Sac City Wrap Up

It was a great week in Sac City Iowa, home of the "World's Largest Popcorn Ball" (definitely something to check out).

The week was filled with a lot of speaking (12 times), running (54 miles) and getting back into the normal swing of things.

Here are some pics from the week:

Due to no support vehicle on Monday's journey to Sac City, Jim Drove to Sac City and then RAN 3-mile loops all day.  He covered 24-miles on Monday.  

Early Monday morning, saying "good morning" to the sun

Tuesday afternoon 10-mile run

Wednesday's 10-mile run.  busting out the 5th pair of shoes on the Awake My Sole journey

Speaking at the youth group in Newell Iowa on Wednesday evening

Jim with Darleen after speaking at the retirement community in Sac City

Audrey and Jim after speaking on Thursday.

Spoke all day Friday at the Sac City Middle School.  The students were wonderful.  Helped them set some "Big Hairy Audacious Goals."  

Friday evening 10-mile run.

Saturday morning.  Middle schoolers chilling at the retirement home.  

Having some fun with the awesome peeps at the retirement community. 

Saturday afternoon, did some geocaching in Sac City.  Found some sweet Ninja guys in a tree.  Lots of fun.  

Overall, really enjoyed my time in Sac City, gonna miss my amazing host family, a big THANKS to them.  I will be headed to Storm Lake tomorrow, (Monday 11/4).  Tentatively will be speaking at the Elementary School, Buena Vista's Chapel, BVU bible study and The Bridge's "Sons of Honor."  

Running with purpose in every step...

Jim

"I'm proud of you" - How to Inspire Retired Peeps

I got to spend the day speaking at a retirement community is Sac City Iowa.

I was a bit nervous before heading in.

What would I say to inspire people who are older than me?

Would they listen?  Would they care?  

Would what I say apply to them and their lives?

How do I challenge them to set goals in the later years of their life?

These were some of the questions rolling around in my head. 

I quickly discovered I needed to share my story, to be myself and not pretend I had all the answers.  That's what I did, and it went over really well, plus I gained a lot of wisdom from the wonderful residents I met.  

Darleen and I

I met a guy named Howard who is an expert woodworker.  Here is a picture of him and some of the things he made out of wood.  It is absolutely astounding some of the things he was able to create with wood.  I pointed out his buffalo and told him "I ran with a buffalo once."  He thought that was pretty neat.

Howard and some of his wood art 

Howard carved this boot out of wood.  Pretty neat, huh???

I also met a wonderful lady named Audrey.  Right after I was done speaking, she came up and said, "Thanks for sharing that.  Everything you talk about is how I try to live my life.  Setting goals is so very important to me, it gives me some meaning and purpose.  In fact, one of my current goals is to walk a mile every single day."

Audrey and I

I really enjoyed spending my time in the retirement community.  Yes, the people are retired and are a bit older than me, however they haven't stopped living.  You have people writing, playing piano, walking, carving wood and doing random acts of kindness.

In fact, one lady came up after I spoke and told me, "I'm proud of you."  Her comment made my day.

This Saturday, I hope to be making my way back to the retirement community with some middle school students, so they too can experience how cool the people in the retirement community are.


Some of the stories I shared:  
Chilling with Lou and her stuffed cat
When your water freezes, you know it's cold
Dean taught me how to make a wooden coffee cup

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?