“Lead on, Mac Duff”

This was my call as we made our way down St Helen’s. Unlike most people because of the issues I have with my knees, it is significantly easier for me to climb up then it is to make my way down. One of the men in our group took the lead and did everything he could to find the easiest way for me to get off the mountain. He would climb ahead sometimes back tracking and taking a different route going slow and making sure I made it. He could have gone on ahead and been finished probably an hour ahead of me, sitting in the shade drinking a cold refreshing drink, but instead he made sure we all made it down.

This man was only one of the phenomenal men that were a part of our group. Each went above and beyond to help the entire group succeed. I witnessed one man literally stepping up on a rock and then reaching back with his pole to pull another member of the team that wasn’t as strong up to the next step. Then there was the man that left the group to go back down the mountain with one of the injured members only to start over again once making sure that member was taken care of. And then the young men that took the lead and just for the pure fun of the climb brought along all us novice climbers. Finally, there was our leader that spent the day walking back and forth between the various groups spread up and down the mountain making sure everyone was safe.

“Lead on, Mac Duff” is actually misquote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth. It was an emphatic declaration to not only head into battle, but to do it immediately. Every man in our group of climbers rushed head long into this fight and without them the battle may have been lost.

To each of those men, I could name by name but they would prefer I not because that is the type of men they are, I say,

THANK YOU.

Climbing a Mountain

May 17, 2008 Journal Entry:

Yesterday morning at 8 am I went to the knee surgeon to get the results of the MRI. So no obvious problem that can be fixed by scoping it, the meniscus that is left is “frayed” and there are some big arthritis spurs and my knee cap is rubbing off to the inside. All that means is that there really isn’t anything that can be done until it gets so bad that I have a knee replacement. I can do some exercises to strengthen the muscles and that might help.

Then I called Kyle I was in tears because I really don’t want to become my mom. I don’t want to live with this. So I am going to try and exercise. I need to lose 15 lbs. and I’m going to take Glucosamine and most of all I’m going to trust you Lord and live the life You have given me with a capital “L”

May 30, 2008 Journal Entry:

So I went and signed up at the “Y’ and worked out last night. Hopefully this will work for me so that I: 1) get in shape, 2) get my attitude in shape, 3) and get motivated about other things.

July 25, 2008 Journal Entry:

Last night I went and worked out again. No one else came. Bruce at the Y asked and I told him it was pretty bad when the grandma in the group was the only one that made it. But then I thought about it, I have the bigger incentive, I need to be in shape in order to keep enjoying live.

July 29, 2008 Journal Entry:

Lori and Dan climbed Mt St Helens yesterday, on the way down, Lori sent me a text that said that next year they are taking me. I told them I would hold them to it. Lord I would really like to be able to do that. I have 12 months to get in shape for it. Lord give me a strategy.

July 25, 2009

I reached the summit of

Mt St Helen’s.

And The Adventure Begins

62 weeks ago today that I went to the Orthopedic Doctor to get the results from the MRI on my left knee to see what could be done to relive some of the pain that I was in just doing life. It was then that he told me that there was only one thing he could do to help me, do a knee replacement. The only problem with that is that Knee replacements tend to only last about 10 years and I’m a little young to start having that done. He said I could try some physical theory to strength the other parts of my leg and it might improve it some.

800 miles of treadmill, stationary bikes, elliptical machines, lunges, stair mills and walks are a good estimate of what I have done in the last 62 weeks getting my body in shape. I wish I would have kept a log of the actual distances. So here I sit this morning 25 lbs lighter then I was a year ago and what started out as a goal just to be able to more comfortably became a goal to be able to climb Mt St Helen’s .

10 is the approximate distance I will be hiking/climbing tomorrow to up and back tomorrow on Mt St Helen’s.

62 – 800 – 10 Numbers that define this adventure.

Psalm 23:3

Fresh Paint

For the last 4 years we have had extra residents in our house, our youngest son for 2 different stints and two different sets of interns from church. About a week ago we finally saw the last of them move out. I feel as if finally I have my own house. Not that the guys didn’t have their own room but there is just something about shared living spaces.

To make the transition complete I have spent the last few days painting some of the rooms in our house. There is no longer an intern room and the guy’s bathroom, but today there is an office, Katelynn’s room and the upstairs bathroom. Not only are these areas being repurposed but they have a whole new look to them.

Painting the different rooms in our house has been something that I have wanted to do since we moved in, but my work schedule and other outside responsibilities have always taken a priority over painting both in time and money. We decided that now that we are taking back our house it was the perfect time.

New paint doesn’t change the shape of the room, but sure did change the atmosphere. Having those rooms done, I am really motivated to complete the rest of them; I just need to work it into the schedule.

Last week I attended a conference and it was as if my soul and my spirit got a fresh coat of paint. I am still the same person but marks and wear and tear have been patched, smoothed, washed and refinished giving me a new outlook. I am again motivated to live my life fresh and new every morning.

Lamentations 3:22-24