What DEFINES You?

I started This month last Thursday with a one hour run.  Sweet!    

But then I didn’t run the whole weekend.  I’m supposed to do my “long runs” on Saturdays.  However, Saturday was my women’s basketball game.  This is the last game I am in town for since I will be out of town for the tournament this friday.  We ended up playing ourselves again for a scrimmage 4 on 4.  My daughter was with me again and for some reason that day, I had my GAME ON!  I scored more than I ever had and had some great steals and layups.  It felt SO GOOD.  I  love playing... I’m so grateful that I can play! 

I have been on plan with my eating all last week and feeling good about my food choices.  Yup.  Lots of water. Doing good.  Then Sunday came and we were invited to a family members house to celebrate a birthday.  I found myself eating rolls with honeybutter - which was not on my plan.  Then... the cake and ice cream came out and I was going to not have any when the hubs decided he wanted some so I let myself have some with him.  Yum.  But dang, I wanted to be on plan!  So..... I’m not going to beat myself up or feel like I blew it.

Because - one decision of weakness 

DOES NOT DEFINE ME!!

I enjoyed the cake and my family.  It’s all good.  (This is progress for me because I have gone into quite the discouraging self-anger in the past when I’ve eaten things off plan.)

I have had my downs and things that I struggle with.  I am trying NOT to focus on them as I don’t want to give any more power and energy to the negative in my life or negative things I feel.  I’ve been trying to be patient in how I interpret things and to allow a few days for the Lord to enlighten my mind and help me see things as they really are.  To not jump to a negative conclusion or take to heart things that allow me to feel hurt.  Letting things go... Choosing to see the positive... Assuming the absolute best in others and myself.  I am a work in progress!

Yesterday morning - I headed out for my run.

God gave me the BLUEST SKY and CLEANEST AIR and as I ran I felt the STRENGTH in my LIMBS and LIFE WAS GOOD.  I ran up the side of the mountain again for that incredible view of the valley.  My heart was so full of gratitude that morning and I LOVED my time to myself and thinking, talking with God, enjoying my tunes, etc.  Before I knew it, an hour had gone by!  I still felt great.  So I kept running!

As I was getting close to my home and running down my street - it felt amazing and surreal to have run for so long.  I thought about how going through the hard times I have - has blessed me with MORE GRATITUDE for what I do have:

I reflected on many of my life’s struggles where the answers came later on - even years and years later.  And since I have been forced to wait for those blessings - they have became more cherished.  I can say that for my children (took us several years to have children), my husband (who I waited for for 2 years while he served a church mission), and my friends (who I prayed for years to find).

So now I am running down my street, in a body I haven’t had since junior high school.  A body I can run in, breath in, enjoy my life in.  I lived in a prison for so long and now I am running free.  

If I had not been in a prison - would I cherish what I have now?  If I had all these blessings right when I first wanted them, would they mean as much to me now?

I can’t imagine that they would.  These challenges have shaped me and endeared me to LIFE.  Life, my family, my friends are all MORE DEAR to me and MORE TREASURED than I ever imagined.

I reached my house and saw that I had run for 1 HOUR 35 Minutes for a total of 
SIX MILES!  
YOWSA!!  New Margene Best!  

Now, I will let THIS good accomplishment DEFINE ME!  
I can do hard things.  
And so can YOU!!

What are YOU going to let DEFINE YOU?

Life is so good.  I hope you find a way to enjoy and find the beauty in YOUR life!

Three Days and my girls and I are ON A PLANE to OREGON!!!  WAHOOOOOOOO!!

XoxOXO ~ Margene


(PS - This is Mango... he is not as impressed!)