This Saturday morning I decided to run 3 miles around a neighboring town and here’s the course I ran. 

The run location was ideal as it is around a scenic lake, low traffic and with a good number of rolling hills (cool map huh?). 

My heart beat was higher then in other runs (climbing over Zone 5 a few times) this was due to a larger number of hills, and a slight increase of speed.  My speed appears quite steady, even when I was going up hills – which is good to see.  I believe this steady pace is because I listened to “Running Cadences of the US Armed Services” on my iPod.

My time was 27:25  which is 1 minute and 16 seconds faster then Thursday run.   This is how this run compares to the last two runs.

I know I have said it before - but this sports watch is great! I’m not a fast runner, by any means, - and races often are a humbling experience.  But of late I have an increased interest in competing against my past runs and performing to a higher level.   Hopefully this self competition (and my weight lost) will show its fruits at my next 5k race. 

This year Thanksgiving plans did not work out – but in the end we had a real nice day.  My first idea was to rent a hall and invite everyone in my family, but in the end, it did not work out (My mom already had plans).   As I was scratching my head as to what our plans would be, Jennifer suggested that we could volunteer at a local mission and help serve thanksgiving to the homeless.  She called but they told us that they did not need any help, but recommended another mission to call.  We called this second mission and they also did not need the help.  It’s wonderful to know that so many people are volunteering to help the homeless that they have to turn down help!  

So since these two ideas did not work out we ended up having the opportunity to share a wonder thanksgiving meal with some neighbors.  The men watched the football games (both of my favorite teams won!).  The girls watched a silly movie, watched a little football and finished off playing Wii.  Before we ate we took a minute to go around the table and mention what we were thankful for this past year.    The dinner was goooood.   I tried not to over eat, by taking small portions, but it didn’t work in the end – because there were so many dishes to sample. My favorite was the sausage stuffing (mmmm that was good.).   So while it was difficult to make plans – in the end it worked out very well. 

One thing that I want to add to my thanksgivings is that my nephew (only a month old) is doing fine now.  You see he was born with a serious heart condition and had to have surgery to repair his heart.  It was touch and go for a time.  But praise God, my nephew is at home and healthy!   

Now that the democrats have won most of Washington – it is likely that we will begin seeing their coalition breakdown.   Many of the races they won down south were run with a conservative agenda (ergo, the blue dogs).   The California liberal (global warming crowd) and the midwest labor worker have little in common.  What kept them together has been their dislike (sometimes hatred) of President Bush.   Now they have the run of the place – you wonder when the first cracks will be seen.    

Another thing that is interesting is that Senator Obama won the primary being a far leftist, but then won the election by playing the moderate (Calling himself a tax cuter, and against ear marks).   It will be a balancing act for Senator Obama to be certain, because he needs to continue his pretence that he’s conservative for the general public, and at the same time throw bones to the left wing of his party.  President Clinton in his administration paid back the left wing of the party early on and in the end paid a heavy price.   You wonder if Senator Obama will make the same mistake – or will have learned the lessons from the past.

Had a chance to run this morning, here are my results:

 
 
  
It’s a 30 second improvement from my last run.   I noticed that for some reason my heart rate and the ascent and decent differ.   I don’t know what would cause such a variation, but these results look correct. 

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving! 

The nature of this virtue consists in there being harmony between our desires and our present circumstances.  Man is not naturally self-sufficient; he is but a vessel into which something can be inserted.  And , in order to be filled, he has desires which – as hands – reach out for that which he deems to be fulfilling to him.  After the fall our desires have become inordinate, both in reference to the matters desired, which cannot fulfill, as well as to the manner desired; doing so too vehemently and passionately.  This vice is still partially present in the children of God after regeneration and yields them much grief.  They, even though they are judgmental opposed to this, also desire much.  They desire that all be well according to their aspirations.  these are such, however, that they cannot be filled with that which is of the earth, whereas their desires ought to be moderated according to the good which they have – be it much or little.

We must not eliminate all desires – as if the absence of desire would constitute true contentment.  That would be to dehumanize man and to make him less than an animal.  Our desires must be contrary to that which is evil.  That which is evil must be a burden to us, must grieve us; one must feel pain under it, and must have the desire to be delivered from it.   That which is good must be desirable to us and our desires must be focused on its enjoyment.  We must pursue these desires by using those means which are subservient to this.  Thus, contentment neither excludes the having of desires nor the use of the means, but it excludes all those desires which are focused on sinful matters.  This relates to all desires for all that which exceeds our needs; all vehement and passionate desires for something which normally could be lawfully desired; all mental anguish, heartache, and pouting if things do not go our way; and the use of all evil means for the fulfillment of our desire – whereby all lawful means are neglected, and God is tempted. 

