Miles Run:111.29

Miles Biked:85.99
Total Miles:197.28
Stadium Stairs Run*:2244
Steep Steps Run*:1340
Days to Rainier:121
Summit Team:9
Aspirin Tablets:42

You know you have a problem when after a run you studiously enter all the way points into Google Earth and click "Show Elevation Profile" and get this:
And then your like, "I ran 12.1 miles in three hours?" But I still had energy at the end, I could have run farther.
When that happens, you have problems. Running is what you do in war, when bullets fly and your ears scream with the deafening roar of jet planes and the enemy's whizzing tracers cut laser-lines into your friends. Running is what you do when your son is in grave danger and you must snatch him out from the path of a barreling truck. Running is what you do when you see death coming for you and you thirst, you yearn, you passionately utterly maddeningly want to live.
Running is not a fun...thing...to...do.
So here I sit, body still high from the adrenaline kick, waiting for the heightened state to diminish, so I can sleep. As a side note, I decided to fill two of my hip flasks with water (my conventional water bottles just aren't comfortable to run with) and carry them with me. When taking hits (is it a hit, or is their another term for drinking from a flask?) from them down on Alki, no one seemed to care. But after running up near the Junction, I noticed a cop approaching just as I had paused for some water. I immediately tucked the flask into my elbow and did my best impression of a runner with a leg cramp until he drove past. I'd rather not have to explain, "No officer I am not consuming alcohol out of a hip flask in public, here smell, it's water....No, I'm not trying to get an officer of the law drunk while on duty...Do you really need to handcuff me before searching me?...!!!...Hi Bob...Yep it's my first time in lockup...Really you end up here every Wednesday night?..." The flasks may get me into trouble, but they are probably a better idea than my last run of 9+ miles where I hit cotton mouth at mile 6 and had to sneak water from someone's hose at 11pm just to make it home.

So I might as well tell you about what I did on Saturday night. I went to the ShowBox in SoDo to see a band oddly named the Dismemberment Plan. Now before you think, okay we all knew it would happen eventually, and finally Josh has snapped and is going off to some sick satanic band to quell the demons within. No, allow me to explain. This band saw the movie Ground Hog Day. Remember the insurance salesman Phil meets over and over? Well Ned Reirson is trying to sell insurance policies with optional death and dismemberment plan. So the band found a name.
Flash 18 years forward the whole band is in their late 30s and decided to come back together to re-release their album Emergency & I purportedly one of the most influential albums in the late 90s early 2000s in the indie rock genre. To promote their release, they made one quick tour. Some shows in Japan, some shows in D.C. their home town, and ONE show on the west coast---Seattle. So I went. My buddy Joe introduced me to them back in college, and they have been with me ever since, rattling around my brain and popping out of my atonal mouth when I think no one is listening. TO YOU bearded muses! May you reign as indie rockers of indie rockers forever!

Travis Morrison D Plan's Frontman @ ShowBox SoDo:

Me on stage with 80 others and Travis Morrison:

Whistling, Running, and Dune

Miles Run:99.19

Miles Biked:85.99
Total Miles:185.18
Stadium Stairs Run*:2244
Steep Steps Run*:1340
Days to Rainier:126
Summit Team:9.55
Aspirin Tablets:42

8.65 mile run on Monday. Strained my lateral colateral ligament on my right knee. Running sux, yadda, yadda yadda.

Ok the running stuff is out of the way, cool.

So I am here at the Ballard Campus of Mars Hill Church listening to the eloquence of the systems-minded master Tim Beltz. Very cool guy. He is a salty retired Coast Guard Officer who knows a lot about how to build a church's administrative capabilities to allow a church to love people and steward resources well. I need to learn these aspects to reach my long-term goals.

I had the chance to attend the church's staff training on Tuesday and was greatly encouraged by seeing the passion and steadfastness of my leaders. Pastor Mark Driscoll spoke from his gut and gave all the staff a widened vision of what we all are doing. He even gave health recommendations geared to help avoid burn out in this busy season of Easter prep, and assist all to steward their time well.

