Like a Fish Out of Water

I decided, against my better judgment, to do a triathlon on July 13 at Kings Island. Please don't be impressed--it's only a "sprint" triathlon, a 400 Meter Swim, 13 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run. I'm not too concerned with the run part. But, as for the bike/swim, I'm thinking I will be lucky to finish.

Tonight I decided to swim laps for the first time, in say, 3 years. Other than a brief stint when I broke my foot in 2006, I haven't swum laps since I was a senior in high school. YIKES. Let's just say it was awkward and really hard. Considering I used to race 500 Meters in under 6 minutes and it took me about 10 to swim my first 400 meters tonight, I'd say I'm in terrible shape. My lungs were strained, my arms burned, and I could barely swim for 30 minutes.  Nonetheless, swimming is such a great workout!  (And the hot tub when you're done is the best!) 

I think I'm going to be very sore come July 14.  

Vacation Re-Cap

Ok, so it's one week late. Seven days ago I returned from a much needed 10 day vacation to the Outer Banks-complete with endless sunshine, a very swim-able ocean and LOTS of delicious seafood. Perhaps best of all, Steve came along, met my crazy family for the first time, and we are still together! ;-)

I apologize in advance for the lack of photos. I am pretty sure my parents took 125 pictures of the grandkids and one picture of me, and since it was a picture of me on a beach in a bathing suit, it will not be going on this blog.

Highlights (in no particular order):

1. TOM-TOM-my newest and perhaps most favorite purchase ever. TOM was great at getting us to the OBX. If you don't have a GPS system, what are you waiting for? It is amazing-particularly for someone who is as directionally-challenged as myself.

2. Steve drove the entire way-there and back. I hate driving. I'm not a good driver and I love to sleep. So, this worked perfectly!

3. Outdoor shower. Enough said.
4. Wii bowling tournement with my family. I came in second. My mom ended up winning the $4 pot!

5. No pantyhose, suit jackets, high heels for 10 days. AHHHH.

6. Nighttime walk on the beach when there was a full moon. Gorgeous. The only distraction were the one million ghost crabs also joining us on our walk. I really think they could do a horror movie about those crabs.

7. Flying a kite for the first time! Seriously, I've never done that before.

8. Did I mention the food? I ate so well, maybe too well. Lots of crabcakes, scallops, shrimp and other seafood deliciousness. Plus real Key Lime Pie. Not that fake stuff you see around here. MMMM.

9. Spending a morning with my niece and nephew at the pool. They are the most well-behaved kids ever. They are also a lot of fun. The only bad thing is that they like Burger King. Sick. Oh, yeah, and my niece named her new stuffed hedgehog "Liz" because of our apparent resemblence.

10. I read 5 books! :-) And got a great tan while doing it.

I had a really wonderful time and it was great to relax and have literally nothing "to do" each day. Very peaceful.

Hope your summer vacations are just as relaxing!

*Note: I tried to better space this blog. But, no matter how I tried, it continued to single space it. Perhaps the most annoying 15 minutes I've spent in a while. I apologize for the readibility but I don't have the patience to mess with this any longer!!

One week from today...

my biggest worry will be whether I am getting tan lines!

*can't wait *

Touch of Gray

Sir Thomas More: The law Roper, the law. I know what's legal, not what's right. And I'll stick to what's legal.

Roper: Then you set man's law above God's!

More: No, far below; but let me draw your attention to a fact--I'm not God. The currents and eddies of right and wrong, which you find such plain sailing, I can't navigate. I'm no voyager...

-A Man of all Season's, Robert Bolt

I fear I've spent the better part of 2008 classifying behavior (mine and others) as either right or wrong; sinful or unsinful. Now heading into the 6th month of the year, and I'm re-confirming what I've always felt to be true-it's quite difficult (and ridiculous) to try to have a black/white approach to life. 

In fact, I'd venture to say that most things in life remain in that ambiguous gray area. For instance, I can't conclusively say that point X is where you draw the line physically in a relationship or that X number of drinks is too many, etc. 

I think it's simplistic and ignorant to think following Jesus somehow makes it crystal clear what is right or wrong. If I'm just willing myself to not do certain things and do others, I lose the personal, merciful sides of God I love. I'm not trying to cheapen the importance of obedience to God. I'm merely saying "doing the right thing" isn't always so easy as it sounds.

Sure, I think it's easier sometimes to just try to live by what we perceive to be right and wrong and respond to moral issues with clear cut responses. But I think that type of approach can be kind of arrogant. It also sets us up to begin placing all behaviors on a sliding scale and we start thinking "well, I may do this but at least I don't do that".  And let's face it, that mentality is the opposite of the kingdom of God. 

I'd rather error on the side of grace for people (and myself!) and trust that God knows better than I do what is right and wrong.