However, all of this does not yet constitute contentment.  Contentment consists in the correspondence of our desires with our present circumstances, and in a willingness to be in the circumstances wherein we are and in none other. Prior to being in such circumstances we may indeed have desires (a matter which we deem to be essentials); however, we must do so with a true and righteous judgment.  Also, if we come into difficult circumstances, we may then indeed desire to be delivered from them and to come into better circumstances.  This is not contrary to being contented. 

Taken from The Christian’s Reasonable Service, Contentment (page 381), Wilhelmus à Brakel (1635-1711)

It has been one fine day – in part because my wife bought me a new sports watch called the Garmin Forerunner 305, as a birthday gift.  

It’s a GPS device, meaning that it uses satellites to track your sport related movements by  measuring; distance, pace, calories, and most importantly heart-rate.   The large wrist display  shows you this detailed information while running, then afterwards you upload the information to the web, and it creates some informative graphics.   My hope is that this new tool will help me improve my running (ergo my health) in the upcoming year.

 

Unbelievable to some, one of the problems in New Jersey is the overpopulation of Black Bears.  In fact it’s beginning to look like we should change our state motto from the ’Garden State’ to the ‘Black Bear State.’

In the 1980′s it was estimated that there were only a few hundred – today there are thousands and their population continues to grow.   I grew up in Northwest New Jersey and as a child I never saw a black bear – except at a zoo.   This year alone I’ve seen them in the center of my town,  and in the next town over, within yards of a group of children! 

The State of New Jersey in the past provided stats as to how many sightings and incidents there has been. As of a couple years ago they discontinued providing the stats – because like the preverbal ostrich, they don’t want to deal with the problem.  Opponents to the Bear hunting blame the people for not adapting their lives to the increasing population of bears.   For example they say; “If people would only put locking lids on their garbage cans there wouldn’t be a problem.”  So people respond by putting locking lids on their garbage cans and what do the bears do – they break into people houses!   

The fact is you can’t just keep allowing the population of bears to increase indefinitely – because the food supply for bears will not continue to increase.   What will happen is that they will find more food by breaking into houses OR they will slowly starve to death in the woods.   Clearly the answer is to allow periodic bear hunts within restricted areas of the state.  This will provide more safety for our families and is even compassionate to the bears.  The State of New Jersey needs to wake up and deal with this problem.   However action seems unlikely with the current liberal administration they seem all to willing to ignore a problem – until a tragic event occurs. 

As Thanksgiving is coming up we should stop and meditate on what God has given us.   Therefore taking a cue from my wife I will list five things that I am thankful for.   (continued..)

1. Thanks for my children’s school which have done a wonderful job educating them.

2. Thanks that Elizabeth continues to improve and is more and more involved in playing sports.

3. Thanks that my wife takes such pride in taking care of the house.

4. Thanks that my oldest daughter professes Jesus Christ as her Savior and Lord.

5. Thanks that we have such good friends at church. 

As Thanksgiving is coming up we should stop and meditate on what God has given us.   Therefore taking a cue from my wife I will list five things that I am thankful for.   (continued..)

1.  Thanks for those which serve in the military in defense of our nation.

2.  Thanks for the good health of my wife and children.

3.  Thanks for the Bible and the freedom to read it.

4.  Thanks for having Sundays off so that I can attend church.

5.  Thanks for having the last two days off – where I could spend more time with my wife. 

Secret Service Agent McCarthy received the NCAA Award of Valor in 1982 in recognition of his bravery for taking a bullet for President Regan.  He was only the second Agent ever to take a bullet for a president.

The Secret Service recently released the code names for the Obama and Biden families.  The White House Military Office dubbed President-elect Barack Obama “Renegade,” while his wife, Michelle Obama, is “Renaissance.”   Their children, Malia and Sasha, were named “Radiance” and “Rosebud.”   Not to worry the use of these ‘secret’ code names are more out of tradition then security, and are often made public.

Throughout the election I’ve heard numerous people state concern that President-Elect Obama is in great danger of assassination, because of his race and because the media is trying to re-create the so-called Camelot years.    While this fear is real for all presidents, however is not as dire as people think, because of modern advances and the excellent work of the secret service in the last 45 years.  There hasn’t been a successful presidential assassination since the secret service stepped up protection of the president.  Wisely, no more do presidents travel in open cars through the main streets of major cities.   Pennsylvania Avenue is closed and the White House security never better.   I remember when I was working for Hilton Hotels as a waiter and President Regan was coming for a fund raiser.  The security was as tight as a drum with security background checks being done on many of the staff.  These agents were everywhere – they had their little flash lights in the desert cups – looking for danger. 

I am certain that with the two wars in the Middle East – many an extremist Muslim would have loved to take President Bush out – but were unable to.  If these extremist were unable to get to President Bush – I am certain that President-Elect Obama is as safe as any prior administration.   Personally I believe President Bush will continue to be more of a target for assassination then Obama because of these extremist nut cases which would love to enact their revenge upon him and his father.    I pray that God would protect all of them (past and future) – and may we never see another assassination of a U.S. president in this country again.     Thanks to the secret service agents which have done their job so well.