Yesterday, I got to enjoy some time with my amazing friend Pavel. He is an awesome leader at the University of Washington Campus of Mars. I had the chance to see how his Campus Cleanup team works. As the leader of the Ballard Campus Cleanup, I have made plenty of mistakes and learned a thing or two about how to lead people to worship in a way that serves people instead of using them and focuses on worship. Also as a systems minded guy, I enjoy looking at organizational structures. For some bizzare reason, I see into them, can see how they can be improved, and the simplest way to execute the necessary changes.

....................

Dangit!

I guess the running stuff is not completely done for this post. It's just after midnight and I wanted to finish this confession before sleep carries my mind away.

I just ran 9.72 miles...my God. It has been about 65 days since I started any exercise geared toward my eventual semi-random grid search for the local maxima of Washington State. Prior to January 7th 2011, I had run the mandatory mile run in 6th grade in under 8 minutes (I believe my exact time according to my mustached gym teacher was 7:12 but that seems fast considering I was the shortest child in my 1,100 student middle school). In fact, an embarrassing set of stories revolves around my height, next time you see me ask about it.

Aside from that one run, I had never run any distance for any reason before the age of 24 years, 6 months. I am now 24 years and 8 months old. What a difference 2 months makes. Shoot, if I found some caffeine pills, chugged 4 full-sized energy drinks, ate a bag of French Truffles, and was being chased by half zombie invading Fremen from planet Arrakis, I might be able to run a half marathon tomorrow. Holy cow. I mean I still hate running, but I'm kinda sorta making progress. It's like that time when I was a little over 3-and-a-half years old, and I saw a man walking down the side walk whistling. I was blown away. You can make music without an instrument?! I asked my godmother Bernadyne, and she whistled too! I single-mindedly dedicated myself to the task of learning how to whistle. For the next week I experimented, revised, and finally achieved unaided noise from which my godmother had no escape. By the end of the month, I could whistle any tune I heard and did so often. I just collected information, synthesized it, executed as best I could, and achieved the desired outcome. I suppose this running thing is no different.

..............

Submitted an application today. Can an introvert like me get a job with the Development Group of a megachurch? IDK.

Ever been so tired you ask yourself, "Hey Josh, what are you feeling?" and you say, "Meh." back? Sleep. 8 hours. ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz

Neurons and Necrobiosis

Miles Run:80.82

Miles Biked:85.99
Total Miles:166.81
Stadium Stairs Run*:2244
Steep Steps Run*:1340
Days to Rainier:131
Summit Team:9.55
Aspirin Tablets:42

Some philosophers have speculated that heaven is only the brains oxygen-deprived neurons firing and the mass release of serotonin resulting in euphoria and random visual free-associations allowing the soon-to-be deceased to accept the end of days. That's of course retarded[1]. But perhaps these scholars are partially right. Perhaps when the brain is dying it fires everything it's got, throws the rum and gunpowder and cannons and the livestock and the 2nd lieutenant[2] all overboard and runs the sails to the braces.

To me running is dying, at least it feels like that. Could be why I hate running... I have had an occasion or two in my life where death was certain yet failed to materialize and running brings those to mind.

So I just got back from my longest run yet (8.77 miles) and it came 40 hours after my previous longest run ever (8.61 miles). By sheer force of God, I managed one leg of continuous running that spanned 4.71 miles.

So in light of nearly two hours of an oh-so-lovely semi-hypoxic brain (where philosophers speculate our heaven-halucinations are manufactured), what did my 2.9 pound lump of spongy mush spit out?

• "The enemy's gate is down"
• "Will the real John Galt please stand up, please stand up, please stand up..."
• "Bonfire...with friends...that dude rocks...cheers mate, enjoy your beer"
• "I wonder if I could kick Benjamin Franklin's butt in a chess match?"
• "I always voted at my party's call, and I never thought of thinking for myself at all, I thought so little they rewarded me, by making me the ruler of the Queen's Navy!"
• "Where did Fermat's logic break down in his correct yet blind assertion that (a^n)+(b^n)=c^n for all integers greater than 2?"
• "If an arrogant man is humiliated in the forest, does someone somewhere laugh at him?"
• "Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you weaker, so the next thing can"
• "Is there a file on me with the USSS over that little Romney 22lr incident?"

