So to sum things up:
*This past weekend's training camp with Ben was a big success. He rides his bike really fast and I try to keep up. That just about says it all! I spent much of the weekend looking at Ben's back wheel...or at times...looking at him get farther and farther away from me. :) I really enjoyed riding the bulk of my miles with someone though since I usually do most of my riding by myself.
*NOTHING you get to eat at a gas station stop mid-ride would impress Ben. I think he was ready to go through the Wendy's drive thru (bike thru?) if I would have suggested it!
*When Ben puts his head down and you can hear him shifting into a bigger gear - GIDDY UP!
*I rode a total of 210 miles between Saturday and Sunday. That breaks so many personal records I can't even begin to detail them all.
*I also ate so much sugar (gels, gummies, sports drink, bars, oh...and perhaps a bit of coke and a snickers too) on Sunday that I was concerned my teeth were going to rot. But STILL, on my run off the bike I had to take my emergency gel because I could feel a serious bonk coming on. What we do to our bodies is just crazy.
*And the beat goes on. Back to more work this week. I'm in the throes of Ironman training now and it's all become a big blur of swim, bike, run, sleep, eat, work, pack bags for next day. But I honestly wouldn't have it any other way and am feeling so blessed for this opportunity.
But what I REALLY want to write about is the Hillsong concert from Friday night. Oscar and I LOVED it. Needless to say, best performance either of us had ever been to, hands down. It was an awesome night of worship.
They sang some of their old songs but a lot of their new ones from the Aftermath album, none of which O or I were too familiar with. YET. (now that I've downloaded the album and listented to it 10,000 times, I'm quite familiar with all the songs :)
My absolute favorite song of the night was one of their new ones - a song called Take Heart. It's based on one of my all-time favorite Bible verses, John 16:33 (a verse that might look familiar to you if I've ever emailed you from my gmail account :).
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
I can't tell you how often I've drawn strength from that verse. It has quelled my fears countless times and calmed my very anxious heart.
I'll tell you what I fear. I fear not living to my potential. Not using the gifts that I've been blessed with and not honoring God how He wants me to. I fear pride and I fear my own selfishness. I fear hurting people that I love and that love me. I fear cancer. I fear my training schedule. :) I fear failure and I fear that my past failures won't be forgiven, even when I know they are. I fear losing someone close to me.
But you see, we serve an awesome God who has overcome it all. So what really do we have to fear?
Take Heart can definitely be a theme song for life.
A video of Hillsong performing the song in Seattle earlier this year.
Joel Houston (lead singer of Hillsong) talking about the song (and then he sings it).
Fun times at the Hillsong concert!
ReplyDeleteBeth, that paragraph where you express your fears just blew me away. I have similar fears and just to be able to hear someone else express them just made me feel better. Thank you for opening up your fears in that manner.
ReplyDeleteI'll give you something about me. When I was in High School I played Soccer. I think you know that, and we were a good team always ranked in the top 5 in the State of Illinois. I was a forward, and as it would happen I scored some important goals. One of the things that always dug at me... a try to be religious guy... was the am I playing for the applause like a rock star. You know you want to be meek and all that stuff, but I secretly liked the adulation. Not to mention I had long curly hair too, which was pretty cool as a soccer player. :)
ReplyDeleteAs to my journey away from organized religion it had to do with it seemed people at church (not all) tend to pretend they are this, to look good, but they are so much different. Sometimes at church people feel the need to be less real, because to be more real is to be in probably all cases worse than how you would want people to be perceived.
He overcame with truth, and honesty. He was made to look bad, all the way through judgement, but was willing to do it. He asked for nothing in return.
How awesome! Both the training sessions and the concert!! So glad you guys had fun! I can't listen to these songs (since I"m at work) but I"m going to try to remember to do it after!! Take heart!! Love that verse to and you know what, it always reminds me of you! Since it's on your signature!! Hope to see you soon!
ReplyDeletelove it and I can totally relate. you are doing so great with training and still getting out to your favorite concert. so awesome. I'm working on that balance too. I hit 230 miles two weekends ago and I was floored I could do it. x2 on the sugar :) keep pushing and staying positive! we are getting close now!
ReplyDelete