Spirit Runner

Hal Higdon

2006-02-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

www.halhigdon.com is a great web reference for runners. Especially check out his training scheduals.

2005-08-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

Rachel and I are taking up a new sport. Climbing is what there is to do out here, so climbing is what we do. This picture is taken from the top of camelback mountain.

2005-07-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

Here we are on Catalina Island. What a cool place!

2005-07-21T11:08:00.001-07:00

We're finally in Phoenix and it was 118 yesterday, or so we heard! Rachel and I had no idea where this trip was going to take us, but looking back it was well worth it. We're tired, broke, still homeless and jobless, but we're working out all of the details right now. I've got to say, I have a new perspective on life having taken this trip. Thanks to all who helped make this trip a success. Thanks God for an abundant life.

Half Way

2005-07-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

We are planning to leave Oregon tomorrow morning very early. We've
recently had a great time with Jen Gingrich and Rod Yoder here in
north Oregon. So far, Cliff has become quite accustom to traveling in
the car. He just finds a place to sleep and chills out. We've
visited Marion SD with Larry and Anette, Oak Lane Hutterian, the Bad
Lands SD, the big horn mountains, Jackson WY, the Grand Teton National
Park and Yellowstone, Boseman MT with Jimmy and Melinda Talarico(we
tied them in Cranium), Cascade ID was nice with Uncle Pal, June, Jake
and Gracie, leaving ID we drove through the Columbia River Gorge and
had a great view of Mt. Hood. There are so many detail, so hopefully
I'll get the audio blog to work tonight or tomorrow morning. I
haven't really tried to figure it out since there is so much to see
and do. Greetings to all who know we're on this trip and are praying
for us.

Life Upside Down!

2005-06-18T04:37:00.000-07:00

A Dream Deferred
Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

Being with out a permanant residence and staying at my parents house
has been a bit crazy. I've had some time to think back to old dreams
and think about them in light of my present worldview. Here are some
dreams I've had in no particular order. This is also my first list.
Dreams are important.

To be a doctor, pastor, rock star, photographer, gardener/landscaper,
naturopathic physician, husband to a loving wife, friend, a good
brother and son and lastly I dream to do the will of God.

How does that look? I feel so behind on my dreams, yet I feel like
God is saving me for something else.

Lord, Your will be done in my life. Amen.

I'm not running anymore...

2005-06-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

...because my schedual is filled with the agenda of three young, smart, energy filled boys. They tend to have different agendas than Rachel or I do. It's a funny thing because I've always thought that parents that don't exercise and gain a lot of weight are just lazy. I can be a bit harsh sometimes I know. I don't think of myself as someone who judges others, but I must confess that there are times when I do. The human mind is full if horrible things, I know. Anyway, since we've been caring for Rogelio, Christopher and Fernando, I now see that it is such a difficult task to care for ones self, and much more so having to care for others as well. I'll try to go running soon since right now is not a good time. I'm very sunburned from our trip to the Warren Dunes in Michigan. Hmm..Side note. I have found that it is possible to get exercise if I do it with the boys. Playing tag, hiking up the dunes, going on nature walks all leave me the option to watch them play, or join in and work up a sweat. As far as quite time and time for meditation, that seems to have to come early in the morning or late at night. These are not the times when I feel the most alert and awake. These are not the best times for me to do these things.

Cryminie

2005-05-28T19:45:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if that's how you spell the word my grandfather always used to say when things seemed to be way out of control, but it will do for now. Rachel and I have recently moved out of our appartment and taken on the responsibility of caring for three young boys. They are ages five, seven and nine and they are wonderful to be with. Rachel and I are learning so much about what it means to do church and to be parents. It's sort of been baptism with fire since last Sunday. We've got some great pictures, but at the moment don't have a way to post them on the internet. I'm working on that at the moment.

We took the boys out to the running trail and they loved it. It was a nature hike for them, and we didn't cover more than two miles, but they were so excited to see so many new flowers and plants and a baby goose and to throw rocks in the river and play in ways that allowed them to get muddy! It's really important that boys are allowed to get muddy from time to time. I think it makes their blood thinner and releases special hormones that keep them saine.

2005-05-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

I'm putting up a beautiful photo that I've taken just recently. Everything else in life right now is very crazy. Moving Sale. Temporary Guardianship. Moving to Phoenix. Road Trip. Moving to Forest Park. Finding a Home. Taking in a Stray Cat. Babysitting Tyler Davis. Finnishing Internship. Planning For College. Needing a Job. Loving to Run. Quantum Physics. Sermon on the Mount. Did I mention Brain Overload. Well, not really, just not enough space to adequately communicate all of this information tonight. Good Night!

Congratulations Ashley!

2005-05-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

How can two parents be more proud than to watch their first college graduate recieve her diploma. Way to go Ashley! We're all very proud of you. You are going to be great at what ever you decide to pursue in life because you work hard and have a lot of heart. Blessings to you as you enter this new season in your life.

Poor Kitty.