Ain't neuron necrobiosis grand?

________

1 - Please forgive my crude insult to men educated beyond their own intelligence. They are making a blatant mistake by relying on blind faith that they own collection of neurons is a trustworthy tool for proper perception and analysis. It ain't.

2 - Often seen as the least desirable military officer by the enlisted, the 2nd Lieutenants know enough tactics to get their men into trouble, but haven't had the same level of field training as the average grunt. As such, they tend to be outcasts from both the enlisted and higher ranked officers.

Progress or Death

Miles Run:72.05

Miles Biked:85.99
Total Miles:158.04
Stadium Stairs Run*:2244
Steep Steps Run*:1340
Days to Rainier:132
Summit Team:9.55
Aspirin Tablets:42

This week I had a conversation on the topic of organizational effectiveness, missional relevance, and what death looks like in an human institution. David provided some great insight and helped me to flesh out my own version of the Theory of the Firm.
During my time at Hillsdale College, I explored the strict Austrian view of Industrial Organization. They relied on the assumptions of human self-interest and the predictability of the natural desires for personal advancement. These desires in a properly architected organization can theoretically lead to the organization's benefit, the individual's benefit, and an expansion in overall production in the broader economy. Now how does this apply to the Security Team at the West Seattle Campus of Mars Hill Church?
I am blessed with the chance to serve with amazing folks in West Seattle who sacrifice their time to serve coffee, assist people's parking, and image Jesus.
So in an organization like Mars, what does a well-crafted system look like?
My conclusions, which have been heavily influenced by a bit of reading in this field, is that there are three phases in any organization: innovation, management, and death. In the innovation stage, the organization is infused with a vision of what can be done and pursues it. In the management phase the mission is accomplished, the passion is depleted, and the third phase is irrevocably imminent. When I say death, I mean that the organization still exists, but no progress is possible with current systems, the size will continue to dwindle, and though it may take 40 years (until all the people die off) there is only futile, stubborn mediocrity leading to closure.
Let's do a case study! The U.S. Postal Service. Back before letter carriers (calling them mail-men is not politically correct) decided to shoot people at random (40 people have been shot by on-duty USPS employees in the last 28 years), this organization was founded with enthusiasm to serve America in a noble profession. Benjamin Franklin[1] started a small-scale postal service in Philadelphia, 1775. After incorporation into the government under the newly ratified Constitution, the Post Office Department was created in 1792. So where has the institution come since some bright-eyed young men started delivering grandmother's birthday cards to young Philadelphia school children?

Well, as reported in the 2009 historical table from President Obama's Executive Office (Page 61) [2] the Postal Service will lose another $4.5 Billion this year and over $5 billion by next year. I find it humorous that USPS brags about its self-sufficiency...except for the little $4+ billion a year it has to borrow from the goventment because it is an obese organization. A brief survey of future initiatives laid down by Patrick R. Donahoe (the current PMG) shows management is the current phase of the organization. Their is no vision for the future, no innovation. The organization exists to continue its own existence. Basically, the organization is bound to slowly die over generations because it has no purpose, no passion.

Look around your neighborhoods (if you live in Seattle), there are a ten managerial/dying churches for every one innovative church[3]. So what does this look like in WS? Well, every team at Mars is designed to be a missional entity looking to share the gospel. We are totally flexible in the way to organize the teams; when a better idea comes along we adapt. Each leader under my oversight is free to direct their team as they desire (providing they still respect the aforementioned timeless truths. When a new leader is raised up, the first thing I tell them is, "Look for your replacement" because leading is not about getting a comfy role and then stagnating; it's about passionately pouring into others so they become better disciples of Jesus. If there is a highly-talented person on any team, we grab them, pour into them, and raise them up to lead as their abilities and gifts enable them. We look for new ideas to contextualize the message to our neighborhoods; we have a stated goal for a church campus of 2,000 people. (BTW that would put our little campus of Mars Hill into the top 400 churches nation-wide) I believe if we reach 2,000 folks and say, "Sweet, we have arrived, let's take a breather", then we have failed. We cannot give up progress and die. We must continually innovate even though it will certainly be uncomfortable, hard, unpopular, and exhausting.

