Leave Politics Out of it.

I've tossed around the idea of writing my views of the terrible events that happened at the Boston Marathon on Monday. I've had a constant see-sawing in mind whether it would be worth venting myself on the internet on a blog that only a few people read. I finally decided that it would, seeing as I would just be thinking about it all the time.

Last year I took up running. I have had a love-hate relationship with it, but I have been able to keep it up pretty well. I love meeting goals and creating milestones in my abilities as a runner. I used to say I wasn't built for running. and more often than not on a difficult day I feel like that's the truth. But I have kept it up, and was able to go from not being able to run at all to running a mile, than two, than a 5k, then a 10k, then 8.5 miles. Its such a rush to see how far you can go. Even if its agony in the process, its absolute euphoria after you have finished and found what barriers you were able to push through. Even if I spend the next two days extremely sore, to know that I had just run 5 miles, or 6 or whatever distance it was, to me, was so exciting. I am a slow runner, I have to take more breaks to walk a little than I would like, but the point is, I am able to push through to the end despite my mental state at the time.
Last year shortly after I began running I was talked into running on a relay team for a local marathon. I agreed, and went to training for my portion of the race. I was told by some guys at the running store I go to for gear that they had dubbed the portion of the race I was to run the 'Hell Leg" because of all the hills. That of course freaked me out. So I made sure to hit the hills down the roads around my house where I run. I had to prepare myself, mentally and physically. When race day came, and my team mate passed the stick off to me and I began to run, I began to wonder when the hills would start. I didn't realize that I was on a gradual uphill climb.  The further I went the more relaxed I felt. its an uphill climb both ways where I usually run, so I didn't even notice that I was running uphill most of the way. There was a really steep hill at one point that I had to walk up, but that was it. My point is, had I not made myself run up and down hills all summer, I never would have been able to run my leg of the race as well as I did. That was the amount of effort I put into being able to run 4.5 miles of a race. All summer. If thats what it took me to learn to run 4.5 miles of hills, how much more training and hard work and effort goes into running a marathon? 26.2 miles. My brother ran a marathon last year. My sisters ran the half. This year I plan to run a half. It takes training, time, effort. For the Boston marathon, not just any runner can sign up. You have to be able to run a marathon within a certain time limit to qualify. It is such a huge accomplishment to qualify for Boston. For many people, probably one of the biggest accomplishments in their life. I have been both a spectator and a runner at marathon events. The feeling in the air on marathon morning is electric. Thousands are there to participate and cheer each other on. Its really not a competition (unless you are an elite athlete) the marathon is such a peaceful race. Everyone is encouraging each other  both the people on the sidelines as well as the people running with you. So many complete strangers running in the marathon were shouting encouragements to each other. I loved every minute of it. To see people from all walks of life, all religions, all backgrounds, all political views, putting everything aside and encouraging those around them, is something you really don't see very often.

I remember, Monday I was so excited to get home from work and try and find a recording of the marathon on the internet so I could watch it. Just as I was leaving work, I got a text message from my mom. She told me that there were bombings at the marathon. I immediately felt sick to my stomach. I couldn't believe it. I called her and she explained what happened. I immediately began scanning through the radio stations in my car, trying to find out more. What I heard was awful.  Pandemonium. people losing limbs, people suffering terrible injuries, burns, and, in three cases, deaths. What started out as a peaceful, exciting day, turned into absolute terror within a matter of about 20 seconds. I think I'm still in shock over what happened, and I'm thousands of miles from Boston.

Through the last few days we have been hearing so much from the media about the events of Monday. Whether or not they are all true is yet to be seen. I remember seeing a bunch of pictures of the marathon, same pictures online with various peoples own fabrications and stories of what was taking place, many you could tell were made up. I think I saw about 3 different stories of a picture of a man leaning over a girl who was laying on the ground, seriously injured. It made me angry that people would try and create their own sensations of a terrible act of terror. But even more so than peoples made-up stories, what made me angry was when people tried dragging politics into the situation. People having tirades against different political parties, as if they were specifically to blame. To attack an individual over a word they didn't use in an address made me spitting mad. I'll be the first to tell you, I am a staunch conservative. I didn't vote for the current president, and I wasn't happy that he made it into office. But, just because he didn't use a word that people thought he should, it has made so much of a deal. It takes away from the real stories that need to be shared. The stories of those who witnessed the bombing. The stories of those who stepped in immediately when there was a great need. The stories of those who remained courageous, the stories of those who saved lives by their selfless acts. The stories of those who put others lives above  their own  prejudices. Thats what needs to be made a deal out of. I have heard news stations on the radio making mockery's of Monday's of events. Mockery's because of how certain political parties reacted. It makes me so mad. Its so easy for those of us who aren't in the midst of the chaos to not take it as seriously as it should. I'm not speaking for everyone, And I know there are thousands of people who are reporting what they should, who are responding bravely, as they should. Its just the select few who point their fingers at the wrong spots that makes me mad. It seems that the ones with the least knowledge makes the biggest stink out of a situation.
We tend to point fingers when we don't know who to blame. When we don't know who did something, we decide that the people we don't like probably had something to do with it. That needs to stop. So please, in light of what happened, don't go into the political rampages that are rising through the act of terrorism on Monday. Stick to facts. Don't form opinions based on what you don't know. Pray for those who have suffered, encourage those who want to help. Show God's love and grace to those around you. Be an extension of his hand in every situation.

