Confessions of a Workaholic

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Coco

Its Monday, its 10:00 pm, and I’ve been working at home for the last 2 hours or so.  The project has a short deadline, but it’s not due tomorrow, or even the next day. The reason I worked on it tonight is because its interesting, challenging, and I couldn’t wait to jump in. Its times like these that I realize that I really do love being an attorney.  

I know I work too hard sometimes, too long sometimes, and generally don’t take enough time off, but I usually am enjoying what I am doing. Not all the time–some projects get tedious, and some days suck–but after 18 years, the good days still far outnumber the bad.

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Countdown to the Army 10 Miler!

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Coco

On the Army 10 Miler website they have a countdown clock, and it is down to 6 days and 2 hours! I am so THRILLED that my toe is healing well and doesn’t seem like it will be an impediment at ALL. I am still babying my knee, but I think that will be OK too. Now, I just need to avoid any further injuries!

With that in mind, my plan for the week is light. Today I did 40 min on the TM, with 30 min running. I took a long time to warm up (5 min walking, 5 min at an 11 min/mi pace, 5 min at a 10:30 min/mi pace, 5 min at a 10 min/mi pace) and then did 2 min/1 min intervals at 1.5/0.5 incline. I don’t want to do “hills” for fear of aggravating my knee, but I know I need to get used to running harder than incline level 0.5.

I plan to get in a 6 mile run Wednesday before my podiatrist appointment, and do another “easy” run on Friday–maybe outside. Tuesday and Thursday I will do yoga and weights. Saturday I will “rest.” Sunday I will RUN. Hooah!

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Prayers For The Miners

Posted on October 12, 2010 by Coco

I had to work late today, to get a few things done after a largely unproductive day filled with conference calls and meetings. I was tired, HUNGRY, and on the verge of cranky when I got to my car. When I started my car, the radio came on, still tuned to NPR from this morning. They were reporting on the imminent rescue of the Chilean miners.

My self pity was quickly replaced with prayers for the miners–for their safe rescue and full recovery.

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A Balm In Gilead

Posted on October 10, 2010 by Coco

At church today, the opening hymn was “There Is A Balm in Gilead.” The refrain is simple:

There is a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole,
There is a balm in Gilead, to heal the sin-sick soul.

That spoke to me, and not just because I am wounded and deeply understand the soothing effect of a balm (in my case, the antibiotic cream I apply after the Epsom salt soak and hydrogen peroxide cleaning). In my life experiences, when I have been faced with adversity, tragedy, or even just uncertainty, I have recognized and felt the presence of God. My faith does not save me from life’s trials and tribulations, but God comforts me as I live through them.

I understand the reaction of people who find their faith tested when life goes horribly wrong–how could God let this happen? But I quelched my own doubts along these lines by realizing that I have known that really bad things happen to other people all the time. If I only question God’s existence when bad things happen to me (or my family or friends), that make my faith–or my doubt–very self-centered. I decided that if I could live my life believing in God while knowing that other people live in poverty, endure cruelty, suffer the loss of children, and die horrible deaths, having something “bad” hit closer to home shouldn’t shake my faith. I don’t know and can’t answer “Why Bad Things Happen To Good People,” but that’s not enough of a reason for me to question my own faith. Instead, I hold fast to the “knowledge and love of God” that I manage to feel even when I am distressed.

Another verse of the hymn also struck me:

If you cannot preach like Peter,
If you cannot pray like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
and say “He died for all.”

I certainly am no preacher, and I certainly don’t pray enough for anyone to confuse me with Paul, but I like the reminder that telling others about God’s love is an important way to serve God. I can do that directly by talking to people and writing this blog, and I can do that indirectly, by treating others in a kind, loving manner.

The New Testament reading for today was 2 Timothy 2: 8-15. One portion really caught my attention:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
If we endure, we will also reign with him;
If we deny him, he will also deny us;
If we are faithless, he remains faithful–
For he cannot deny himself.

The verse starts with cause-and-effect pairings you would expect from the New Testament:

  • die with Jesus/live with Jesus
  • endure with Jesus/reign with Jesus
  • deny Jesus/be denied by Jesus

But then threw me for a loop with:

  • be faithless . . . and Jesus will remain faithful???

Isn’t that a wonderful concession to our humanity? Even if we lack faith or lose faith, Jesus remains faithful. God’s love does not depend on our faith in Him. He loves us regardless, because loving us is the core of His being. “God Is Love” isn’t just a slogan for Sunday School, its a description of how God relates to us–every one of us.

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Breathtaking Beauty

Posted on October 9, 2010 by Coco

This week I was caught by breathtaking beauty in surprising places:

~ the Miami Beach skyline. (I am such a city girl!)

~ hot pink clouds at sunset as I drove down a Miami freeway.

~ a blue jumbo jet floating in for a landing at O’Hare.

~ the early morning sun lighting up the blue ridge mountains.

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