September is here, the Summer is over and my children are back in school. My youngest daughter likes a singer from the boy band Five Seconds Of Summer. This summer had only 5 days when the temperature reached over 30 degrees celsius. Ironically enough one of these days was Sunday May 25 the day I ran The Ottawa Marathon.
The suicide of Robin Williams caught me and a lot of other`s by surprise. To think of the mindset of anyone who is so alone, so desperate that they think the world would be a better place without them is so sad. About this time I was listening to a Christian radio program that dealt with addictions. Two ladies called in both pouring out their heart`s about situations involving their spouses. The guest specialist gave advice, talked about his experiences, and some of his successes with other`s who had similar problems. The host of the radio station just listened, saying very little, offering to pray for the ladies. The specialist was not acting out of malice, but he was not as helpful as the host, in fact one of the ladies hung up on him.
Bruxy Cavy pastor of The Meeting House asked once "when did we as Christians decide we had to be the people with all the answers?"
In the Bible the story of Job is about a man who suffered.
Job 2:11 When Job`s three friends, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes to sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they saw him from a distance, they began to weep aloud, and tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
Unfortunately the friends did not stay quiet long as the next 28 chapters are a debate in which the three friends tell Job he must have sinned to deserve such bad things happening to him, and Job has to defend himself.
God lets the three friends know what he thinks of their actions.
Job 42:7 "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."
An African proverb says it is better to have a friend like an Elephant than a Hippopotamus. Elephant`s have big ears and a small mouth, while Hippopotamus`s have small ears and a big mouth.
Sometimes listening can involve more than our ears. My family attended a soccer game this past summer. We had the aisle seats which allowed us to get in and out of our row fast, but we also had our view of the game interrupted every time someone wanted by. One lady went out many times and I was bothered by her as she was large and would be right on top of us. Into my head came the thought "she may be large because she is eating to try to forget a traumatic childhood, she takes comfort in her food."
Much like Job`s friends I was humbled.
I don`t make new year`s resolutions, however since that week I have tried and will continue to try to listen with my ears, and with my senses.
For the world needs more listeners and less experts.
The world needs more listeners and less talkers.
The world needs more compassion and less judgement.
While drinking a coffee and "recovering" in a Chapters in Ottawa last May; not from the marathon, but an afternoon of shopping with "my girls." We heard a song And The Beat Goes On. It was originally written by Sonny and Cher this version was by Emilie Claire Barlow. The version on youtube is 5 minutes long, in Ottawa the version we heard was over 15 minutes long in which we heard the words and the beat goes on at least 100 hundred times.
This to me sums up the events that will come about from the June 7 5km Walkathon for Ratanak International that took place at Erindale Park.
In the movie Thor, I remember a scene in which Thor struck the ground with his hammer and caused an almost earthquake like effect over many miles. I feel the same as the walkathon but The Holy Spirit and not Thor was moving the ground far away from the actual event.
The obvious 300 people attended, over $42 000 raised, someone even gave me a check a week ago, someone I had not asked for money. Great number for a marathon runner in which 42.2 km is the distance.
In the next two months I believe there will be one and possibly two articles in major Canadian Running Magazines partly mentioning the walkathon, as well I have another interview for a work related magazine.
The walkathon was mentioned in the house of Commons.
An elite Canadian marathon runner is following this blog. (elite in that she is Canada`s fastest ever, she came fourth in the Commonwealth Games, yes elite enough to even impress my daughter Isabella.)
A group of runners in England has been in contact and are looking to try and have their own walkathon.
What I look most forward to are the stories we will hear about years later of people who first heard of Ratanak and it`s work leading up to the walkathon or being part of it.
I was sent three examples of people who attended this year`s walkathon who had first heard about Ratanak through Kelita Haverland a woman who had a series of concerts to raise funding and awareness for a Ratanak program to benefit exploited children in Cambodia.
I have picked a Spring marathon for 2015. It is in an American city my family has never visited. It is a popular event organized by a not for profit organization. The date is earlier than my last three events hopefully I can avoid the heat.
This is an elevation picture of the course, flat courses do not show elevation pictures.
This means the course has many hills.
This means that these two hills will be a regular part of training leading up to next spring.
This will be my seventh marathon, the title of the blog means the path I will take and write about leading to number seven.
For King & Country has a song Fix My Eyes that talks about what a man would do differently when looking back on his life. I liken this to my involvement as an volunteer for Ratanak International. I am not perfect and make many mistakes, however in the pursuit of true freedom for the children in Cambodia I would change very little from my life these last six years. Many things have to fall into place to allow me to train and successfully complete my seventh marathon but as long as I fix my eyes on Him things will be okay.
