"Nothing for Granted" - April 3, 2020

"Nothing for Granted"
Poem of the Day - 4/3/20
Audio Version of Today's Poem

Take nothing for granted -
It seemed so cliche
Yet today in our world
This phrase has its own way
Of making us stop
And ponder the gifts
That God's granted each person
Till our spirits it lifts

Holidays spent with family
Long commutes daily to school
Constantly nagging our students
To just follow the rules
Simple interactions and things
Were part of the daily grind
To live in a world without them -
The reality ne'er crossed my mind

So, where does it leave us?
What can possibly be done
To find hope in the present
And have, dare I say, fun?
Gratitude's good for starters
To offer up in prayer
So that our perspectives widen
And of God's love we're aware

Running for (and with) others

Less than one week out from my marathon, I can't help but reflect with gratitude on the people who have helped support me along the way (and those who will be with me on race day). This post is for them...

*Mission OLA - This place and its wonderful people (the religious men and women who serve there as well as those whom they serve through their ministry) are the reason I am running this race and the reason I reached out to family and friends to help me fundraise over $1000. Their presence/ministry in the Humboldt Park neighborhood is a true gift from God, and I am fortunate to be a part of their efforts in a small way on a somewhat regular ongoing basis too.

*My fellow runners - Whether it was a quick text, email, or phone call/conversation to check in and see how the training was going, it meant a lot and it kept me going. It's such a blessing to know that others are cheering along the journey and praying for me and a strong race. Knowing that someone is a long-distance runner forms an automatic bond for me with that person - they just get it. And for that I am grateful.

*My sister - Believe it or not, this is the first marathon that my sister is not running with me. (Well, Disney still counts because we were in the same race - she was just 20 minutes faster so we weren't technically running together.) Therefore, it's going to be different - I'll have to be the one to push myself, especially when I get to the end and always want to wimp out; I'll have to imagine her there telling me to keep going and that I can rest when it's over. (She also got me a goody bag full of important things like chocolate, throwaway gloves, and a portable roller for sore muscles after the race. That was pretty great.)

*My parents - They have always been my biggest cheerleaders. My dad even wrote me a short (inspirational) poem when I sent him the runner tracking information. :) They've been to several of our marathons (Disney, Chicago, Detroit, & Cincinnati), jumping around at different points of the course to take photos and watch us run by. They won't be at this race, but I know they'll be praying and tracking from afar.

*My race weekend buddies - Ok, so they're running the 5K, but they are still giving up their weekend to come support and cheer me on. They will be subjected to my early morning race day hours (so I can get my coffee in ahead of time), pre-race meal dietary restrictions, and random agitation of crowds/inefficiency at the expo. But it will be great. And we will get to celebrate the rest of the weekend.



Running is something that has always been a part of my family's lifestyle, even if it was just holiday 5Ks (Turkey Trot & Jingle Bell Run) growing up, and it is something that truly became part of my identity in college. Our running group ("Bull Run") was filled with awesome people who helped me go from barely being able to run 3 miles to running a marathon in under 4 hours. I still think of them in my training and racing to this day and try to take their advice to heart.

Even when I thought I'd have to hang up my long-distance running shoes when I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, my physical therapist and doctor helped me get back on my feet (literally) and build my running stamina back up to what it once was, with my first marathon back at it being a PR by over 5 minutes.

God is so good, and He has blessed me with this opportunity to race next Saturday with the support of my family and friends. If you think of it, please say an extra prayer for me (and for all those running) on Saturday. It's going to be a chilly one, but I hope it will be precipitation- and wind-free! Let's go!!

"And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

Finding God

There's something about the crisp air,
the wind dancing across your skin -
making your hair do crazy things...
The way the sun breaks through the clouds,
the shadows cast by the trees,
the sound of the waves,
and the chance to 
just
be 
still.

I've never felt so close to God
as when I am out in nature,
be it on top of an Arizona mountain
or on a beach back home,
whether it is running on the lakefront path
or reading a book on the back porch in the shade...
Or,
one of my personal favorites,
staring up at the countless constellations
after dad has pulled the car off the highway in Michigan
so we can all gaze at the beauty above us,
maybe even catching a glimpse
of a shooting star.

No matter what
it takes your breath away
each time
if you let it.
It's incomparable beauty
given to us
by God.
It's ours to enjoy,
to care for,
to cherish,
and to share.

And so,
we breathe in each new day
with open hearts and hands.
Even if just
for the briefest of moments,
a prayer of gratitude hangs in the air,
as we offer ourselves
up to God
and ask Him
to hear our prayers
and watch over us 
as morning breaks
and we start full speed ahead,
assured that God is always waiting for us
if we know where to look for Him.