2005-05-16T16:01:00.001-07:00

Well, this kitten just won't leave us alone so we're going to let him stay.

Dave and Cliff

2005-05-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Don't these two look friendly. Our new cat Cliff and Dad Paulovich seem to get along pretty well. We we're very happy to have Dave help us move our stuff out to Phoenix. I'm glad we finnished that part of our move. I still can't believe he was willing to spend 76 hours in the car to help us out. Dave, your greatly appreciated!

Laurelville Mennonite Camp and Retreat Center

2005-05-10T19:07:00.000-07:00

Where ever the Spirit leads.

Mom and Trisha

2005-05-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

Mothers Day is a time to recognise women like these two right here. Strong hearted women who love their children end up with kid who despite being a royal pain in the butt, turn out to be half way decent. I guess in this life there are no guarantees, but the one thing that is for sure, in our family, is that Love comes from the top down. Thank You God for putting these two into my life. Strengthen them to do the dawnting task of worring about how we will end up. Give them kindness in times of absolute frustration and above all, abounding Joy to make it all worth while.

Abstract

2005-05-08T19:34:00.001-07:00

Nice, France. Olivier and Eric.

Pure Clean Refreshing Water

2005-05-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

I think it's so amazing when I'm drinking water to try and understand how light just travels right through the stuff. I know that the creator of the universe is awesome, but the creative genious is beyond my understanding. I am glad though to know that one of the main ingredients for sustaining life comes with a built in purity detector. If it's perfectly clear and doesn't smell funny, generally we can assume that it is good for us. The "see thru" part of it is what really amazes me though. I guess you really have to stare at a glass of water for a while before it starts becoming profound, but what do you expect from me. I've never understood something that I didn't first question. That's why I'm a little slow some times.

Lord of The Rings

2005-05-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

Just in case you guys didn't know, one day Rachel and I starred in this really good movie. We were actually in more than one, but you probably already know that. It was just fun to be in hollywood. I hope you liked the sceens where we really kicked butt.

Body Song in Motion

2005-05-04T14:01:00.001-07:00

This Woman is a Power House. My wife really kicks my butt at her Boot Camp. I'm sooo sore today from the past three mornings workouts. She's really making an impact on a lot of peoples lives, lately.

Pathways

2005-05-03T18:54:00.001-07:00

Sometimes the path I normally follow becomes flooded and I'm forced to find an alternate route. Often these are the times when I find some amazing new discoveries, like the time I found a "Jack in the Pulpit" plant. I had never seen one and it took some research to find out what it was. There are times in my life when I find that one path to God is just not cutting it anymore. I love how I can find so many metaphores as I become more aware of my body and creations wonder.

Running & Faith

2005-05-03T17:04:00.001-07:00

I guess I've found that the one way I seem to be able to integrate Faith and Health is thru Running. It's a time of prayer, meditation and reflection for me. Running is also a time to observe and be thankful for the two most glorious parts of creation, that is, the Human Person and the Rest of the Universe. On the health side, I know that every time I go out and add on a few miles, I'm keeping my heart strong, building capilaries and keeping off unwanted pounds. Anyway, I'm dedicating this site to running and to health and to Jesus Christ whom without none of this would have been made. Stay on the Trail!

Reflections on Sabbath

2005-05-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

I spent pretty much all of my effort yesterday trying to relax and enjoy a day in the presence of the Lord. Yes, I do find it hard to mentaly remove myself from the nagging thoughts in my head calling me back to just finnish a little more work so that I can really relax. So, I'll start working on how to make better use of my time the other six days of the week. I'll be trying to start out each day with some form of exercise. Actually, I'll be incorporating exercise and spiritual diciplines at the same time. I'm not trying to make more efficient use of my time, rather, I'm seeking to find a place of connectedness within myself from which to begin relating to God on a deeper more powerful level. How great is our Creator to have given us mind, body and spirit and how much more that he can connect with us on every level. Holy Spirit, flow through my veins as I increase oxygen rich blood, nutrients and your power in my life.

Sabbath Rest

2005-04-30T21:37:00.001-07:00

Saturday is come and gone. I feel like I've had a partial Sabath rest today. I'd really love more. This photo is the view I had outside our home, where I had some time to relax and ponder deep thoughts. Here's what I noticed within myself today. As I committed to "NOT WORK" I realized that I had to give up my worries today because there is nothing I need to do about my problems. These problems will be there tomorrow and now is the time to give myself completely to God's rest. It's also like a short glimpse into heaven. We will finally be at rest, but we may still look back and see all we could have done or what we shouldn't have done. Anyway, in the end it's only possible to rely on God's grace through Jesus. This apparent need for grace became clear to me. In order to take a Sabath, one must recieve grace for all that he or she is not accomplishing on that day. Finnishing projects, paying bills, ballancing accounts, painting the walls, all of these things must bow to the awesome wonder of God's authority.

