God, Running, & Signs: Pt.1

From the start it seemed like I should've just turned around and gone home. I had set out to go for a long run, it was in my mind to run a half-marathon (13.1miles) this particular morning. I wasn't sure if I was going to go that far, nonetheless I was going for at least 10miles.
photo © 2009 U.S. Army | more info (via: Wylio)


One mile into the run my earphones started falling off, to me this is very frustrating as it breaks my stride and focus. This had not happened in some time but a few minutes after the first time it happened again! Then if that wasn't getting to me, my side began to hurt. Now I was really upset. I had eaten breakfast several hours before to make sure this didn't happen and had not drank a lot of water either. Nonetheless the pain began to get worse and I was now only on mile 3.

Something overall just seemed to be telling me that I should stop, turn around and go home. I persisted though, fought through the side ache, made sure my earphones wouldn't fall off again, and tried to stay focused. Things seem to improve, especially the side ache as I pressed on, when....

An elderly couple walking along the trail yells at me, 'Be careful there is a herd of dogs down that way!' Even though I had my music on, I heard what they said and thanked them for telling me. So now it was decision time...do I continue and risk being chased, bitten by dogs? Or turn around as I've been feeling for some time?

photo © 2008 Josh McGinn | more info (via: Wylio)



For a moment I decided to continue, until? Well...I saw one of the dogs (looked like a pitbull!) in the woods about 60-70 yards away. I told myself, enough, I'm turning back! I had ran close to 5miles by now so it would be close to the 10 I would have been happy with.

Some points I ponder in this experience:

1. Many times I believe God is trying to speak to us, tell us something and we are so focused on wanting to accomplish what we want that we are not listening.
2. I believe that God in one way or another was trying to get me to not go down the path I was going through. I seem to ignore all the signs He was trying to give me. Then this wonderful couple clearly spoke to me about the danger of going down that path. God is so gracious that he sends us warnings, that if we will listen to them can change our lives
3. God ever looks after us. Now this one is a bit tough. Why? Well because so many things have happened to people that pray and love God and they may wonder, 'well was God looking after me?' I can't answer that question and perhaps no one really can. Nonetheless I have seen God's hand in so many ways in my life. If I would have gone down that path on the trail, that 'herd' of dogs could have easily gone after me and I would have had no where to run. God ever looks after us!

Are you perhaps going through something right now that God is trying to tell you something? Are you ignoring all the warning signs? Remember God truly cares about every aspect of our lives!

Stay tuned for part two: The rest of what I believe God was showing me...by the way the elderly couple, as I turned back and passed them said, 'yea I believe one of them was a pitbul!"

Javi

Southern Adventist University: Flash Mob & Blue Hair (video)

image from: www.adventistcolleges.org

Recently students from my alma mater, Southern Adventist University were trying to raise funds for a project to fight illiteracy in El Salvador called No More Thumbprints. One important note was that the Universities president Gordon Bietz got into the mix by saying that he would dye his hair the color of the team which raised the most money.

President Bietz is much loved and respected by the students and this is another good reason why. He's friendly, down to earth, and shows his human fun side to all of his students. At the same time as mentioned he's highly respected and looked up to. I love that he did this and the students had a blast!

Check out the video below for the results! It's been making it's way around Adventist circles.



So what do you think? If you were president of an organization would you do this?


UPDATE: After posting the video the owner has disabled sharing, to see the video on YouTube click HERE.




Javi

Be His Valentine

I remember in grade school making Valentines cards as part of art class. We used construction paper to cut out our heart shaped cards, then we had to 'accessorize' them by drawing something on it, usually it was more hearts of different colors, we would also add glitter, (art class back in my day wasn't art class without glitter:-), and lastly of course we would add our 'Hallmark' words addressed to: mom!

Honestly I hated these art projects. I wasn't much of an artist, even today I claim no drawing abilities. I always loved to see some of my classmates draw their perfect hearts, while mine looked like it had a heart attack. Yet I knew what I was doing was for my mom, I loved my mom, so even though art wasn't my best subject, I tried, did my best, in hopes that she would like it.

Of course like a great mom that she was and is, she loved it. She always gave me a hug, a kiss and told me how beautiful it was. I don't know all the psychology to it but even as a kid to hear mom say that she loved my drawing and knowing I had tried my best and done it with all my heart, frankly I didn't care if I wasn't artistically inclined like many of my classmates. Mom loved my Valentines card, that's all I cared!

In this post though I'm not going to get into the history of Valentines, where it came from, or should you celebrate it. I'm not going to ask you, have taken your significant other out to eat, bought them flowers, chocolate, or even if...well...you've bought them/made a card! And, yes, I know what some say, 'everyday should be  Valentine's day with our significant other', reality is for most it's not.

Here is what I will tell you, our lives everyday, particularly those of us who call ourselves Christians, are  Valentine card's to God. Everyday He says, 'be MY Valentines' I love you. Our lives are those construction papers, that God is forming into beautiful hearts. You see as we respond and fully surrender our 'construction hearts' to God. We are assured that He will receive them with embracing arms, sure some will be really rough on the edges and some won't look so bad. Yet be assured that our God will take them all, and with great love will construct for us a new heart.

I praise God, for I am His Valentine now and forever. He loves me! He accepts my terrible drawn heart and says, "come I will show you how to draw."

Will you be HIS Valentine?

Javi