The Perils of Jogging, Part 2

On Sunday morning I decided to run a route that would take me back to the street where I fell. This time I went running after the sun had come up. I wanted to get a look at where I fell on Friday to see if I could tell where it had happened.

What I saw was a street that was full of cracks, There were so many of them that I could not tell which one I had stumbled over. What amazed me was that I had made it as far as I had without falling. The street surface really was not a good place to run on in the dark.

As I ran home, I thanked God for being with me on my run that day. Now that I had seen the street in the light of day, I realized that things could have been a lot worse.

I begin to think of how much I have been blessed by God. I have been incredibly blessed every step of my way.

I wonder if the same thing isn't true for you. Haven't there been times when you have believed that things have gone pretty badly? I bet, though, that if you could see things in the light of day - like I saw that street surface - you would realize how fortunate you really are.

The Perils of Jogging, Part 1

I knew that during the next few years, it would be especially tempting to stop exercising. I have classes to study for dealing with subjects that I have never attempted, classes to teach in subjects that I have not taught in over 20 years, long-term projects (writing for academic publications and dissertation) and short-term projects (writing papers for classes and academic forums), and, like many of you, I have the same demands on time of a family man, a homeowner and a disciple of Christ. In that mix of time that makes up my day, I knew that exercising regularly needed to become a priority, or I simply would stop doing it. 

And then came the heat.

So every other day, I have been running in the morning before the sun comes up. On alternate days I ride a stationary bike. This has worked out fairly well. I have been working up to 4 miles a morning twice a week and on the third run for the week, 6 miles. 

Then came the Fall.

Because it is dark, I try to always run on the sidewalk or, when there is not a sidewalk, the street. Admittedly, this involves some degree of hazard, but it tends to keep me awake and alert at 5: 30 in the morning. This past week I was running in a street that flanks our neighborhood. When I heard cars coming up behind me, I jumped up on the median in stride, a perfect running machine :) When the cars passed, I jumped back into the street. Almost as soon as I hit the pavement again, sweat drops streamed into my eyes. As I continued to run in the dark in the street, I took the bottom of my shirt and lifted it to my face to wipe the sweat out of my eyes. One millisecond after doing this, I was flying to the ground, hitting hard on my right elbow, rolling over to my hip, and in the process, banging my knee and ankle on the concrete. 

It happened so fast that I was completely caught off guard. WHAT (just happened)? HOW (did it happen whatever happened)? WHAT (is going on)? Somewhere lurking behind all these questions was WHY (did this happen)?

Although in moments I am prone to immediately ask God, WHY is this happening to me? This was not a time where I made this a discussion point with God. I jumped up quickly - lying in the middle of the street in the dark is not where I wanted to be. I was still a mile or so away from the house, so I knew it would be best to keep running home.

This morning I returned to the scene of the crime. 

Blessings and Looking Ahead

My first summer session at Richland is over. This has been a great experience. I love working with these students who are facing so many hardships and are trying so hard to better their English so that they can get better jobs, provide for their families and make their homes here.

During the fall semester I will be teaching two classes at Richland, two at Texas A&M - Commerce and taking 9 hours toward in the doctorate program. I was asked this week by one of my professors to work through grant funding received from the National Endowment Fund for the Humanities as a Graduate Research Assistant. It was a great honor to be asked but I had to tell her that "my plate was full."

Jehovah Jireh.

New Gig at Texas A&M-Commerce

I have been offered a teaching assistantship at Texas A&M-Commerce. I took it. As you must know, it is a very glamorous job, teaching Composition to enthused freshman:)

I am glad to have the work, the experience and to be able to work with college students at a time in their lives where they may be more open to God's nudging. I know that sometimes college students are so completely into themselves that they can't see anything beyond the next party, but I also know that when the party stops, sometimes, sometimes, the thinking begins. I pray that God can use me then.