Finding God in the Uneventful

“The uneventful day is a precious gift.”

This quote has stayed with me long since I turned the final page of Cutting for Stone, a beautiful novel about twin brothers in Africa who grow up to become involved in medicine. It is a simple reminder that we need to treasure each moment, not taking anything or anyone for granted.

As I am on the verge of returning to my "normal" school routine (along with many other teachers across the city and country), I need to make sure I don't get stuck in a rut. Every morning brings potential and hope; each day is a fresh start. And even if nothing significant happened, it's important to recognize just that...

The students did their assigned activities, mostly finishing within the class period...

Traffic was not too bad, but it still took awhile to get home...

The meetings went as planned...

There was nothing particularly worthwhile to post on Instagram or Facebook...

But, I had today. 

And as un-noteworthy as it may have been, it was mine to do with what I was able, hopefully helping a few others along the way.

And, God willing, I get to start again tomorrow.

That, my friends, is a precious gift. And that, my friends, is worth thanking God for.

Thank goodness for Thanksgiving!

When the school year starts each August, it becomes easy to fall into the daily grind, often causing us to lose sight of the important people and things in our lives. As day follows day and week follows week, it's a constant struggle to just stay afloat. This is just one reason I am especially thankful for Thanksgiving - it's a chance to slow down (not counting the actual turkey trot, where it was necessary to speed up) and relax with family and friends. 

I was lucky enough to visit with my parents and sister (and her fiance) in Michigan. We had a simple Thanksgiving - the annual "Mighty Gobbler" turkey trot in the morning followed by a late lunch/dinner (with my aunt and uncle joining us) around the table. My personal favorite part of the meal was the pumpkin pie. Mmm... 

Also, my sister and I spent part of Thanksgiving afternoon making the traditional family turkey apples. (We just didn't have the cloves for the eyes.)

We spent most of the day after Thanksgiving visiting our great aunt and my grandpa's best friends (who are as close to family as you can get). We shared a lot of good stories and laughs. I love the holidays. :)

My mom and I went to see the movie "Wonder" on Saturday. It stayed pretty true to the book (from what I can recall - I read it over 5 years ago), and it brought a number of tears to my eyes. I'd recommend seeing it.

Before heading out, my parents put up the Christmas tree and hung the lights. My dad even made a new tree topper for it. Then he started playing Christmas music on his guitar. It was then that I realized that I couldn't escape from all things Christmas - the time had come to give in...so I did. I downloaded Leslie Odom Jr's new holiday album for the drive home, and when I got home I wrote out and addressed Christmas cards. (I'm waiting a few days to actually send them, though.) Let the Christmas carols play and the lights shine brightly - it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And I'm okay with that.

The Gift to Realize that Everything is a Gift

Long weekends are amazing because, as a teacher, I feel that such times are the only true times (aside from more extended holiday vacations) when you can take a day off.

So, that's exactly what I did on Sunday. That's right - no work. Period.

My sister and I went for a run on the Lakefront path, which, while hot, was quite satisfying. After washing up, I met her and one of her roommates from ACE KC (Anthony) at Yolk (a local brunch hotspot) for some delicious pancakes. From there, we headed downtown (via the L) to drop off Anthony's bags at Union Station. It was at that time we had the brilliant idea that we would wander around...and ultimately find the cupcake ATM.

(Yes, believe it or not, it exists. Directly below is the proof.)

We enjoyed some sunshine, our cupcakes, fresh air, and conversation on a Starbucks 2nd floor outdoor patio (who knew?). And then we walked some more. (By the end of the day, let's just say my legs were a little sore.)

And after sending Anthony on his way (back to Union Station), Marisa and I grabbed dinner and then headed to Mass. Finally, to round out the night, Marisa and another friend and I experienced the beauty of a summer's evening with margaritas and tortilla chips on the patio of the Mexican restaurant right around the corner from Church.

This morning, I was able to wake up refreshed and so very grateful for yesterday's encounters and adventures.

Speaking of grateful, I'm starting that theme with my 7th graders this week in Religion class. They'll be writing daily in their gratitude journals, and I'll be reading them some books, sharing some stories, and inviting them to reflect on how we can all be a little more grateful for what we have.

I plan on showing this video tomorrow:

And here are some images to get us started and to use throughout the year:

As the video (above) says at one point, it's a "gift to realize that everything is a gift". Today, I was able to look out my back door and see beauty in the simple grace of the brilliant sunshine:

What are you grateful for today?