Faith Laces

  ✨ A family moment, a simple craft, and a glimpse of God’s transformative love. While we were camping, Cai had one simple request: to make a paper fan. It was a quick, no-fuss craft—perfect for our outdoor setting. I didn't bring along the craft bin though, so we had to make do with materials we had on hand. First, we took a few finished camping MadLibs pages and folded them accordion-style, breathing new life into something that had already served its original purpose. With a little glue and a pair of popsicle sticks rescued from the firepit, Cai turned ordinary scraps into a colorful fan—and soon, into his favorite fidget toy. It was a short crafting moment, but the joy and calm it gave him lingered long after. Watching him enjoy fidgeting with the fan reminded me: God is the master of repurposing. Just like those MadLibs and popsicle sticks, our lives may feel used up or done. But when we place the pieces in His hands, God creates something new—something deeply meaningful. ...

Scripture:   "Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come." — Psalm 71:18 (NIV) Devotional:   These days there's no reason to wear suspenders—unless they’re Barry’s. A bold red pair, thick with memory and meaning, packed and unpacked for decades as a keepsake of someone special. Until one day, they were worn. And suddenly, they became more than clothing. They became a testimony. Barry’s suspenders aren’t just fabric—they’re faith in action. They symbolize the strength it takes to show up, to pour into teenagers, to serve humbly and speak boldly. Barry didn’t just wear faith on his sleeve—he wore it strapped across his chest. Like a cross between John Denver and the Brawny Paper Towel man, Barry was a man of the earth and a man of God. Through workcamps, his garden, and tall tales, Barry mentored with his hands and his heart. He embodied the fruit of a life rooted in ...

  Have you ever watched fireworks light up the night sky and felt a sense of wonder? That burst of color, that sudden brilliance—it’s like joy exploding in the darkness. But what if I told you that kind of light can live inside a jar? Even better, what if it could live inside   you ? The Little Jar Once upon a time, there was a small, empty jar sitting on a windowsill. It wasn’t fancy. It didn’t glow or sparkle. It just sat there, waiting for someone to put it in the recycling bin. One day, a child came along with a few simple things: a little oil, some water, and a few drops of food coloring. He poured them in carefully, stirred gently, popped in an Alka-Seltzer tablet and then— boom! —colors began to swirl and dance like tiny fireworks. The jar didn’t know it could do that. It didn’t know it could hold something so beautiful. Cai watching the 'fireworks' show. The Light Inside Us Sometimes, we feel like that jar—plain, small, maybe even a little empty. But with just a tiny b...

  Fun and Faith on Fridays 1.  Our inaugural STEM project is inspired by *Awesome Engineering Activities for Kids* by Christina Herkert Schul. Cai was particularly enthusiastic about this activity. Sitting together coloring the popsicle sticks was very relaxing.  The push pins were too hard for Cai to push the pins through the sticks.  Glue on the ends of the pins is a must. 2 . The next thing I was really looking forward to was the CD Hovercraft. But before we got started, we noticed we didn't have the exact bottle cap we needed, which could mess with the experiment a bit. The hovercraft is a fail for now. With the proper bottle cap we might succeed. 

Photo Credit - Faith Laces For me, running during pregnancy takes a lot of F aith - F aith that I am doing what God made me to do. F aith that God will watch over and protect me and my unborn baby. F aith that I am honoring God through the movement of my body. F aith that I'm doing what's best for me and my baby. F aith that no matter how different running is now than it was when I wasn't pregnant, it's still good for me. F aith that when my baby is born, I'll be able to run more than 8 miles at one time again. F aith that although people seem to be doing double-takes when they pass me, it's all in my head. (It is isn't it?) F aith that I don't look as much like an ice cream cone as my shadow seems to.

Remembering why I run has never been as important as it has been since I've been pregnant.  I need to keep my perspective, especially as my pace slows and my distance decreases. Some of my reasons for running are: To stay healthy. To feel good. To stay sane. To reduce stress. To have fun. To set a good example for my daughter. Photo Credit - Faith Laces Menno Haven 5K For Alzheimer's November 2012 Ultimately though, my motivation is to give glory and gratitude to God. I believe God made me a runner. He may not have made me an Olympic or record-setting runner, but running brings me joy, peace and most importantly, it brings me closer to my Creator and His Creation. It's an honor and privilege to get out there everyday and run to show God how grateful I am for His wonderful gift! And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him ( Colossians 3:17 ESV). Why do you run?

Sometimes it's difficult to talk to a certain friend of mine because she only talks about herself. Anytime I try and change the topic and discuss what is going on in my life, she manages to switch the conversation back to her life and her problems. She doesn't do it on purpose, at least I don't believe she does, but it's hard to deal with at times. Photo Credit - Microsoft Clip Art I make a point to listen to my friends and not make everything all about me, but I'm not as diligent when it comes to my prayer time. When I pray, the subject is usually me. I bring God my needs, my problems, my worries, my fears and my wants. It takes a conscious effort on my part to meditate on God's word, to ask God to "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in [his] law" (Psalm 119:18 NIV). I do this by combining my discipline of running with my discipline of faith. I often read devotionals before I go for a run. With God's word on my mind and in my...

