Girls On The Run

I am pumped to share with you an organization I just discovered called Girls on the Run.

I am planning to sign up for their spring 5K which will happen in Nashville on Saturday, May 6th. I am very excited to have a race to look forward to and motivate me! I am also considering signing up to be a Running Buddy where they will pair you up with a girl in the program who you will pace and encourage as they complete the race.

The 5K is a celebration for the young girls in the program who have been participating in lessons that encourage positive emotional, social, mental and physical development. They integrate physical activity in their lessons, complete services projects together, and have fun learning to have confidence in who they are and all of the things they are capable of doing.

Want to join me?? You can register HERE.

Here are some pics from my walk (with a tiny bit of running) today with Cody:

I didn't realize we were both making our serious face in the first pic. He's a pro.

Also, I have some good news along with a prayer request. Thanks to an online support group, someone shared a similar issue with dealing with endometriosis and feeling nauseous everyday. She suggested that I try Dramamine. I was worried that it would make me sleepy, but I've been taking it every morning for almost a week and it completely stops the nausea without causing drowsiness! Hallelujah!! I finally feel like I can function again, which is essential because my business is exploding! I have some exciting opportunities happening right now including a part time job with Lipscomb University, hiring new therapists, and adding new clients. Autism Therapy and Training is moving along!

Prayers would be so welcome as I hope my body continues to hold up with all of the excitement happening with my job. Specifically, if you would pray for me next Thursday, I have a doctor's appointment to check out a few things with my stomach and gallbladder to see if we can discover what is causing the nausea. They are doing an outpatient procedure. I am torn between hoping they find something so we will know what is going on and really hoping they don't find anything if it is something serious or will cause more problems. 

No matter what happens, I am reminded that I am only a jar of clay. It will always and only be God's power working through me to accomplish anything in this life. 

2 Corinthians 4:7-9
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; 
perplexed, but not in despair; 
persecuted, but not abandoned; 
struck down, but not destroyed.

Don't forget to sign up for the 5K with me!! :) 

Limping In Freedom

At the start line

Last week we took a trip to visit my family in South Georgia. Luke and Ryan participated in the Honey Bee Stinger 100K Gravel Grinder in Hahira, GA.

This was a small, unsupported bike ride on mostly unpaved roads. Here is the link to their Facebook page.


I served as the support crew for my guys and drove all around the beautiful countryside. I also took advantage by going for a run through a park and then doing a little shopping at some cute shops in the small downtown.

Country Roads

I think he's done!

My job as the support crew was to drive around and meet them at a few stops to make sure they had plenty of water and food, and to give moral support. This was especially important at mile 40 when Ryan threatened to throw his bike in a ditch!

They stuck with it for all 67 miles. I brought a good book to read while I waited for them. 

Ready to go again.

It was beautiful countryside.

Red Dirt Roads and Pine Trees

 

Home stretch

Going for a run while I wait

Hahira is a small town north of Valdosta in South GA. They have a Honey Bee Festival every fall with art, food, and a 5K race. Here is a link to their festival page.









As far as my running routine goes, I am making progress but it is still slow. I'm attempting to run a mile a few times a week. I'm not increasing mileage or speed as quickly as I would like. There is a long road ahead of me in running, in my job, and in life. This morning, however, I was very encouraged by the sermon at The Bridge church. Chad Rowland spoke from Genesis 32 about Jacob wrestling with God and the injury he encountered when God touched and basically dislocated Jacob's hip.

Two of his main points spoke so clearly to me: 
Sometimes the sign of God's favor is a scar.
and
It is better to limp in freedom than run in fear.

I have scars that I have perceived as holding me back. I have physical scars from my surgeries and emotional scars from life experiences. Right now we are struggling in our foster care journey. It has been a battle where we have clearly seen God fighting for us, but we won't escape without scars. It makes sense to be fearful of physical and emotional scars. We often run in fear because we believe the things God has called us to are too much. It's too hard. We don't have the time, the energy, the strength. We might get hurt.

