Happy Thanksgiving!

First, I just want to thank all of you who responded to the offer of the healthy concept of Thanksgiving dinners. I think that as you begin to incorporate these plans into your holiday time not only will you feel healthier, but it will provide a time for your family to come together in the true meaning of the holidays. I hope and pray that these ideas work especially for your families as they have for ours.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Mark

Runnin'

I am, like I imagine many of you are running at warp 9! This past weekend Sarah and I went to Yoncalla, Oregon in order to visit her parents and attend an annual "Birthday Dinner" that she and her sibling celebrate every year around this time. It was a great time but really tiring.

And, of course, (as usual) I have myself double booked this weekend (and week) and as a result found myself spending alot of time catching up today. In midst of all my feeling sorry for myself this morning I started to get a killer headache. I don't know about you, but when I'm not feeling up to par or sick, I have a tendency to get grouchy. Uh, ok, I get whinny. Here sat the day's agenda before me and I'm moping around the house with no one to complain to except the dog (and he was trying to sleep!). About midway through my emotional funeral, I was tempted to pray and one of the things that God started to let me know was that I hadn't taken a rest. In a long, long, long time. I dug out my daytimer and review the last few months and had to confess that time and time again I had violated God's Sabbath. I wasn't taking the time to just be with God--not traveling around for Him--not ministering to others for Him--just being with Him.

I know, I know. We ALL are super busy. And it isn't out of some misguided, legalistic rule that I say stuff like this, but rather it comes from the reality that there are times in this life when the road is too hard for us. We HAVE to stop and spent quality time with the Lord. sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is rest.

Can I encourage you to rest today or this week? Even if it isn't a whole day but maybe just a 15 minute break--give it a shot. As for me, I going to rest a bit and spent some time with God just chillin'
In His Grace,
Mark

The rain has really hit Portland now...

And I love it! Now before everyone starts calling me the silly Californian, I just want to encourage folks that there is a lot of things that we can do in this weather. Some of us love to run during these rainy times (okay, maybe that's just me). Aside from a little mud, especially on the trailruns, it's a nice cool time to get outside. If you belong to a gym, this may be the time for you to try some of the classes that your gym has to offer.

All of us have a tendency to put on some weight during the Thanksgiving Day and Christmas season. The key for us is to plan out activities that keep us burning calories as well as planning out healthy, festival meals. Later this week I will present you with an outline of a meal we established sometime ago in place of the traditional meal.
In His Grace,
Mark

I have been way too busy...

Like most of you, I have found myself to be waaaaaaaaaay to be busy this past month. I had went to the Flathead church with Karmen and June Blake again the week after the Portland Marathon. We Had a great time of fellowship with the people there.

On the way up, we stop at the National Bison Reserve and had the opportunity to see a bunch of animals as well as enjoy the countryside. We also had the chance to spend a significant amount of time traveling th area to see what the needs are in the community.

Later at the church we had a wonderful time of worship led by June while I gave a sermon entitled It's Only a Matter of Time, which centers of the idea of biblical hope in our lives.

Upon returning to the city of Portland, it has been a whirlwind of activity trying to heal from the marathon as well as getting back to general training. I felt what I have heard some of my clients tell me about how life has a way of stealing time away from us. Of course, the easy way out of that one (as a life coach) is to just tell them to "improve their boundaries"--but I think that it goes much further than that.

I know that when I am feeling this way, I don't need folks sounding off one liners--no matter how good they sound. Rather I have seen that I need to be reminded that I am not alone--I don't experience life within a vacuum. I find that I begin to forget those things in my life that I have made a priority. For me, it is that reestablishing of priorities (through the content of real relationships) that gets me back on track.

If you feel trapped on this neverending treadmill of life, please feel free to send me an e mail and let's talk about it. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the photos.

In His Grace,

Mark Pearson