Restless. Sojourning. Soul. Sole.

One year ago today (December 23) the Awake My Sole Iowa journey came to completion.  Crazy to think it has already been a year.

To celebrate, I trekked some miles in the frigid negative North Dakota temps.  Yes, that is frost on my hat, and yes I am wearing 3 pairs of socks interlined with plastic bags.  

This song and lyrics sum up my thoughts and feeling today.

Restless soul, turning leaf 
Tomorrows unknown mysteries 
I'm leaving here, I end up where 
Into the unknown we fly 
We said there's no time to waste 
So hand in hand we run this race 
Let's end it well 
Escape them fires of hell 
Wander all out lives 
Till we're gone 
Pick up sticks and pack your bags let's go 
Where things grow, in the hills in summer time 
Under trees and over streams we walk and we talk 
All our days, into the night 
Into the unknown we fly 

And our hearts are beating 
And our feet they've got a long long way to go 
And our souls want to shine 
Can't you feel it from your head to your toes 

Touching down we're breaking through 
To a land that seems brand new to you and me 
And God makes three 
Lost and now we're found again 
This place playin' it's tricks on me 
Help me down from a strangers tree 
There's beauty here, but I miss it there 
Trace my path in wind and snow 
Thunderstruck I've got a place in mind 
All our time in the world, is gonna pass 
Grab your hand we've got some plans to know 
Open roads, we're together at long last 
Wander all our lives, till we're gone 

And our hearts are beating 
And our feet they've got a long long way to go 
And our souls want to shine 
Can't you feel it from your head to your toes 

And I thank the Lord, for everything He's done 
And I thank my Father, for sending us His son 
And I thank that Spirit, for helping us be one 
Helping us be one, out there on the run

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"Into the unknown we fly"

"Lets end it well"

"Our feet they've got a long long way to go"

"Helping us be one, out there on the run."

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the core pillars of Awake My Sole

Run Passionately
Run Purposefully
Run with Beautiful Feet
Run with Endurance
Run towards the Goal (Jesus)

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"Oh Lord Jesus, Guide our feet into the way of peace"

Where are you being guided?
By whom?
By what?  
By what influence?  
To where?

"Oh Lord Jesus, Guide us today for your glory's sake"

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"A sojourner is a person who resides temporarily in a place."

We runners are those with literal Restless Soles, each run a temporary sojourning endeavor.  Whether it's half a mile in little time to thousands of miles in a lot of time, we sojourn.  

I can't help but think of the Christmas story, and the wise men whose feet were guided by the star.  They were sojourners, guided by God

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Just some of the thoughts in the restless, sojourning, sole, soul of mine.

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I want to Learn Amharic, What language program should I use? Foreign Service Institute (FREE), Instant Immersion ($29.95), EuroTalk (39.99), 2Speak ($35.95), etc.

After traveling to and returning from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this last May (2013), I've been determined to learn "Amharic," the native tongue.

Coffee beans being roasted during the Coffee Roasting Ceremony

I remember participating in a coffee roasting ceremony, longing to communicate with the locals.

Whenever I return I will be fluent with the hopes of being able to speak with the locals.

Every day since May I've been teaching myself the language: the 200+ symbols in their alphabet (abugida), how to pronounce the words, how to write and speak the words, some grammar and more.  

Practicing writing Amharic with a cup of coffee (the best way to learn Amharic)

Dictionary I purchased to help in translating and learning the words

The Amharic symbols, each symbol is a consonant and vowel sound

An app I've been using on my phone to help learn the language

So far, I've invested a lot of time in learning the language.  I want to invest in the next step of using a language program.  I've done some research, and found 4 software programs that will help in helping me learn this beautiful Semitic language.

Cost: $19.99 on Amazon or FREE on FSI Language

Cost: $29.95 (Level 1) or $49.95

 Cost: $39.99

Cost: $35.95 (starter) or $65.95 (complete)

I'm posting in hopes that others who know the Amharic language will comment below with suggestions, reviews or other programs that might work better. 

"a time for every purpose under heaven"

Every year each floor of my college dorm was given a theme by the floor's Resident Assistant.  One year, one of the floor's themes was "Turn, Turn, Turn."

It wasn't as fun as the "Arrested Development" or "Star Wars" themed floors, and I remember thinking "What a bizarre theme for a floor."

