Running A Race for Life and The Race of Life

I never would have dreamed that I would be running for exercise, let along enjoyment!!! Last week Em and I ran/walked 10 miles over the week. Friday night we met the Mims and Burlesons at Veterans Park so we could run and the children could play. Emily and I ran/walked 4 1/2 miles in 52 minutes! That is incredible to me! We were so happy!! This weekend is a 5K in Brewer and I am not going to be able to run it because I will be out of town. I hated to miss the running. If I miss one time, it will be hard for me to go again. So I have signed up to run a 5K in St. Louis, MO on Saturday! The race is to raise money for a crisis pregnancy center in St. Louis. I have a pledge page if you are interested in pledging for the cause you can do it online at http://www.firstgiving.com/kimkillough1. I am a little nervous about running it alone, but excited at the same time.

On an ending note, I want to share what I concentrate on when I feel like stopping but need to keep going.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

" Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12: 1-2

Now, I realize that I am pulling verses out of context, but only for the race for life. Concerning THE RACE OF LIFE, I am slowly learning it is so very applicable. When I feel that I am fainting in the race of life that God has placed me in at this time in my life, I realize that I cannot run this race on my own strength!!! I am not even sure that I have the desire to run it at all, but God desires for me to and He alone will get me through. I am realizing that my desires of comfort and the easy life are not from Him, but of my own fleshly mind. My family and friends are the cloud of witnesses surrounding me and I have not put aside those encumbrances, I have become entangled in the sin of selfishness, I have tried to endure in my own strength because it is what I am "supposed to do", I have taken my eyes off of Jesus who is the author and perfecter of MY faith, I have not endured what I view as my cross with joy. I type in tears as my Precious Father has revealed these things to me as I share with you. God is so good! May I run the race put before me with joy and endurance from Him! I am so thankful for your prayers of my friends and family in this area.

Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow

Busy and Fun Week

Wow, last week is a blurr! We were so busy, but had so much fun! Monday and Tuesday Ryan started the week out with the Stanford Achievement Test. He was nervous at first, but came out smiling. Running has begun to consume a few hours of every week now and we are all enjoying it so much! It gives us the opportunity to see friends often. Tuesday after testing was over, we went to the Splash Pad with friends and had a picnic. We went swimming with friends another day and spent the whole Memorial Day weekend with friends as well.

Gracie discovered that she loved the water!

Ryan and Gracie

My Little Explorer

Emily, Gracie, Annie, John Ashford and Sam

on Memorial Day.

Springtime: Work or Play?

Both!!! Springtime means a garden at our house. For some it is work and others it is play.

Spectators

Mimi and Gracie watch the progress. Mimi probably worked harder giving instructions than we did planting!

Demonstrator and Worker

Jimmy demonstrates how to plant the seeds and plants most of them.

PLAYERS!!!

As I said before, some play and some work. Guess what Caroline, Ben and Gracie are doing?

We had to wait forever for the garden spot to get dry enough to plant. Now it is finally planted with tomatoes, bell peppers, banana peppers, egg plant, purple hull peas, green beans and butter beans. Oh yeah, squash and zucchini. Probably more that I am forgetting. New problem, it is so wet we can't get in it to pull weeds and till between rows. I guess that is better than a drought!

We get spring fever with the pretty weather. We have visited different parks periodically with friends. We went to Fairpark for the first time with the Burleson's and had a great time. Here are some fun pictures.

Gracie and Sam enjoying the swings.

Round, and round and round go Kate, Lia, Caroline and Ben.

Gracie loves being outdoors.

Sweet Sam!! He is sooooo cute!!

And last but not least: ANTICIPATION

PARTICIPATION!!!! What fun!!!

Ryan tries to get Gracie to participate as Mimi watches in the background.

Gum Tree 2K Fun Run

Fun and run are two words that I have never used together until Saturday! I ran the 2K fun run with Ryan, Ben, Caroline, John Parker, Carson, Kate and Lia. I guess I should say that I followed them in the run, because they all finished several minutes before me. I just can't believe that I did it with only stopping to walk one time and to tie my shoe (arghhhhhh) another! I am not sure of my time, but I think it was around 17 minutes. No big deal for most of my running friends, but huge one for me. I thought last week 3 minutes without a break was going to kill me, but I found out I could go at least 1/2 mile without stopping! I am proud of myself, but so very proud of my children. They all did great!!!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I am a bad fizzler! I haven't posted about starting a running program because I was afraid I would fizzle! Thanks to the encouragement from Emily, Lynn, Roan and my family I haven't fizzled!!! This is going on the fourth week of doing the Couch to 5K with Emily. My children have started running with the Spartans, our homeschool Cross Country

Team, and I am trying to get in better shape.

Jimmy, Gracie and I after the race.

All the boys after the race. Parker, Clay, Ryan,

Ben, Carson and Jared.

Girls before the race. Julie, Olivia, Lia, Caroline and Kate.

Kelly and Lynn after the 10K.

Julie and Olivia Johnson. They both got 1st place in their age divisions.

Gracie picking flowers. She does LOOK sweet!