This morning when my alarm went off at 5:30, I pretty much cursed it and then texted my friend Kurt, trying to talk him out of our scheduled Loop run. I had been having a good dream and my bed was warm and I just wanted to sleep, so everything in me did not want to get up and go run in the 18 degree darkness. Kurt never responded to me, so I was on the hook and I met him at our usual place, and we joked about it and then ran.

I don’t know if it was the going to bed early or the pasta dinner I ate last night, but from the start our pace was well faster than our usual gait- and it stayed fast. Usually, if we are going too fast, one or the other of usfades a bit, and we together slow our strides to meet the desired comfort level. Neither Kurt or I relented on our pace, and I knew coming down the last leg of our run had done a fast Loop. We had. At the end, Kurt affirmed we had ran our fastest timed Loop yet.

This just goes to show you that sometimes, even though you want to stay in bed, if you show up, you can set a personal record in something, even if you thought you didn’t want to be there.

—

It’s one week to Christmas. Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? I know I haven’t, because I haven’t even started yet.

Our family has decided to have our family Christmas get-together on December 27th. This suits me because it means I can do my Christmas shopping at the after Christmas sales on the 26th. How tacky am I?

—

Having completed “The Chosen”, I did find a copy of “The Promise” to get into, to pick up on Reuven and Danny’s story. I remember part of why I thought about becoming a psychologist when I was younger was from reading this book. Love it.

—

9:30 P.M.

Tonight after work our church small group had its Christmas fellowship, so it was an enjoyable evening of just dining and chatting with friends.  Our small group has been special and unique from the start, if only for the fact that we are such a unique collection of people.

There is Chase, and energy trader. There is his wife, Elena, who is in nursing school, while she and her husband raise three children. There is Thearith, the Cambodian-refugee-turned-Austrailian-expatriate, who I call my twin, if only because his heart is always tender and present for the Lord.  There is his wife, Daing, the fellow Cambodian he met and married in Virginia, of all places.

There is Gwen, the Taiwan orphan who became an American doctor, and who now in retirement is discovering Jesus and the veracity of the Scriptures.  She is young at heart and a dancing fiend.  There is Marcela, a Brazilian who found herself wandering down dark roads and into a life of drugs as a young adult in America.  Marcela has had a 180 degree life reversal through her encounter with Christ, and her life is changing as she works her way through recovery programs, often leading and shepherding others who are behind her on that serious road of recovery work.

There are Kyle and Paige, a couple of young kids (late-twenties) and relative newlyweds who have joined us recently.  They are both sports fans and graphic designers.  Kyle has a tender love for broken people which is evident by the way he treats them, and a strong love for God.  You can tell that by the way he is dedicated with his time and resources to help people and causes before him.

There is Janice, the gentle but outspoken den mother of our cadre.  Janice is a nurturer and bold in her beliefs.  She speaks straightly, but her words are always wrapped in care.  She goes out of her way to meet and help people in our church that need it, and she is the most hands-on this way of anyone I know.  She has walked with the Lord for a long time, and this is manifested in her knowledge of the Word and in her demeanor.  She is compassionate and courageous.

There is Drew and Yolanda who can’t come to group every week, but who join us for special occasions. Drew is always smiling and greeting people with cheer at the front of the church on Sunday mornings.  They both participate in other church activities when they can.  They have welcomed us in their home in the past to have us share life with them.  They’ve been a quietly warm presence in our group life conversations

These people have been my circle of co-pilgrims over the last nine months or so, sharing life and sharing in the Word together as we’ve chosen to be part of one another’s lives.  They’ve been a source of comfort, challenge, and encouragement during this period, which is what a small group is supposed to bring to you.  You bring your life together with others seeking Him and learn from one another as He works in each of you.  That’s how small group life is supposed to work.  These people have been cherished friends over the last year.

Tonight we ate together and talked, and I was reminded that, counter to my common perception, I am not alone.  I have some pretty great people around me who love me.  I am thankful for seeing this tonight.