lessons at Cafe Brazil

sunday morning (we go to church on saturday nights so we are not skipping church for those of you who are judging) zachary and i went to take my dad's car to my little sister in dallas and we went to a late breakfast at cafe brazil, really good food and bottomless coffee that is delicious. it was so crowded too!

because it was crowded it was easy to over hear conversations, and i'm the worst at that. i noticed a girl 2 tables over crying and as usual i started to get curious and wondered why she would be so sad and i felt bad for her. the lady at the table next to her started consoling her and talking to her and her dad. this woman continued to talk with this girl for about 30 more minutes and before she left she hugged the girl and her dad. i was amazed by her thoughtfulness and how much she cared for this stranger.

i often feel compassion for people quietly and conveniently continue about my way. this lady actually showed compassion instead of just feeling it. she really made me think about my actions. i have so many opportunities to love people, even if they are strangers. next time, hopefully i won't just feel it.

flAshbAck fridAys: may 21st, 2003

in the summer of 2003 i went on a road trip with my BFF mel panell.

this was a 2 day road trip that lasted around 8 days.

 it was full of secrets we will take to the grave with us.

this trip proved to us we needed to set some ground

rules for our friendship, and today for

fridAy's flaAhbAck

i will include them, not all of them,

some will remain treasures only my BFF and i know.

1. do not shoot each other with water guns.

2. do not study for finals together

3. DO NOT USE YOUR BFF!! or "owe them".

4. make your squinty eyed bff cry while she's driving it blurs her vision, and tell your bff when it's the last   bathroom for 30 minutes.

5. don't let your squinty eyed bff drive in the mountains.

6. do NOT take your bff up a mountain if you don't know how to get back down! when riding the slick down to the big one, don't use your bff as the "big one".

18. when playing monopoly, make financial decisions benefiting your bff not your bf.

19. don't laugh at your bff's problems.

15. don't allow your bff to date a new mexican.

9. as a bff, you must love who your bff loves and hate who your bff hates...keep it in the family.

10. what happens in the 505 stays in the 505.

11. no bff road trips without Martina.

13. no dance parties outside the perimeter of a bff's vehichle.

16. when a banana is thrown from a moving vehicle at your bff do whatever it takes to shield your bff and take the hit.

17. when your bff is stopped by a sheriff do not use your name belt as identification.

21. you do not sleep in the passenger seat while your bff is driving.

24. make life a little more complicated if it means one more night with your bff.

25. no bff shall ever deny anyone the right to be creative.

27. let the Jesus stop you when he needs to.

834. remind your bff daily that she is HOT.

BFF MOTTO: make memories, not grades!

i did it!

i ran a mile.

on the car ride home today from work i just couldn't stop thinking about how i wanted to be a runner again. in the middle of my self pity i heard this annoyed voice inside of me (i think it was God) say,

"well then, stop whining and do it!"

i think my parents might have said that to me before too.

so in my pimp car i decided to run. i told myself that when i got home i would immediately put on my running shoes and sweats, hit the track at the nearest school, and just do it. i told myself i would not stop running until i ran a full mile--NO STOPPING!!

so i did. i wanted to stop so bad 4 different times.

the 1st lap, the 2nd lap, the 3rd lap, and the 4th lap,

but i didn't.

God orchestrated the perfect shuffle on my ipod too!

it started with

Need to Breath-Washed by the Water

in this song God said,

 forget your past, forget how heavy you are, forget all those times you have tried and failed.

you are covered in me and you can do this.

the next song was

Eli Young Band-Guinevere

I LOVE THIS SONG!

so that helped me take my mind off the pain.

it also made me smile because it says in the song "as much as she's running she's still here."

and i felt like i wasn't moving too fast at this point.

and the last song was

the Rocket Summer-Walls

God helped me break down my walls today.

the walls of thought that have been tearing me down

telling myself you can't do this

you're too fat,

you're too out of shape,your knees hurt,

you will never be an athlete again.

today, i broke through some of those walls.

i'm sure they will appear again, but when they do

i can look here and remember

the day they fell down.

after this life changing run i had a few side effects--

BEWARE: this could be gross.

but if you are feeling like running a mile

and you are really out of shape.

you deserve to hear these things.

1. it is good to have music so you can't hear how hard you are breathing. 
2. i could not stop spitting for about 15 minutes after the run.
3. an hour and a half after the run my face was still bright red.
4. my teeth hurt. i always thought this was an expression, but it's not. they really hurt.
5. and i am embarrassed to say i almost vomited. probably because one of my favorite students brought me a bubble tea at work and i drank it about an hour before this run.

but good news, one symptom i did not have was hurting knees. they still don't hurt!

thank you Jesus.

i am so proud of myself.