The Challenge

Funny how life is sometimes. When I started this blog I was at a point in my life where exercises was a big priority. After spending months working out at the gym, I had moved outside and running was becoming my new favorite pastime. Even the title of my blog was an homage to my new hobby although it was intended only as a pun.

What a difference a day makes! I think I've only stepped foot in the gym twice in the last six months. I did keep running but even that has started to taper. I'm not eating healthy like I had been so faithful at doing so I'm starting to put back on some of the weight I lost.

So...I decided that some accountability was in order. After I lost weight I remembered a picture of myself that I took several years ago. It's horrible! No shirt, pale white skin, and more rolls than a bakery. I looked and looked for it this summer but couldn't find it anywhere. Well, I came across it the other day by accident. I thought what a better way to motivate myself than to threaten to post the picture on my blog if I can't get back into the swing of things.

Now, I know I may regret it later but I'm giving my self one month to get back to my daily-exercising, sugar-avoiding, fat-resisting, smaller-portioning ways or else that picture gets the "blog treatment" and I promise you...it won't be pretty.

The Fan

If you have lived in Childress long enough, you know that there are some die-hard CHS Bobcats fans out there. Some are fans because they have a son, daughter, grandchild, or some other relative playing for the team. Some are fans simply because there is a talented team on the field or court that particular year and the proverbial "bandwagon" becomes a little overloaded. Others are fans simply because it is convenient at the time and after a few seasons the new begins to wear off because it's just not as exciting as it used to be. None of these is type of fan I am writing about here.

I'm referring to those people who are true fans. They are rooting for the Bobcats and Lady Cats year-in and year-out. It doesn't matter which sport is being played or what record the team has. It doesn't matter if they know all of the kids on the field or none of the kids on the field. It doesn't matter if the team has exceptional talent and achieves great success or if they just don't quite have the skill or heart to be one of those teams that gets the job done. These people are fans because they love the game no matter what.

We may all have our own ideas of who the greatest fan is but in my eyes there is no bigger Bobcat fan than Herold Kitchens. You may think that I am biased because he is Melissa's grandfather but anyone who really knows him knows that for more years that I have even seen in this life Kitchens has supported the Bobcats through thick and thin.

He spent many of those years as "the voice of the Bobcats" traveling to almost every stadium and gymnasium in the panhandle and beyond. In the freezing cold, in the pouring rain, and even in the smouldering heat he was there pulling for the 'Cats to bring home the win. After he ended his broadcast career he continued attending every home game and almost every away game as long as his health allowed and when his health began to fail him he listened faithfully on the radio to every Bobcat sporting event that was broadcast.

Now, his time left here with us is short. Even so, he laid in his hospital bed Tuesday night and listened to the Bobcat basketball team pull out a tight one. He's truly a Bobcat fan to the very end. Not many people can say that. Over the next few days as he passes from this life we will say "goodbye" to a man we love dearly and the Bobcats will say "goodbye" to their greatest fan.

The Difference

If 13 years of marriage hasn't taught me anything else, it has taught me that there is without a doubt more than one difference between men and women. I am, however, not brave enough or foolish enough to make an unbiased attempt at discussing any of those differences here because I have also learned that anything I say can and will be used against me in a heated argument. None the less, when I came across this image while using StumbleUpon I couldn't resist posting it and sharing with others. It certainly got me to thinking about all the things I have learned about marriage.

The Leader

Can I just say how much I don't enjoy leading singing at church? Don't get me wrong. I love to sing in church. It never fails to put a smile on my face and a warmth in my heart. I also love to serve the Lord. Nothing on Earth gives me more satisfaction and joy than serving Christ by serving others. Song leading combines these two essential acts of Christian living.

Why, then, does song leading make me want to put my head between legs, curl up in a ball and wish that Sunday would just hurry up and pass already! More importantly, why is that the area of service that God has chosen for me? He had to have chosen it for me because I sure didn't choose it myself.

Everyone at church is so supportive and encouraging! Every time I lead singing they come and tell me how much they enjoyed the singing and what I good job I did. I just wish I didn't get so stinking NERVOUS! And now I have to put up a brave front because both of my boys lead singing on various Wednesday evenings and want to be like their daddy (I know, maybe they'll grow out of it).

I'll continue to lead singing as long as I am needed and wanted. I have a really hard time saying no when asked to do anything for the church. I don't know...some little thing they call a conscience. As soon as each service is over I think to myself, "That wasn't so bad! What was I so afraid of?" Maybe with time my nerves will settle and I can actually learn to enjoy doing what seems to bless so many other people. I'll keep trying anyway.

The Elves

I know Christmas is over but Melissa made this video at JibJab and I couldn't help but share it. I'm glad the holidays are over and I am ready to start the new year. Believe it or not I'm even ready to get back to work.