.....inspiration.........

what lies before us and what lies behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us........

This week mine and Nicole's word is inspiration......  WOW!  such a powerful word!!!  So this week I have really put some serious thought into just what inspires me.....  and the answer was pretty simple....  it is PEOPLE!!!  Not in the way that you might think though...  I am not one who is impressed by WHAT people are....  could really care less....  we are all the same in God's eyes... and that is a fact!!!  What impresses me.... inspires me.... is what people are capable of in the face of tragedy....  in the midst of devastation!!!  What people are capable of when they put all doubt aside and BELIEVE that they can do ANYTHING!!!!  And I had never really been touched... inspired if you will...  by the true power of desire.... determination.... commitment.... until I started running races!!  My very first race was two years ago....  a half marathon....  what was I thinking!!??  About 3 miles into this race I came up behind a guy running with a prosthetic leg.... a "blade runner"....  and for the next three miles I continued to run behind him....  thinking back on how hard it had been for me to force myself out of the door to train for the race.... with two perfectly good legs....  I was humbled by him....  I was inspired by him!!!  And every race since I have seen people like him....  and people like me....  each one of us running.... swimming.... biking....  to cross that finish line....  not because we will win....  SERIOUSLY!!!  there are literally thousands of runner's in these races.... and only ONE can WIN....  but we all keep running....  and we all cross that same finish line!!!   And I am continually inspired by the smiling faces....  the tears....  the hands thrown in the air giving thanks to God above.... the glow of accomplishment...  that I see at the finish line of EVERY race!!!  And THAT is why I run when it is 100 degrees....  THAT is why I run when it is freezing.... THAT is why I run when I don't feel like running!!!  And when you ask me WHY  I run??  I will tell you...  I run because I CAN!!!  And I am soooo deeply inspired by those who have been told that they "can't"....  because of a disability...  because they are too slow... because they are overweight... because they are too old... BUT they still hit the road day after day...  believing in themselves when no one else believes in them!!  Knowing that they have what it takes to accomplish their dreams!!!  Doing the "impossible"!!!  Those people are my inspiration!!!!    Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week!!!

........sharp................

We are all pencils in the hand of God..............

This weeks word for Nicole and I is sharp....  I really struggled with this shot until I ran across the above quote!  Luck for me I had these awesome colored pencils huh!!  :)  The combination of  our word and the quote really made me think about just what kind of pencil I want to be in God's hand!!???  I don't want to be a dull or broken pencil in His hand.... I want to be a SHARP pencil!!!  :)  I want to be at my best when He uses me!!!  The struggle.... for me at least.... is STAYING sharp!!!  This ol world (and the people in it) can dull you in a heartbeat!!!!  And I have struggled with this problem a whole lot here lately!!!  :(  People around me seem to take great pleasure in stealing my joy... and sucking the life right out of me!!!  They just wear me out to tell ya the truth!!!  :)  And I find myself feeling dull and used up.........  and in my frustration... I fail to humble myself....  I try to fix me!!!  The reality is this......  I can't fix myself alone....  nope... I can't!!!  I can never make myself as sharp as God can make me!!!  I alone can never make myself as sharp as God needs me to be!!!   I have got to lay myself at His feet so that he can sharpen me and use me!!!!  So... YEAH for this word!!!!  and for the thought that it sparked in me!!!  Nothing like a little photo-therapy!!  heeheehee!!!  :)  Be sure and head over to check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!  :)

.....soothing............

Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.....

This weeks word for Nicole and I is soothing!!!  And this is the FIRST thing that came to mind for me.....  a steaming hot cup of tea!!!  It is my new best thing!!!  :)  I believe that I have actually become addicted....  and I get a little upset if my day doesn't allow me my "tea time"!!!  :)  Inside that little afternoon cup of tea I find peace from my crazy day....  it is soothing.... to my soul!!!  Maybe it is some ancient Chinese thing....  or just my crazy imagination....  but I feel better....  things gain perspective....  with that soothing cup of afternoon tea!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot this week too!!! 

....curve......

A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn.......

This week mine and Nicole's word is CURVE.....  I had lofty creative ideas for my shot for this week....  but no time to see them through!!  :(  Funny how life seems to get in the way of our creativity!!  I day dream sometimes of the things that I could do given the time!!!  And then I am quickly returned to reality by responsibility!!  yuck.... and to think that I couldn't wait to grow up!!!  What was I thinking???!!!   I love the above quote.... and thought it quite fitting for my life right now....  even for my photo this week!!  Confirms to me that although life doesn't always go as we plan....  we have to stay on course....  bend.....  be flexible!!!  Because it is in the curves of our life that we grow... learn... become stronger...  discover what is really important!!!  So my shot this week is NOT of a long stretch of curving road...  no curved railroad tracks... no awesome little ladybug... (I looked hard for that one...  to me she would be the PERFECT curve!!)  NOPE... my shot is of the curved rim of a glass... and some freakin AWESOME light!!!  And my focus this week has been to stay on track.... no matter how many curves there are in front of me!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!!