Fix My Eyes
I`d love like I`m not scared
Give when it`s not fair
Live life for another
Take time for a brother
Fight for the weak ones
Speak out for freedom
Find faith in the battle
Stand tall but above it all
Fix my eyes on you
Larry
The suicide of Robin Williams caught me and a lot of other`s by surprise. To think of the mindset of anyone who is so alone, so desperate that they think the world would be a better place without them is so sad. About this time I was listening to a Christian radio program that dealt with addictions. Two ladies called in both pouring out their heart`s about situations involving their spouses. The guest specialist gave advice, talked about his experiences, and some of his successes with other`s who had similar problems. The host of the radio station just listened, saying very little, offering to pray for the ladies. The specialist was not acting out of malice, but he was not as helpful as the host, in fact one of the ladies hung up on him.
Bruxy Cavy pastor of The Meeting House asked once "when did we as Christians decide we had to be the people with all the answers?"
In the Bible the story of Job is about a man who suffered.
Job 2:11 When Job`s three friends, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes to sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they saw him from a distance, they began to weep aloud, and tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
Unfortunately the friends did not stay quiet long as the next 28 chapters are a debate in which the three friends tell Job he must have sinned to deserve such bad things happening to him, and Job has to defend himself.
God lets the three friends know what he thinks of their actions.
Job 42:7 "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."
An African proverb says it is better to have a friend like an Elephant than a Hippopotamus. Elephant`s have big ears and a small mouth, while Hippopotamus`s have small ears and a big mouth.
Sometimes listening can involve more than our ears. My family attended a soccer game this past summer. We had the aisle seats which allowed us to get in and out of our row fast, but we also had our view of the game interrupted every time someone wanted by. One lady went out many times and I was bothered by her as she was large and would be right on top of us. Into my head came the thought "she may be large because she is eating to try to forget a traumatic childhood, she takes comfort in her food."
Much like Job`s friends I was humbled.
I don`t make new year`s resolutions, however since that week I have tried and will continue to try to listen with my ears, and with my senses.
For the world needs more listeners and less experts.
The world needs more listeners and less talkers.
The world needs more compassion and less judgement.
While drinking a coffee and "recovering" in a Chapters in Ottawa last May; not from the marathon, but an afternoon of shopping with "my girls." We heard a song And The Beat Goes On. It was originally written by Sonny and Cher this version was by Emilie Claire Barlow. The version on youtube is 5 minutes long, in Ottawa the version we heard was over 15 minutes long in which we heard the words and the beat goes on at least 100 hundred times.
This to me sums up the events that will come about from the June 7 5km Walkathon for Ratanak International that took place at Erindale Park.
In the movie Thor, I remember a scene in which Thor struck the ground with his hammer and caused an almost earthquake like effect over many miles. I feel the same as the walkathon but The Holy Spirit and not Thor was moving the ground far away from the actual event.
The obvious 300 people attended, over $42 000 raised, someone even gave me a check a week ago, someone I had not asked for money. Great number for a marathon runner in which 42.2 km is the distance.
In the next two months I believe there will be one and possibly two articles in major Canadian Running Magazines partly mentioning the walkathon, as well I have another interview for a work related magazine.
The walkathon was mentioned in the house of Commons.
An elite Canadian marathon runner is following this blog. (elite in that she is Canada`s fastest ever, she came fourth in the Commonwealth Games, yes elite enough to even impress my daughter Isabella.)
A group of runners in England has been in contact and are looking to try and have their own walkathon.
What I look most forward to are the stories we will hear about years later of people who first heard of Ratanak and it`s work leading up to the walkathon or being part of it.
I was sent three examples of people who attended this year`s walkathon who had first heard about Ratanak through Kelita Haverland a woman who had a series of concerts to raise funding and awareness for a Ratanak program to benefit exploited children in Cambodia.
I have picked a Spring marathon for 2015. It is in an American city my family has never visited. It is a popular event organized by a not for profit organization. The date is earlier than my last three events hopefully I can avoid the heat.
This is an elevation picture of the course, flat courses do not show elevation pictures.
This means the course has many hills.
This means that these two hills will be a regular part of training leading up to next spring.
This will be my seventh marathon, the title of the blog means the path I will take and write about leading to number seven.
For King & Country has a song Fix My Eyes that talks about what a man would do differently when looking back on his life. I liken this to my involvement as an volunteer for Ratanak International. I am not perfect and make many mistakes, however in the pursuit of true freedom for the children in Cambodia I would change very little from my life these last six years. Many things have to fall into place to allow me to train and successfully complete my seventh marathon but as long as I fix my eyes on Him things will be okay.
Fix My Eyes
I`d love like I`m not scared
Give when it`s not fair
Live life for another
Take time for a brother
Fight for the weak ones
Speak out for freedom
Find faith in the battle
Stand tall but above it all
Fix my eyes on you
Larry
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