I'd like to finish this long post by saying thank you. On behalf of myself, and I'm sure every runner I know, Thank you to those who didn't let their fears stand in the way of their courage. Thank you, those who ran the Boston Marathon and immediately ran to give blood for the injured. Thank you for the doctors, nurses, medical workers who ran 26.2 miles only to turn around, and despite their exhausted bodies went right to work. Thank you to the first responders, to the military, to the police, to the aid workers, to the marathon workers, to the citizens, the bystanders, for your courage, and your willingness to rush to help each other.
We are Americans. We refuse to be terrorized.

Free Starbucks is My Favorite!

Venti Quad upside down iced caramel macchiato. And since Sunday was my birthday it was free!
My next couple Starbucks visits will be free due to gift cards and free reward drink (every thirteenth beverage free. Its probably not healthy how fast I seem to earn them). Oh the perks of being a gold card holder!

As you may have gathered from the above paragraph, I am, once again, sitting at the little window table in Starbucks, ear-buds plugged in, Pandora playing a Mumford and Sons station, sipping away on my highly caffeinated deliciousness of an iced caramel. There is some major lightening going on outside, and I have the perfect view. They have been predicting thunderstorms for everyday this week, beginning on Sunday. We have had absolutely gorgeous weather everyday this week, hardly a cloud in the sky. Today I suppose it finally decided to make good on the threats. I don't mind. I am quite partial to a good storm. Not to mention we kind of need the rain. Things were getting pretty dry. Last Friday the field behind our house caught on fire, if that's any indication of how dry things are. Took the fire department all day to get it out, and I was even stopped on my way home from work by the cops to make sure I wouldn't be driving by it. (the fire was happening about 1/4 a mile down the road from us). I don't recall ever seeing any part of our road barricaded, but Friday the cops were stopping every car. It didn't do too much damage though (all though the heat did seem to scorch some of the trees at the line where the field meets the woods, THAT would have been a disaster if the woods went up in flames!) and yesterday the farmer who rents that field was out plowing.

Today has been a good day for getting things done. This morning (after sleeping in a little, its my day off!) I went and picked up chicken feed and made inquiries about pig feed for my younger brother and sister, who are raising pigs for 4-H this year, I got the rest of my taxes figured out and dropped off my forms and check at the post office, Returned library books...I still have to run to the bank and deposit my pay check and make a trip to a running store (they specifically sell running gear. Shoes, clothes, braces, nutrition etc) to pick up some GU (energy gel for runners, I LOVE it!) and then off to church to get things ready for youth group tonight. Full day, but a relaxing one as well.

So after this very ADD-ish post (probably from my 4 shots of espresso), I should buckle down and get to work on my Ukrainian studies. I'm attempting to learn Ukrainian. Its easy to read, I just don't have any idea as to what on earth I am reading, even If I can pronounce it!

long-term planning

I've been thinking about college. The thought honestly terrifies the life out of me. I guess one of my problems is not feeling like I can do things. I don't have a whole lot of confidence in myself, as I have been lately finding out more and more. I'm one of those people who needs to be given affirmation. I need to know that I'm doing something well. I need to be told that I'm doing a good job. Its not vanity. Its not pride. Its necessity. The more I know that I'm doing a good job the better I perform. I thrive of off encouragement. My fear is that I couldn't do well in college. Sure, I had good grades (mostly) in high school. But being home schooled, I always wondered how I would have done in a class room setting. Would I have done as well? what would it be like to do my school in a class room full of kids my own age, studying the exact same things all at once? I am very grateful that I was home schooled  I'm glad I was home schooled. I've seen enough of the drama my friends went through to have cured any desires I may have ever had to go to public school. But still, I always wondered.

My second thought would be what in heavens name would I study? I'd love to go to a Christian college, But they are super expensive. (My third thought is how on earth would I pay for college?)
I'd probably pick a major in journalism or something of that nature. Cause honestly, what on earth would one do with a degree in literature? (which would be my preference)
As I've said before, I love to write. But I also love to speak. I'd love to be a speaker at conferences. Shyness is not a problem I've ever had to deal with. I love to talk. I'd love to be a speaker at youth conferences. What would one pursue to make those realities? I was looking up degrees that had to do with journalism at a local university. I had no idea there were that many options. I thought journalism; you learn  about writing magazine articles or newspaper columns. Nope. There are all types of journalism degrees.
Then I was thinking about traveling, another thing I love. What could I do that includes speaking, traveling and writing all at once? trust me, writing brochures about hotels and resorts is extremely unattractive to me. I want to write about experiencing cultures. I want to write about personal encounters. I want to write from a perspective completely my own. I want to speak about God. I want to speak encouragement to teenagers. I want to speak in conferences full of teenagers who are hungry for and in need of God. I want to travel the world. I want to travel across Europe. I want to see nations. I want to go back to Africa, I want to see South America. How can I do all three and be paid for it? I foresee a great deal of prayer in this area of my life coming. If anyone has any advice or thoughts, PLEASE let me know. If you know of anything I could earn a degree for that could help in any of the areas, please tell me. I feel completely lost on my own