Speaking of exhausting, my awesome cousin Tanya is running her second Marathon tomorrow. It is the 33rd Annual Napa Vally Marathon. She is amazing.

My training this week is a mere spark compared to the bonfire of a marathon, but I managed 21.31 miles in three runs including my longest run to date covering more than eight-and-a-half miles. I found out that the ringing in my ears is likely due to aspirin. So my fun pill statistic may be soon sacked. My internship is fun and challenging and I got a chance to work with the newest census data just released this week. Very cool. Oh...and now I have footnotes!

_______________________

1 - He was the biggest name is chess in Colonial America. Very Cool. I highly recommend his autobiography

2 - http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy09/pdf/hist.pdf

3 - innovative is intended to convey a forward-looking passionate goal setting that is based on timeless truths in scripture, not a whoring (Jesus' words not mine) church who is trying to draw a crowd but doesn't care about truth.

Miles Run:50.74
Miles Biked:85.99
Total Miles:136.73
Stadium Stairs Run*:2244
Steep Steps Run*:1340
Days to Rainier:140
Summit Team:8.55
Aspirin Tablets:42
*for each round trip only the upward steps are counted

Today was pretty great. Aside from all the running. I ran out to Lincoln Park, after sleeping in on my day off. Right down on the Puget Sound the wind was fast and furious. With a high of 33 degrees and a sustained wind of 18 miles per hour, the temperature left something to be desired, but the sun was out and that makes all the difference when you live in Seattle. When I came to the Coleman Saltwater Pool, I took a brief break to do some more dynamic stretching after the 1.3 mile warm-up. Just as I was about to resume, I looked out into the Sound and saw two harbor seals about 25 meters out playing in the white caps. Probably a mother and her adolescent pup.

Just think about it. About 11-ish billion folks have been around since the year 4,000BC. So out of all of them, I get the privilege to sleep in late, turn on my MP3 player, fill a water bottle, grab two pre-packaged bags of trail mix, run some miles to prepare for the hike of a life-time up a giant mountain, oh and by the way I get to stand and watch two seals playing in a scene that can only ever be described as beauty-incarnate. Damn! Thank you God! How did I get the honor to live such a life? What good thing did I do to be rewarded with this? Nothing.
WHY?! I know women who have lived in torment for years; they get horror, and I get sunshine?! I know a man who will never walk again, lives in ever-present fear, and whose worst nightmare is going to bed because when he does he will have even worse nightmares. And I get to run (complaining when I do nonetheless).
Where is the fairness? Why am I not justly given a sentence of suffering, hunger, destitution, and the like?
Man, I am so freakin' blessed. God has been amazing to me.

Dangit, every once in a while the Ghost opens my eyes to the life I live and blows me away.

Pictures. Here is some fresh content! First off a picture from Monday night when I went for my longest run yet: 6.38 miles.

When I started, there was just the mildest hint of snow in the air and bare wet pavement. After an hour, I was still 2.5 miles from home and all the sidewalks were totally white. It was about 24 degrees, and I was glad for the balaclava.
As promised, here are some pics of the stairs and one video of what the view from the top is. When Rainier comes, I intend to show the very same thing.





With that, I bid you all long days and pleasant nights.

