Freedom + Structure = Booyah!!!

I love setting goals (Big Hairy Audacious Goals).  I enjoy dreaming big crazy dreams.  I love to plan and prepare.   

I also love freedom and not being tied down by structure and programs.

I think I need a healthy balance of both.

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In running long distances, I have to enjoy both "free runs" and "structured runs."

"Free runs" are the ones where I have no watch on my wrist and no headphones in my ears.  Where I just run.  Through the streets and up mountainsides, often rediscovering the joy of running and being outside exerting my body.

"Structured runs" are the ones where I plan to accomplish a training task,  discipline and setting specific tasks are involved.  When completed, they are the ones that give me the "I'm really happy" feeling, however they too don't excited me beforehand.   Why?  Because they are the ones I need to exert more energy than I'm used to, where I push my body to the limit.  To become a better, stronger, healthier runnier, I need these.

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I try to incorporate both styles into my runs.

A little Freedom + A little Structure = Booyah!!!

It's like life.

For the dreams we dream, and the goals we set, to the joys we wish to experience, to searching what it means to be human, and seeking the depths of our soul.

We need both freedom and structure in our life.

Freedom to experience our surroundings, to enjoy our friends without busyness and time limits...

Structure to help us achieve what we were created to achieve, and to do it well.

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There are a lot of things I want to do, and without both freedom and structure, I won't be able to.

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at one of the stops of my trip.  did some reading and juggled the soccer ball.  

Several years ago I took 10 days on a solo trip to Canada and back.  I took my bicycle, some running shoes, some food, books and good music.

I knew I wanted to go around the great lakes, up into Canada and come back down through Niagara Falls.

I knew what my starting and ending was going to be, but I didn't know the details in between.  It made for a great 10 days.  I enjoyed it, found it to be very relaxing.

this trip provided both the freedom and structure to make a great trip.

Freedom, waking up each day exploring and visiting new places.  Stopping wherever I wanted and going for a quick couple mile jog or bike ride.

Structure, knowing my trip was 10 days long, and I had a certain place I wanted to get to.  

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we need structure.

we need freedom.

we need a healthy balance of both.

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From Rob Bell's book What We Talk About When We Talk About God

I believe God is with us,
around us,
beside us,
present with us in every moment. 

The question, then,
the art,
the task,
the search,
the challenge,
the invitation is for you and me to become more and more the kind of people who are aware of the divine presence... (p.109-110)  

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