Embracing Sloth-Like Movement

Did you know???

I feel like a SLOTH in comparison to how fast my car can travel.  In setting off on the Awake My Sole journey I said goodbye to my Toyota Yaris.  It travels much faster than my feet; a thirty minute car ride translates to eight or more hours of running.

Saying "Goodbye" to my car for the year.  January 9, 2012

Not having a car for the year, has really slowed me down.  In our fast moving culture, some consider sloth-like movement negative.  From my experience, "slowing down" has been very fruitful and healthy.

At first it felt weird, but traveling at a slower pace, though not as efficient, has really helped me see and enjoy the beauty in things. 

For example, Iowa's incredible landscape:

It is incredible what you are you able to see and experience when you travel slower.

I would never have been able to experience several of Iowa's natural beauties if I was traveling by car.  

The Awake My Sole journey has been built on a year long time frame (January 2012 to December 2012).  Each Monday I run to my next community and spend a full week in that community.  If the whole journey was scheduled for only a week or a month rather than the whole year, I wouldn't have been able to spend as much time in each community meeting new people.  

Here are a few wonderful people I've met:


Audrey in Sac City

The Central College Cross Country Team (Cody, Adam, Jim, Michael, Austin)

Running to Grinnell Iowa (Jim, Anet, Andrea, Michael, Marty)

I've met a lot of people on this year long journey, several of whom I've reconnected with.  In March I met Andrew, a senior at the Webster City High School.  When I made my way back through Storm Lake I was speaking at Buena Vista University, and Andrew came up to me.  It was great seeing him again and we were able to grab some dinner at La Juanitas.  

I want to take this next portion to write and reflect on a conversation I had with Peter, a man I reconnected with in Storm Lake.    

Peter is an incredible man.  He is from Africa and currently lives in Storm Lake with his family.  I was blessed with the opportunity to celebrate his son's birthday with him.  

Peter and his son.    

After his son's birthday party, Peter and I were able to chat.  We talked about his life and his current job where he works tirelessly to support his family.  He is a worker at a local large meat company's rendering plant: 8-10 hours a day, six days a week.  In my conversation with him, he said something that caught my attention, "Americans would have two suns if they could."  

I asked Peter what he meant by that.

He said, "Americans are so busy they would rather have more hours of daylight to work and less hours for rest."

 

An interesting perspective from someone who grew up outside our western culture. 

His comment really stuck with me.  It rattled around in my brain during the 40-mile run from Storm Lake to Spencer.

 

 

Are we really so busy that we want MORE hours in the day to get things done?  

  

Are we trapped in a sea of busyness?

Busyness pervades everything we do, from the food we eat, to the way we travel, even in the ways we vacation. 

In Spencer, I was talking with the owner of Toad's Coffee Shop and he said, "It's funny when people talk about getting back from a vacation and they feel even more drained than before they left."

What's interesting about Jim is that he is a wood carver and makes wooden toys for kids.  His toys and carvings are made by hand and they take many hours to complete.  He mentioned how his end product is very rewarding and fulfilling. 

Jim and his wooden toy creation

 Through all these interactions I've been left wondering about "busyness" and how we are truly meant to live.  I do know that slowing down, experiencing Iowa and its people has been rewarding.   

 

Life has so much to offer and we have to be still enough to experience it lest it pass by unnoticed. 

 

 

Back roads of Des Moines

Brigg's Woods near Webster City

Storm Lake Wrap Up

It has been a most amazing week in Storm Lake Iowa.  Safely ran 26.1 miles on Monday (it was a little muggy).  Hosted by a most excellent family.  Was able to share the AMS story twelve times.  Ate two times at La Juanitas.  Discovered an amazing Cuban Restaurant, Cafe Habana.  Overall, an amazing week with some amazing people.  Really enjoy Storm Lake and all it has to offer.  

Here are some pics from the week  

Monday morning, a foggy/muggy run from Sac City to Storm Lake

Super foggy morning

MOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Epic Ninja Moves performed by Jim

Jay came and ran the last 9 miles with Jim.  

Jim found a Woody Action Figure on the side of the road.  Yes, a new addition to the Awake My Sole journey

Jim got to share the Awake My Sole journey several times throughout the week.  Here is a pic of some of the boys Jim got to share with.  

Really enjoyed my time with these guys

Cuban Coffee at Cafe Cubano in Storm Lake.  An awesome place to get great coffee on Railroad Street.  Really enjoyed meeting the owners of this place.  Super friendly people. 

Dumb and Dumber.  "Mutt Cutts, coming through."

Jim got to share at the Buena Vista University chapel and bible study on campus.  Talked about setting Big Hairy Audacious Goals & what it means to have "beautiful feet."

Buena Vista University Chapel

Got a short 3-mile run in.  At the end of the main road in Storm Lake.  "Pioneer"  

Got to speak on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the Storm Lake Elementary School, to the 3rd & 4th grade students. Jim welcoming students with some Curious George music.  

Jim Ellis is a professional long distance runner and motivational speaker.

He welcomes any opportunity to SPEAK at schools, youth groups, churches, organizations, clubs, etc. 

There is no cost.

What does Jim speak about?
Speaking Schedule

Others who recommend Jim
Awake My Sole in the News

Contact Jim for additional information OR if interested in having him come speak.

AwakeMySole@gmail.com

303-913-0986

Personal Inconvenience

"Let brotherly love continue.  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."  

Hebrews 13:1-2 (ESV)

Yesterday, I was blessed with safe travels from Storm Lake to Sac City Iowa.

During my 28-mile run, I wrestled with a lot of thoughts.

I called one of my mentors:

I shared about how my originally scheduled host home had fallen through 3 days before I was to head to Sac City Iowa.

I shared about how I scrambled for a host home and finally found one the evening before I left.

I shared about how frustrating it was to try and line up a week-long host home.  I thought it would be easy, an opportunity for people to open their home to me, a stranger.  I thought it would be easy for the Christian community to welcome me in.  I profess Jesus' name, and I thought others who profess Jesus' name would be all over the idea of hosting me.  That wasn't the case.

We talked about the idea of "Personal Inconvenience."  How people will give money & say prayers, rather than welcoming a "stranger" in.

One of many potential host homes I contacted asked, "Why isn't the church helping you find a host home?"  

I wanted to respond "You are the church and you have a home where I could stay."

I was even more flustered when they suggested "You could stay in the hotel."

Is this what Christians do?  When inconvenienced by a stranger, to say "I'll pray for you and send them to a hotel?

Or

Are we called to open our homes & our lives to strangers?

I believe this is one of the reasons why many people who grow up in the church, turn from their roots, 'cause the Jesus they hear about in scripture, is not the Jesus acted out in their faith community.

I realize opening up a home to a stranger is inconvenient.
I realize opening up a home to a stranger for a week is inconvenient.
I realize opening up a home to a stranger for a week with 3 days notice is inconvenient.

But what if we believed that personal inconvenience is good for us?

Maybe it's like a tension, or a pruning.

When it happens, the results often allow us to grow deeper in our faith.

For people who proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, lets start reclaiming Personal Inconveniences.  To see them as opportunities for the unknown.  To see them as opportunities for growth.  To see them as opportunities for God's hand to work in our life.

These are the thoughts I wrestled with while running on Monday.


What are your thoughts about the topic?