However, if my scars are a sign that I have wrestled with God, that I've held on until he's given me a blessing, I absolutely want that. We can wrestle with God by walking in obedience with Him, experiencing the scars that may come with it, and having peace in the freedom offered by remaining in his grasp.

One BIG change though many SMALL steps

I have plenty of goals aimed at becoming healthier:

• I want to eat better and exercise more.
• I want to cut out highly processed foods and eat only "real" food.
• I want to run a marathon.
• I want to become stronger and more flexible.
• I don't want to feel like I'm going to die when I do certain workout videos.
• I want to be able to do even one push-up.
• I want to run a mile in 7 minutes. 

That's a pretty long list, so where do I start? 

Poster at Results Physiotherapy

I propose a new way of thinking about making a BIG change stick. Break that BIG change up into many SMALL changes and conquer each step, one at a time. 

One BIG change through many SMALL steps. 

What does that look like?  For my goal of cutting out highly processed foods, it meant choosing one action to take. Just one.  

It is overwhelming at the starting line of a new routine. It's tempting to try to do it all at once. Just throw all the "bad" food away and only eat the "good" food. This is easier said than done. I had a hard time figuring out what in the world I was going to eat! 

To begin, I simply bought more fruits and vegetables. I didn't worry about the processed food I was already eating, but bought, cooked, and ate lots of veggies. The main way this was achieved was by joining a local CSA. Luke and I picked up a box a organic produce from a local farm each week. Often it contained vegetables I had never eaten or even heard of including all different kinds of squash like acorn, delicata and butternut, and lots of different greens like swiss chard, bok choy, and kale. Here's a link to the CSA in case you live in Middle Tennessee and want to join.

Eating lots of veggies is a good start, but I was still eating a lot of food that is highly processed. That meant I needed to take one more small step.

I began taking one food out of my cabinet and either stopped buying it completely, or found a replacement that was less processed. For example, I stopped buying cream of chicken soup and learned to make it from scratch. It's also cheaper. 

I didn't add the next step until I felt comfortable with the last one and little by little I've changed my diet to eat less highly processed foods and more simple, real food. Lisa Leake's blog at 100 days of real food was very helpful in defining real food and why I should eat it.


Adding one small step at a time applies to my goals for exercise as well. I created a segment on Strava called the "Kimbrough Mile" to keep track of how fast I can run a mile. At this point I'm running as much as I can, but 1/2 mile has been my starting place and I'm adding a little bit more each day.

Strava run through the hood

Especially after surgery the concept of one small step at a time has been important for me. My body needs me to take it easy and my desire to do more can cause me to push myself a little farther than I should. I have been feeling a TON better after my surgery. The biggest improvement has been a huge decrease in pain. Unfortunately, the nausea continues. Most days I wake up and feel incredibly nauseous. I don't usually throw up, only when it is very bad. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to throw up any moment and I stick close to home, other times I know I won't throw up, but I just feel queasy. I'm still going for a run and if I have to stop and throw up, so be it.

Luke actually took a picture of this pit stop on a run at the Greenway!

Luke and I also went on a bike ride together, which was a blast despite the fact that I ended up in a lot of pain. I think being hunched over irritated my abdomen, so I may have to take it easy on the bike riding. After our ride we headed over to Dunbar Cave and tried out our new trail running shoes. Running through the woods just might be my favorite thing ever. I think Cody loves it too, which made me wonder, has Cody developed a personality more like Luke and I the longer he has lived with us? All three of us are happy running (or biking: Luke) around outside and then crashing on the couch with a blanket and some yummy food. Luke says it's just that he and I have a personality like a dog. I think I'm ok with that! ;) 

Dunbar Cave trail run with Cody

Time for a nap!

What is one SMALL step you could begin to take each day towards a goal you have? Maybe you could begin to do a plank every day. Give yourself permission to only add that one thing. That's it. Eventually, it will become part of your routine and you can add something else. It might take a little longer to get started, but you will be less likely to give up after a couple of months because you're overwhelmed. That kind of change will last because you've created a lifestyle. Let me know in the comments what your first small step will be.