Joy Is. . .

The first asparagus of spring.

In case you both like asparagus and are not growing them in your back yard, you really should consider doing so. It is very easy, though requires several years before you have a steady, consistent production. They are low maintenance and are so much better than what you can buy in the stores. I won't even buy asparagus in the store anymore. I make myself wait until they grow in my garden. The anticipation is so delicious. As is the final product.

Running Week In Review (and look ahead) - week of March 15, 2010

This week was not quite as good as last. And, it should have been since the kids were on spring break and I had childcare that did not end when the school day ends. Anyway, I did okay until Friday.

Monday - 8 miles inclusive of 5 .5 mile intervals

Tuesday - 8 miles easy

Wednesday - SRD

Thursday - 4 miles recovery

Friday - was scheduled to run 8 easy, but had a HORRID wind from the north between 25 and 35 mph and I quit after 4 miles

Saturday - was scheduled to run 17 long, but the wind was still present, it was 26*F, and snowing. The snow was nearly horizontal and into my face. I gave it 9 miles and quit once my shoes were soaked.

Total for the week: 33.4, short by 14.

This coming week will bring:

Monday - 7 miles with 8 strides

Tuesday - 8 miles easy

Wednesday - SRD

Thursday - 4 with 6 strides

Friday - 8 miles with 4 at tempo pace

Saturday - 16 miles long

I need to suck it up and do it, but I'm telling ya: snow coming at you horizontally kinda sucks.

Notice Name Nurture - Sunday, March 14, 2010

I went out trying to find something to name. I'd been thinking a lot about judgment and then I saw these thorns. I think unrequested judgment is like thorns: it hurts unnecessarily and separates us from getting closer one to another.

That said, I am frequently paid to judge, but I like to call it "assessment." For some reason, I've been confirmed with an assumption of expert knowledge on human behavior. Okay, I have studied it for decades and it is what I do. But, I also think that there is a big difference between judgment and assessment.

With judgment comes the explicit meaning that your judgment places you above. Also, it is generally unsolicited. If I come to you and ask you for your perception, then by all means, assess. But, if I do not, then why should you think that it is your place to do so?

Also, I generally see a huge difference between solicited assessment and unsolicited judgment: value. It frequently feels as if the judger devalues the other when they judge: my worth is more than yours because you made a choice that I judge as being flawed and because I see myself as being in a position above you, I feel as if I have the right to let you know.

That alienates others. EVEN IF THE JUDGMENT HAS MERIT. It alienates the other. How much more effective would we be at evoking positive change in others if the other always knew that their worth was not the least bit diminished.

My goal for every client who walks through my office to never feel as if I value them one ounce less for choices they make. That they know that I see their light. That they can walk in and tell me that they made the most objectively harmful decision and, while I will likely call them on it, they will be able to lay the decision on the discussion table and be receptive to growth because their worth is not one ounce less. Unconditional positive regard.

Consider then, if you will, the IMPACT of your words on others. Does it achieve the goal intended? Is the intent to hurt, to distance, to demoralize? Or is the intention to lift up? Consider the impact of solicited vs. unsolicited "advice." Consider that there is a living breathing human on the receiving end and not one of us knows what that person is going through. Are you truly showing love for your fellow human or hate? And, if you believe it to be love, how effective are your words? I would posit that growth happens more when there is warmth, sun, and nurturance, than under heavy winds.

Just something to consider.

Operation Rice Bowl, The Third Sunday of Lent

Yeah, not so much. I'm not going to recommend this recipe at all. The Ginger Vegetables. We normally have left-overs that I take to work, but very little of the extra was eaten. So, proceed with that caution.

This week at dinner, we read The Beatitudes from Matthew.

Matthew 5

1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,

2 and he began to teach them, saying:

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Peace.

Running Week in Review (and look ahead) - week of March 8

I had a great running week! Perfect! Awesome! I hit every run.

So, I did:

Monday - six miles including 6 strides

Tuesday - ten miles including 4 x 1 mile intervals at 5K race pace

Wednesday - SRD

Thursday - ten miles tempo (was supposed to be easy, but because of lack of time, I turned it into a tempo run)

Friday - five recovery pace after dark

Saturday - 21 miles. Yes, 21 miles.

Sunday -

It was a drizzly, misty, grey day. I did four 5.25 mile loops around my house. The best thing for me is that I seem to recall reading that your time for a 21-mile LSR is approximately what you can expect your marathon race time to be. I've been hoping that I'll finish under 4:20. I did not look at my time at all during the 21 miles, only my heart rate. I did it in 4:17.

Next week I have:

Monday - 8 miles inclusive of 5 half-mile intervals at 5K race pace

Tuesday - 8 miles

Wednesday - SRD

Thursday - 4 recovery + 6 strides

Friday - 8 miles

Saturday - 17 long

African Adobo-Rubbed Tuna Steaks, or Friday dinner during Lent

I might have mentioned here that we aren't doing pizza and movie night through Lent, but rather are having a nice seafood dinner. It's been rather nice.

Anyway, tonight's dinner was www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/African-Adobo-Rubbe...

As I was mixing the spices in the bowl, I realized that the spices I was mixing up for the AFRICAN Adobo-Rubbed Tuna looked an awful lot like the shape of Africa.

Should I sell it on Ebay? Too bad it wasn't in the shape of The Virgin Mary. Kidding. But, it was cool.

The dinner was good. I'd do it again.

Operation Rice Bowl, Third Sunday of Lent

For today's rice bowl, we went to Ethiopia and had some Shiro Wat.

No one in my family, with the exception of me, likes green peas. Eric said that it wasn't as bad as he had expected.

After reading our Operation Rice Bowl prayer. We had dinner.

During dinner, we read the bible story for the third Sunday of Lent:

Luke 17: 11-19

11. Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

12. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance

13. and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"

14. When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests. And as they went, they were cleansed.

15. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.

16. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him - and he was a Samaritan.

17. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?

18. Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"

19. Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."