I was saving this post for when I had pictures downloaded, but I didn't want to wait any longer.

Two Saturdays ago I ran the St. Jude half marathon. It was an amazing experience. Thousands of people got in their respective "corrals" at 7:45 am just like cattle going out the fence gate to gaze. I stayed in one of the last because I knew I hadn't trained very much and I wouldn't be fast at all.

Little by little we inched forward for our time to cross the starting line. As we ran, people lined the streets cheering for you. And as we passed St. Jude hospital the families and patients came out to the streets with signs and noise makers to cheer us on and to say thanks. My favorite sign was "You're all Kenyans to me!" There were a few times in the run that I thought I was going to cry...and then I had to shake it off because I can't run and cry at the same time. How would I breathe? =)

It was the perfect environment to do your first race because there were hundreds of people that are non-runners that walk the whole way, but they do it because they are raising money for a good cause. My time was better than I had planned for. I planned on 2 hours 45 minutes, but I made it in 2 hours 33 minutes and 49 seconds! Next year I hope to train much more than I had time to this year. What makes me laugh is that the first people done with the full marathon did it in 2 hours and about 15 minutes! Now that's fast.

I'll post pictures soon.

Kids amaze me!

At Harding Academy we have chapel every Monday and then, on occasion, we have a small group chapel on Wednesday to follow-up on the topic and discuss what was talked about.

So, today we had a small group chapel to discuss the faith that Noah had. I was getting the answer they thought I wanted to hear, so I asked this group of nine 8th grade girls what they were planning on doing for someone else this Christmas and one girl said, "Buying presents." I replied, "Oh, for who?" And she said, for her family. I said, "I meant for someone other than your family...for someone less fortunate." And a few seconds went by when they just looked at each other.

I asked if they'd want to do something as a group and their faces lit up and ideas were streaming out of their mouths. Within 2 minutes we had planned to donate a dollar and take dinner to a woman from Kansas City whose 9-month old son has a brain tumor at St. Jude, and can't leave. Then, they want to make Christmas cards for kids at St. Jude. And lastly, they are going to donate a toy to give to a toy drive that one of the radio stations is hosting, then we're going to go deliver them one day next week. That's just what we narrowed down to.

This generation of kids is so willing to help with the problems of the world if we give them opportunities to help. The biggest reason that they don't get involved more is that they don't know how and where to get involved. My heart was lifted after that 15-minute session and I know that they'll remember this for future years and how easy it can be to help...that it doesn't have to be anything big. But, what they do and give IS big to someone who receives it.