Stairs

Miles Run:39.72
Miles Biked:85.99
Total Miles:125.71
Stadium Stairs Run*:1020
Steep Steps Run*:536
Days to Rainier:144
Summit Team:8.55
Aspirin Tablets:35
*for each round trip only the upward steps are counted

Dang, soon the stats alone will be their own blog post!
Wow! I really don't like running but I found something I like even less. Running stairs! Yeah it is pretty much the reason they invented Tylenol (Also known as the soldier's candy). Being a total rebel, I decided that Aspirin is the real non-conformist pain salve. (Actually I am just too cheap to buy the more powerful stuff to numb the achilles pain). The upside of the stair addition to my routine is that now I have a new stat. Since the progression of stats is denominated in miles, people, and pills, I will record my stair progress in ascended steps, so the number can look all cool and impressive.
So where do I run steps? Naturally I had to choose the most ridiculous place in three states. It is called "Rura Penthe". That is my name for it (ever seen Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country? In the movie, Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy are sentenced to a life sentence to be served at the Klingon dilithium mines on a god-forsaken ice planetoid called Rura Penthe). The stair's official name is probably something like "the Thistle street pedestrian link." Regardless of my fanciful name or its official designation, it is factually the longest continuous set of stairs in Oregon, Idaho, or Washington State. It is horrible.
Pictures will come at some point.
That stair case kicked my butt. The first section is a set of 204 wide steps with a similar height and tred dept as a typical flight at UW's Husky Football Stadium. The average height of each step is about 6 inches. The upper section boasts 11.5 inch steps andan indeterminant number of steps. I tried to count them, but each time I decended from the top, I kept losing count! It seems my body had determined that death was iminent therefore blood no longer needed to be pumped to my brain. Apparently, my body was indignant at my brain for deciding to destroy the body and "turned off the tap" as it were.
That is the first time I have ever been so winded that I couldn't count.
Each step required a leap and delicate landing only to precariously teeter on the edge of oblivion, the only option was to launch myself toward the next towering step. Each of the four times I found myself at the antipenultimate step, my heart was a roaring jet engine deafening my ears; at the penultimate step, every fiber demanded a halt; at the ultimate step, my soul rallied, my imageo-dei was recalled, and I rejoiced. The culmination of each conquering trip toward heaven was my knife.
Carving another tally into the heart's wood of some long-since-dead pine tree, a cellulose Ebeneezer to God's gift of pain and expectation of my goal: Rainier.
Only 144 days left.
Also the cadre grows: Greg (who has beaten some 14,000+ Colorado peaks) and his bride-to-be Melissa (who has run the 26.2 tour de morts some strange folks associate with that beautiful and desolate plain in Greece).
We are men and women dedicated to a cause. Our espirit de corp is high, our passionate temporaires raison d'etre is a white rocky peak less than 200 miles from where I sit.

So why do I keep writing these awkward diatribes about pain and foolish self-abasement?
I really want to stop doing this whole training thing. I just want it to be over. But I am committed (not institutionally, though sometimes I wonder if I ought to be, :P). And I need to remind myself. I need to keep the goal in mind. I write these for the same reason that I sing the song All My Tears by Ex Nihilo; I need to be reminded that after this is finished there is a glorious End.

Too Many Things to Stay Focused

Miles Run:29.41
Miles Biked:65.75
Total Miles:95.16
Days to Rainier:156
Summit Team:7.55
Aspirin Tablets:15

Well there are too many little thing happening to really give any depth, so I will try for superficiality today.
I found out today that Google Earth has a magical feature that will generate an elevation profile of any route on Earth. So I entered my current running course and generated this sweet graph. As a total stats guy, I love graphs.

My last two runs were really great. That foot injury was all healed up and by the grace of God didn't bother me. Another thing that probably helped was implementing some common sense activities as part of my run:
(1) Dynamic stretching: a full range of motion quick stretch before starting and during my four brief breaks during the run
(2) Posture: maintaining a head high running position (allowing more lung capacity), squaring up my arms to keep a forward orientation, and making sure to keep a more smooth transition from stride to stride
(3) Drinkning more water especially post run
(4) Static stretching: after runs stretch out all major muscle groups in slow 20-30 second motionless stretching
For any athlete these are probably pretty obvious. However for someone like me who couldn't even make the high school baseball team, I had to do some research to find these little things out. No doubt I am still missing all kinds of techniques and injury reducing rituals, but maybe after making more mistakes I will discover them. Funny that a guy who has spent 6 years doing pro video work with DII and DI Football teams and has seen thousands of stretching drills never put two and two together to realize that dynamic stretching might be a good idea...
So this week I managed to dress up my desk at the office by including this great picture my grandmother created for me:

