Indy Immersion

I had a really great day today immersing myself into all things Indy. Mitch and I headed to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to hang out and watch the Driver's meeting. They also had an autograph session with the drivers and I got to meet Dan Wheldon, my favorite driver! It was fantastic!

After that, we drove downtown to watch the Indy 500 Festival Parade. Along with seeing the drivers, we also got to see "Meredith" and "Jan" from The Office, "Chloe O'Brian" from 24, the Geico caveman, and a few others.

Now, I'm so stoked for tomorrow's Indy 500 race! It's going to be a blast. I rented my radio headset so I can listen in on Wheldon's communication with his team...gotta get the full experience! Can't wait! Go #4!



"Good luck Dan"

Tempe Tri

Well, I completed my first triathlon and it feels great to have done it. It was blazin' hot outside and it was a lot of hard work, but it definitely was a rush. I ended up with a time of 1:26:52 and placed 33 out of 48 in my age bracket. I learned a ton from this first one and I know now what to expect. I'm confident that I can shave that time down quite a bit in my next race. Overall, it was a good experience and I'm eager to do more now. Now I'm looking forward to September 27th for the next Tempe Tri. Here are some pics from the day:

Me just finishing the swim portion


Transitioning to the Bike


Running with 100m to go!

A Great Weekend!

Last weekend was one I will never forget! First, we had a guest speaker at church, William Paul Young, the author of a NY Times Bestseller, The Shack. It was a great time and the story of his life is amazing. He talked about how he came to write the book and how God has used it to bless many people - there a so many incredible stories! One of the questions he posed to the crowd was, "Can God do anything that is not motivated by love?" He went on to say that the answer is "no" because God's character is love. He further said that even God's wrath is motivated by love because he wants to save us from the very crap we put ourselves through. What an awesome thought that God doesn't do anything that is not motivated by love.

If you have not read The Shack, then you need to! It will cause you to think deeply about your faith and about God. It's a book you won't be able to put down.

Also, this weekend I officially became a Triathlete! It was a lot of hard work on a very hot day, but it was well worth it. I will put some pictures up soon. I can't wait for the next one!

Not the Greatest Start

Today was the first day of qualifications for the Indy 500. It didn't start out the greatest for Dan Wheldon, but it's far from over yet! In 2005, Wheldon won the Indy 500 after starting in 16th position. Because of his crash today, he missed the opportunity to qualify for positions 1-11. Tomorrow he will have a chance to earn the 12th position in the lineup.

A New Day and a New Month

It's almost been a month since I posted. I know, I've been a slacker. The month of April was definitely a hectic one. Nevertheless, I am glad it is May. As I reflect back over the last few months I have realized just how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday that it was January and it was a new year. Now 2009 is almost half over. Is it just me or is that crazy!?! It's awesome to think about the future, but it is also scary to think that the days we live will never be lived again. It will never ever be May 5, 2009 ever again, except for today. Time is definitely a precious thing.

The reality of time has been fresh in my mind lately, mainly because one of my friends past away last week. It was a rough week and hard to deal with. It reminded me just how precious life is and why it's so important to live life to the full. Lately I feel like I've just been going through the motions and approaching each day as a task to accomplish. Yet each day is a gift from God that we must choose to cherish. I feel that too often I miss out on this gift, and instead focus on things that are not important. Oh that we would live life to the full!

At the first of the year I posted some of my goals and have personally themed this year EXCEL. So far, there are areas where I've done well in, while others not so much. I have a tendency to beat myself up at times if I don't feel like I'm meeting expectations, but with these goals I have been way more optimistic than I usually am. But my desire is not to accomplish a lot and be successful. My ultimate desire is to live life to the full and seek to excel in everything that I do. When I say excel, I simply mean to give everything I got in everything that I do. I want to look back on the day and say that I gave it 100%, from the smallest of things to the biggest. I fail at this and make mistakes constantly, but there is comfort in knowing that, on this journey called life, I am trying my hardest to be the person God has created me to be.

So tomorrow is a new day and honestly I am excited about the month of May. On Thursday I get to join with others to celebrate the life an incredible guy who experience the amazing redemption of Jesus Christ. Though there will be some painful moments, I know that it will be a time of joy [he is in a better place!]. Also, later this month on the 17th I will compete in my very first triathlon...FINALLY! I'm registering tomorrow and I'm so excited! A week after that I will be heading to Indianapolis to experience the Indy 500 for the first time. I can't even tell you how thrilled I am about that! On top of that, I get to live and work and spend time with incredible people everyday. I am so thankful for the family and friends that God has blessed me with. I definitely have nothing to complain about. God is good and he is worthy to be praised in everything. What an awesome gift we've been given - this gift called life. May we live it to the full and spend every single day loving God and loving others.

John 10:9-10
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.