8 yr olds party

Think it must be a sign of getting older when I can't hack an 8 yr olds party anymore!!

It was Abby's birthday party today and the girls had a great time making jewellery (courtesy of Little Jems Jewellery) and decorating cup cakes. All I had to do was organise a few games, but now I find myself shattered.

Must be getting older, although it's fair to say it was a busy week. Work has been busy and it's also been quite busy in other ways. The school term is coming to an end so I've had a couple of assemblies to take this week as well as Bible Teaching at Coatbridge on Thursday night.

Life can get so busy at times, can't it? ...and when it does, it needs us to start to prioritise things in the right way. Easy to say, but not so easy to do.

The Bible tells us that we should be "redeeming the time, because the days are evil". The word "redeem" here in the original language of the Bible carries with it the sentiment of buying back - out of slavery.

I suppose it is true to say that our time does have the capacity to be enslaved to doing the wrong thing so often.

So amidst the busy - ness, I find myself asking, Am I doing the "right" thing?Is this what God wants me to do? Am I using my time in the most effective way possible?

How about you?

 

The Half Marathon Commentary...

So the half marathon was last saturday in Stranraer and so I thought I should update on how things went. I will be honest to say that I really did think I might not make it. A few days before event I had picked up a hip injury and it wasn't looking too good. 

Albeit, we harassed the kids into the car last Saturday morning and off we went to Stranraer.

 

We arrived about 20 mins before the start of the half marathon and a number of other activities were underway from walkers events to fun runs and junior races for all the family to get involved with.

I donned my specially prepared t shirt and limbered up for the race....

I decided to take a starting position at back in the group so that I wouldn't end up going off too fast at the outset. And so with energy drink in hand, w set off. I found myself getting quite hassled in the first mile and realised, I shouldn't have started so near the back, however, I soon found a bit of space a couple of miles in and settled down in the run.

All in all, the run went well. I felt really comfortable for the first 7 miles but after that it became a bit of a mind game. I have to say that verse on my back, helped me through the race as well as very welcome cheers at 11 miles from my wonderul wife and kids( thanks guys that was the hardest point and you made a difference!). So I was really pleased to reach the finishing line in a really respectable 1 hr 41 mins and 3 secs. 60th over the line (out of 192 that started).

Have to say a big thanks to the stewards and the locals who were so encouraging, the many kids that were helping out at the water stops, but most importantly, the lady handing out the jelly babies in the last half mile - just the sugar rush I needed!


So that's it out the way and I've not been out running since. Hopefully get out soon though.

More importantly though, what a fantastic figure to raise for Eagles Wings Trust through my just giving page. As I write I am now at 251% of my target with a fabulous £1255 !!! Thanks everybody !

But, at the end I did wonder about the impact that verse from the Bible on my t-shirt had on other runners? Did anyone even notice it? I guess i'll never know. It is a great verse and is one of my favourites. I recommend it to you!

In fact, check out the whole chapter of Isaiah 40 - it's pretty powerful and poetic writing!