I have been out to this light house in Pemaquid Maine out on the Atlantic. It is a true likeness. I had the privilege of spending a sunny afternoon with Ethan, Cassie, and Rachael out near the lighthouse. Fond memories of my Epic Road Trip.
As part of my Internship with Mars Hill, I ran across Michael S. and his Myspace page. He is a techno remixer and Here is his page (be sure to check out the song "Fire and Brimstone", he samples Mark Driscoll in his mix). Amazing the talent some folks have.
In completely unrelated news my internship brought me across this rather cryptic quote from the famous Greek Historian Herodotus:

Ou Phrontis, I don't care!

Herodotus recounted the story of a young man who acted with such unreserved exultation at his wedding party that the bride's father (a king) called off the wedding. In responce the young man in the throws of mad exuberance shouted "Ou Phrontis (the king), I don't care!" The story is awesome for the ridiculous audacity of a foolish man living life madly, but passionately (not unlike Kerouac). TE Lawrence liked the story so much he engraved the phrase and placed a permanent reminder above his door. That way any man who came over would know Lawrence's pad was a sweet spot to unwind and forget even the most pressing worries in life. That would be amazing. Really, I want a little of that.
Again switching subjects faster than Rooster Cogburn (just saw True Grit with Greg, pretty good flick from the Coen Brothers) can draw a revolver, yesterday my community group provided a perfect place for God to remind me of his kindness. A week ago last Sunday I walked from 9pm to midnight thinking about my pride and the ridiculous opinion I have of myself. Christ was there through Freemont, across the Aurora Bridge, up old 99, through Belltown, under the scrapers downtown, past the stadiums showing me my arrogance and his forgiveness. Redemption. "The only way our of folly, sin, me-ism, habitual arrogance is worship", Pastor Noreiga's continual refrain. Behavior modification doesn't work. Neither does despair. It was a good walk and better still when I shared my struggle with pride with my church family.
Moving right along (I need to rest, tomorrow is a 16 hour day of interning and campus cleanup), I found this picture from three or four weeks back:

After a community group, we had a snow ball fight this is what my hair looked like following the white combat.
So with all those random pieces of my life clumsily covered, I leave you all with this picture of a beautiful spider's web:

Miles Run:14.45
Miles Biked:45.49
Total Miles:59.94
Days to Rainier:198
Summit Team:4.5
Aspirin Tablets:10

We all know people who just like the sound of their own voice. Well now you can say that you know someone who likes the sound of their own typing. It's late and I am trying to clear my thoughts, so please give me a mulligan on this post.

My philosophy of running is somewhat unconventional. My current running schedule alternates 3 and 4 miles runs. I try to fit in 1 20+ mile bike ride and 3 runs each week with matching doses of aspirin. During my runs, I alternate Toe Running (here I run from toe point to toe point never letting my heel drop from stride to stride) and conventional Heel-toe Running. Each method lasts for 0.6 miles and is followed by my own transitional period variant. You see when I Toe Run, my calf muscles are taking a beating and to go straight from that to the conventional stride (or vice versa) would cause unnecessary stress. So each 0.6 miles (determined using Google Maps), I take a 200ft break during which I...um...to use a little jargon I picked up in grad school, "I iteratively follow a trend-specific stochastic path." If any of you have ever studied cointegrated series then this all makes sen...well no it doesn't...well my transitions follow a so called "random walk" or as my humorous Time Series Professor C. J. Kim calls it, "A drunken walk." Seriously, I intentionally weave and lean and stop and start several times to stretch each primary lower leg tendon to reduce the likelihood of a strained ligament or excessive build up of lactic acid. You should see me; I look ridiculous. But that's because I am ridiculous.
On my runs, I am constantly adjusting my tempo to prevent my diaphragm from "red-lining". I intentionally stress my breathing to bring myself to the point where the burning stitch in my side is almost about to start, then I hold that tempo. Breath control is vital as I measure each breath to provide just enough oxygen; I try never to gulp or take a deep breath but at the same time not take too many shallow breaths because then my diaphragm will fatigue too quickly. For the last half mile, I increase my tempo to the point where the stitch starts to burn. Then I take my last transitional period and stretch everything out while I cool down.
This method for training is all still in flux, and I welcome any new insights. But it has worked for me so far, I can feel my legs getting stronger and the day-after pain is decreasing. Till next time...