Looking back on it, it was a brilliant theme for a floor, however my immaturity kept the meaning at bay.

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In a recent excursion to Denver, on vinyl I acquired The Byrds' single "Turn, Turn, Turn."  The song was originally written by Pete Seger, the words originally adapted from Ecclesiastes (the Bible).

The world is turning.

A fascinatingly simple concept.

24 hours a day.

Sometimes I think we forget this.  Especially during holiday seasons.

We are rushed and busy and our 24 hours quickly goes by, taking very little time for the things that truly matter.  The things people on their death bed wish they would have spent more time on.

Family

The Divine

Not working

Outdoors

Helping others

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A friend of mine who helps direct funerals mentioned about a recent funeral, how in a family they were mourning the loss of a loved one while at the same time they were filled with joy of the birth of another.
Death and Life.  Together.

There is a time for it all.

... for babies to be born

... for people to die

For me and the Awake My Sole journey

... a time for running across Iowa for a year

... a time for resting in North Dakota

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A year ago, the Iowa Awake My Sole journey was coming to an end (the official day was December 23), and over this last year, things have continued to "Turn, Turn, Turn."

What's next for Awake My Sole?

There are some cool things on the radar, things involving mentoring and running.

For now, lets enjoy this moment, because the earth isn't stopping.  Soon our time will come.  My hope is that this life of yours and mine will be lived in a way that glorifies and honors the Creator.

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lyrics to "Turn Turn Turn"

"Turn! Turn! Turn!"
To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven 

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep 

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven 

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together 

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven 

A time of war, a time of peace
A time of love, a time of hate
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing 

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven 

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time of peace, I swear it's not too late!

it "feels like" -27 out, time to UNPLUG and RUN

The beautiful state of North Dakota blesses its residents with cold temperatures every winter.  After residing here for almost a year, it seems as if every person forgets how cold it gets in the winter, and then frigid cold fronts blow in and everyone talks about how cold it is.

North Dakota alone hosts 3 of the top 25 coldest cities in America, with Grand Forks at number 2, Bismarck at number 3 and Fargo at number 4.*

running in last winter's cold temps

I enjoy the frigidly cold weather.  Each morning I've become my wife's car starter.  Today, I got to run outside.  I hope to start biking to work again.

Some call me crazy, but nothing is more thrilling than running in frigid temperatures and surviving.  So far, my survival rate is one hundred percent, lets hope that doesn't change.

Running to Orange City in frigid temps  on the Awake My Sole Iowa journey.  Post by Awake My Sole.

Every time I go out and run, it's like this little expedition I conquered.  Starting and finishing at my house, with the journey being wherever my feet take me.  In these frigid temps, I see less and less foot prints in the snow, allowing me to feel that I was one of the few who journeyed out today.

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Here are some thoughts from today's "feels like" -27 degrees run:

I should have worn a warmer hat.  Each gust of North Dakotan wind froze the sweat from my head underneath my hat.

Running is simple.  You don't need much to run.  A pair of shoes, some clothes, two hats.

Running isn't punishment.  Its such a freeing activity.  Too often, people correlate running with punishment, when in reality it should be distanced far from punishment.

Wearing plastic bags was a good idea.  Base layer wool sock, plastic bag over it, cotton sock over that, then place the shoe on.  Perfect way to keep your feet warm by keeping gusts of wind out.

Unplug and run.  I didn't run with my music today or a watch.  I love music, and I love running to music, but today I really tried focusing on my surroundings,  on the outdoors and what I was running by.  Also, with so much ice, I didn't want not pay attention and slip.  Also, when I run with limited distractions I find I have more ideas pop in my head.  Its great for brainstorming.  When I don't have a watch, or an app whispering in my ear how far I've gone, I find that the time goes by quicker.  For serious trainers this might not be a possibility.

Enjoy the moment.  Don't worry about your speed, just run.  Be free and aware of your surroundings.  Be thankful to the Creator who has you in this moment experiencing this path.

Write down any thoughts.  After a run, writing down thoughts or ideas that popped into your brain.  Many ideas for the Awake My Sole journey were formed while running.

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"When your water freezes, you know it's cold" 

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As a runner, North Dakotan and fellow advocate for ideas that better other people, I found myself inspired by this runner from North Dakota.

Anne Mahlum

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How to simplify your life into a bag