?

Encouragement and Goals

Over the past few months I have been running again, and I have found new friends with whom to enjoy this pastime.  When I began running a year and a half ago the solitude was priceless to me, I had a friend in FL who was encouraging my progress, and I had a goal for which I was reaching, so that was enough to get me outdoors on a regular schedule.  Since this spring though, I have found that I needed more reasons to get out, in part because my need for encouragement was changing and I hadn't set any clear goals.

Entering Her Rest

Since we moved here less than 5 years ago, we don't have a long history with any of the folks who have become our friends.  In most circumstances this has no bearing on our relationships, and they are growing individually as God gives grace.  One relationship which surprised me, however, was my friendship with Ann.

Now That I've Had Time To Think...

I'm not very good with spontaneous conversations, especially when there's only a moment to reply.  This morning, near the beginning of my run, I passed a neighbor who faithfully walks her dogs every day and has seen me running since I began the Couch 2 5K program a year and a half ago.  As I approached her on the road this morning I called out a greeting, to which she replied, "You're looking *fabulous!"  (*she might have said "marvelous", or "great"- I was surprised, so my memory isn't reliable on this point.)

I simply said, "Thanks!  Isn't this weather lovely?!"