Training...

This last week has been a long week with an exciting project I submitted. I even got some positive feedback from Pastor James. Very cool.
I got to sleep after 2am Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday trying to get everything ready and woke at 7:15am to get to work. Also, I ran 9 miles and rode 20 miles. These numbers are not spectacular but in my defense, I have not run in 13 years.

So this week I will be starting morning runs. Pray for me. I am really NOT looking forward to it.

I enjoyed some great Lamb Biryani at the India Bistro in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle with my grandparents and my cousin Tanya. I got to pick her brain on running and preparing for my climb. As a professional runner type person, her advice carries massive weight, and I am very grateful that she took the time with me. Also, I saw The Way Back (see my last post). The movie stirred my mind and gut. Basically, after my long week I was gifted with a great two days to relax and recharge. But last night I couldn't sleep (even though I was in bed by 10pm). I was anxious about Sunday services at West Seattle. Worried that we wouldn't have enough security guys, parking guys, and baptism volunteers. But then one Sunday came, we had a solid security core, three guys on parking, and plenty of baptism folks. God delivered and everything went well. In fact everything went really well. We saw 8 people baptized including a counterfeiter and dealer who did 5 years in Federal. I also interviewed a 7 year-old girl who is solid in her faith.
Basically all 7 teams and 75 volunteers faithfully showed up, I tried to humbly lead them (as humbly as an arrogant guy like me can) to worship God, and God showed up. Game set match. So why did I worry?

Why do you think I worry?

One Step Leads to Another

I took my first step toward Rainier on Suturday. Then there was another, and another, and before I knew it I was running. Have I ever told you how much I hate to run? I'm not even joking; the last time I ran was for the mile run in 6th grade. (7:12 for the smallest kid in the 1600 person middle school ain't bad)
My dad was a bicyclist, and my mom is an aikido black belt. So I should have some athleticism. Not so. I couldn't even make the baseball team in high school as a bench warmer. It's not that I don't go out side and exercise, it's just that I am very short, and if I am not intentional about planning out each meal, I lose 3 pounds a week.
So back to the point, I hate running. But...the training routine I have chosen on is a 5 a week Bike/Run routine. My first run covered 4.3 miles but I actually ran only 3.2 miles. It was raining and windy and cold. How can people do this stuff for fun? Each time I saw a dude walking his dog or an elderly lady peering from behind lace curtains I wanted to quit. My fear of man popped out as I imagined what they were thinking...{Old Lady's voice}"Crazy hoodlum, running must be looting..." {dude's voice} "Woah, crazy runner doesn't he know it's raining out here?"
Each time my heart would sink, I thought of this picture and the passion tripled within:

I want to see this with my own eyes, I want to be there and I want to summit.
{Using Pastor Mark's Intense Voice} "I'm looking for Men and Women who want the same thing Passionately, Who want to stand high atop Rainier and Earn it!"

Who is even moderately interested in coming with me? We hit rainer Mid July. It will take months of personal preparation. You might even have to run. It will take months of group events to hone your technical skills. It will take a lot of your time and probably $300-$450. Do you want it bad enough?


Special acknowledgements to my Cousin Tanya, she decided to take up running and now kills marathons. She is an inspiration to me.