Actions Define You
If you had called me a runner just three years ago I would have called you a liar. I didn’t run. I didn’t jog. I didn’t even want to think about running. But then one day, something was different. I bought the shoes and started. And I kept at it. So much so that one of the questions people will ask me on Sunday morning now is, “How far did you run yesterday?” They know because I run every week. It’s an expectation because it’s who I have become. My consistent, frequent actions have defined me in a new way.
Jeff Goins made the comment recently that “writers write.” That goes for just about any label. Runners run. Musicians make music. Readers read. Speakers speak. Parents parent. Friends befriend.
The definition of me as a runner stands in stark contrast to my self-applied label of “writer”. I could even throw in “friend.” These labels mock me because in my heart I know actions define. I don’t write. I scribble from time to time. But I don’t put in the metaphorical effort of pounding the pavement mile after mile in the cold, the wind, and the rain. I label myself as a friend but I don’t put out much effort to invest in the lives of my friends. Read more
Laughter and Good Friends
I’ve had the great privilege the last two nights to spend time with good friends and just laugh. There are times when friends get together and the emotional walls are there. There are conversations, but you realize they can only go so far. And then there are times when it seems like everyone drops their guards for a few minutes. The conversations flow easier and usually at some point the laughter starts. It’s even better when there is that one person in the group who has an infectious laugh. Everyone will get themselves under control and that one person will lose it again, which causes the whole group to start laughing again. Read more
Needing Goals & Going Dark
So after I ran the CowTown at the end of February, I found myself in a funk. I dropped off the digital landscape and even withdrew socially in person. Looking back, much of it had to do with goals. When I started seriously running, my goal was to lose weight. After losing over 60 pounds by the end of last year, I needed a new goal. That’s when I decided to run a 10k. So I spent the next 2 months training for the CowTown. I ran it and reached the goals I set. I also found myself a graduate from seminary. For four years my goal had been to preserve and graduate.
Read more
Book Review: Friendships for Grown-ups by Lisa Whelchel
Whelchel covers developing friendships that encourage and strenghten each party. She takes the reader through the mountains and valleys of her journey. Whelchel discusses her struggle with self-sufficiency and the coping mechanisms she developed to hold her friends at a distance. There are times when it is ok to be needy but you also need to make sure you choose the people you confide in wisely. Each person in the friendship must be willing to be vulnerable and be willing to deal with conflict when it arises.
Much of this book is geared toward friendship among women but there are nuggets of truth applicable to everyone. Despite the differences in our upbringings and life experiences, I found similarities in our dysfunctional behaviors. Whelchel weaves in quotes from other authors and Bible verses which place her experiences in a larger context.
And for someone who likes lists, Whelchel gives discussion questions and conversation starters to use as you work to deepen your own friendships. I enjoyed this book and it made me evaluate how I relate to my friends. In the end, that is the whole point of this book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