Genitics and Jesus

2005-04-25T18:42:00.000-07:00

You'd never guess that this beautiful young woman is my Mom if I didn't bring it up. She takes very good care of herself and for that I am very proud of her. I hope that she's around for a long time. Come to think of it, she's where I get my good looks, don't you think. So, mother's day is comming up which means another chance to show her how much I love her and it also means that it's time to start the garden. Really what I want to bring up though has to do with a profound though I had while visiting a friend who had just recently given birth to her second child. This baby was so amazing to me and made me realize how fragile life is. Someone once told me that newborns don't understand that they and their mother are two seperate beings. Untill a certain age, mommy and baby are one. I guess it makes sense since they were sharing the same physical space for 9 months. As I was pondering this, I guess it's similar to contemplating my navel, I remembered Jesus words about him and the father. He said that he and his father are one. And that if you want to enter the kingdom you have to become like a child. Wouldn't it be amazing to feel so connected with God that you didn't understand that you are two seperate beings. Who knows, maybe we are more connected with God than we know. What if the westernized God that we worship isn't so disconnected from being part of every part of our being. Maybe east isn't so far away from west. So, to finnish my point, I am who I am and that's how God made me. In his image I shall be. YHWH (I am that I am) is the God of our ancestors and we are made in the image of God. I think that being my mothers son may be a mini version of the metaphore of being a child of God. How cool is that! Maybe that's why [Honor thy mother and Father] is the first commandment with a promise for a long life. As humans, if we can undersand and respect the amazing creative process that God has enabled us to take part in, then maybe we can catch a glimpse of the connection we have with our loving Creator.

Beautiful Day

2005-04-22T22:22:00.000-07:00

I know that Rachel and I are going to love living in Phoenix. On Thursday I walked outside and said "Wow, what a beautiful day," and Marlin Hershberger said, "What did you expect? You had better get used to it". I think we will.

Palm Trees

2005-04-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to live where the palm trees grow. I'm putting this one here today because we're moving to Phoenix Arizona. Palm Trees cast a nice shadow and provide shade from the intense tropical sun. This palm tree is actually just providing some forshadowing for my life. Only 2 months left.

Quick Trip

2005-04-15T14:34:00.000-07:00

We leave Tuesday for Phoenix. It's going to be hard to come back to Chicago. We're both really excited about moving and starting something new. We both need a change and I know that this experience will literally change who we are. Hey, I just realized that I've had this funny amish beard for over a year now. Huh.

Beauty By Accident

2005-04-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

It was mostly an accident if there are any redeeming compositional qualities in this photo. The real beauty was that I ended up in the right place at the right time and took a quick snapshot while hanging over a park bench because Rachel and I decided to do something spontanious on a Saturday afternoon.

Purple Flower

2005-04-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

I'll let this one speak for it's self.

True Love

2005-03-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

Meet my beautiful wife. Her name is Rachel and she is a Personal Trainer specializing in In-Home Training. If your from the Phoenix Arizona area, let me know and I'll make arrangements for you to be one of her first Arizona Clients, high demand time slots will be filling up fast. She's awesome!

Yellow Cab

2005-03-26T08:03:00.001-07:00

Sometimes things happen in our life that are unexpected. I held my camera over the balcony and took this picture at the moment that a taxi cab moved into the center of the intersection, making this an especially intriguing photo. Yesterday, I started my internship @ caring medical and much to my suprise, once again I'm in the right place at the right time. The doctor saw patients from Montreal, the Canarie Islands, Long Island, Ohio, and Indiana just to name a few. This is surely a unique opportunity.

Caring Medical

2005-03-23T15:53:00.002-07:00

I'm very excited to announce that I have been offered the opportunity to work in the Medical Office of Ross A. Hauser , MD and Marion Hauser, MS, RD. I'm very excited to work with them and the rest of the staff and learn how to work within a modern natural medical and rehabilitation clinic. Please keep me in prayer that I will fulfill my job description 110% and learn as much as possible about the amazing interventional natural medicine techniques that are being pioneered right here in Oak Park, IL.

Great Outdoors

2005-03-22T14:29:00.000-07:00

The Great Outdoors is such a quality place to spend time. Here's a great investment for you. Find a park or piece of land where noone will chase you away with a shotgun and spend some time observing all of creation. The calming effects are great for your blood pressure and the abundance of oxygen is great for you immune system. Touch the dirt and feel the moisture, did you know that there are healthy bacteria that will crawl into your body near your finger nails. Don't put gloves on, this is great for your bio-flora. Also, this is a great time to connect with God. In my faith, our leader Jesus, you may have heard of him, used many metaphores from nature and agriculture. I love using this free resourse to further my spiritual emotional and physical health. Current market trends say that you have to spend a lot of money to stay healthy. If you take a ride to your nearest natural refuge, it will only cost you some time.
The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Daybreak

2005-03-17T07:31:00.001-07:00

The Famous Atomic Sunrise 1-27-05
I took this photo the day after I got laid off from my job. I was actually really relieved when I got laid off because the job was so stressful. I'll be taking the time to explore other interests, hopefully a time to reflect and meditate on how to find fulfillment in my work. In this sunrise, I see the advent of a new day and the advent of a new season in my life.