Photo Credit - Faith Laces Whenever I'm at the starting line of a race, I'm always amazed by the variety of people standing around me. Men and women, ranging in ages from 7 to 70, dressed in a rainbow of colors, stretch and wait together for the sound of the shot announcing the race has begun. It doesn't matter if we are fast or slow; a common love for running unites us. What a great example of what God asks of us in Romans 15:6: ... with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. No matter what our differences, God asks us to come together as Christians and give him praise, honor and glory. When we unite together, our common love of Christ overrides any divisions, preconceptions and judgement so that we can join together to worship God and be filled by His Holy Spirit. Just as we unite as runners to support and encourage one another to finish a race, me must unite as Christians to encourage and support one another in the race God...

Photo Credit - Faith Laces When I step outside for my run, God’s presence surrounds me.  I see him in the golden rays of sunlight through a canopy of red, yellow, orange and brown foliage.  I feel him in the bite of cool, morning air.  I smell him in the rich aroma of falling leaves. Running is God’s way of opening my eyes to his beautiful creation, revealing the joy to be found in the simple things. As I run, I hear God speak to me through the movements of my body. With the pumping of my arms and legs, the pounding of my feet on the pavement, the beating of my heart, the expanding and contracting of my lungs, I hear him say, “I made every intricate part of your body that allows you to experience this world in so many different and wonderful ways. This is my gift to you.” I answer him with every snap, crackle and crunch of leaves under my running shoes. With every deep breath I take, I respond, “Thank you.” To show my gratitude I straighten my shoulders...

Photo Credit - Microsoft Clip Art Today was simply beautiful. The temperature was warm in the 60s with no wind and the sun shone brightly in the baby blue sky -perfect conditions for a lovely fall run with Monkey. On the track today we ran together holding hands and crossing the finish line together so we both ‘won.’ We chased our shadows, stepped on each other’s shadow, and merged our shadows into one ‘monster’ shadow. Monkey also picked the few remaining dandelions. On our way to the creek, she fell asleep and napped for maybe 15 minutes. She woke up in time to stop at the creek and toss sticks into the water. I got a great workout pushing Monkey in her jogging stroller up a hill because our regular route was blocked by big tree limbs that fell down during the snow we had a week ago. A metaphorical tree limb fell in my path on Friday and rather than turn to God for the strength and wisdom to navigate, I panicked. I’m deeply ashamed to admit that I blamed God for putting...

I can still hear you say you will never break the chain ~ Fleetwood Mac  The Chain. Photo Credit - Microsoft Clip Art At the risk of being labeled a bad mother, I confess that I did not feel joy on the day I brought my newborn daughter home from the hospital. I was grateful and happy to have a healthy baby girl, but I was severely depressed and majorly terrified –overwhelmed with the magnitude of the responsibility I was facing. My confidence wavered as I tried unsuccessfully to wake a sleeping newborn to nurse. My nerves were shot and my hormones were going haywire. I couldn’t help feeling like a part of me was missing. She wasn’t missing –she was in my arms, but it wasn’t the same, and I mourned the feeling of life moving within me. Even though I’d anxiously waited for my due date for nine months and longed to hold my baby, I ached with emptiness. Any joy I felt at holding my newborn drowned under the sorrow I felt at losing our physical bond. Thankfully breastfeedi...

Photo Credit - Faith Laces One of the joys of running for me is spending quality time with my daughter. Monkey is three now and joins me in the jogging stroller for two runs a week. Here’s how I make the most out of our running time together: Pray  – Before running I pray that God will keep us safe, help us to run our best, and open our senses to his presence. Practice God Sightings  – I feel closer to God when running; I’m hoping Monkey will someday know the same closeness. During our runs, I point out God’s wonderful and beautiful creations like the blue sky, fluffy white clouds, flowing water, green grass, fine sand, heavy rocks, tiny pebbles, the variety of creatures like the birds, ducks, geese, groundhogs, squirrels, and turtles. Highlighting all of the different textures, smells, sounds, and sights around us, I say, “God made that.” Later when I’m making dinner and overhear Monkey say, “God made water or God made macaroni and cheese;” My heart swells and I...

I had hoped to post my race report for the Shad Bloom 10K I ran on Saturday, but I’m still trying to get everything settled after returning from our week-long getaway. I’m afraid that the race report will have to be postponed until next Monday. *** My jogging stroller is great for the most part, except it doesn’t travel well. It takes up a lot of room so I didn’t take it to Block Island. This meant a week of running on my own. I’m not complaining; it was a fabulous week of long runs on sandy trails with ocean views. But I regretted not being able to share those views with my little monkey. This morning I pulled the stroller out and brushed off a few cobwebs. I’m amazed how quickly spiders can make themselves at home! Monkey eagerly hopped in, so I could tell she’d missed running with me too. Of course, she’d had to bring a ‘few’ things, like every Disney Princess Barbie doll she has. I guess they needed a little fresh air! Not quite a mile from our house is a track. Once we g...