Pride got in the way!

Pride is defined as the quality or state of being proud.  It is something that God sees as a sin, but as humans it's something that comes up when we are overconfident and don't think we need help!  Let me explain:
As I am training for my 3rd half marathon, I decided to register for a 10 mile race this past weekend to help me get prepared.  My dad, who has been running for years, had me tapering my mileage last week and just resting to prepare my body for this long run.  I have run this distance before and I had checked the weather all week...sunny!  So my body was rested, and the weather was SUPPOSED to be sunny, however, all week I felt tension in my knees but just brushed it off and said they will be fine.
Here comes race day, we left on time and hit some rain on the way to Marshfield, it was nothing I was worried about and by the time we got to the race it had stopped.  I get dressed and put the brace on one of my knees and get my ipod prepared, I am set.  I kiss the family good bye and head to the start line...we sing the star spangled banner and guess what?  Yep, you guessed it!  Rain...first lightly and by the time the gun went off it was pouring.  I was soaking wet by mile 1, good thing I had a running hat on so at least the rain was staying out of my face.
So remember this is a 10 mile run...I have 9 miles left!  Soaking wet:P  Then because I was wet, by the time, I got to mile 6 I was cold and my knees and hips started to give me pain.  Remember the tension I felt in my knees?  Yep, should've gone to see the chiropractor...but that darn pride!  So I was wet, cold, in extreme pain, and it was still raining.  This is miserable, I thought.  I started praying like crazy and by the time I got to mile 8 the sun started peaking out and the strength I felt was very refreshing.  I had to walk run the last two miles because I knew my hips were out.  As I approached the finish line my legs felt like they were going to fall off...but my family was there and they gave me the motivation to run into the finish.  Well, I finished in a very decent time...1 hour and 45 minutes.  Not what I wanted for time, but for the conditions it was not bad!
Now, when I got the results I realized there was 76 people(who actually showed up and ran) the 10 miler...what place did I get?  71st out of 76..ouch!  This is where my pride got a kick in the pants, if I would've gone into get an adjustment like my gut was telling me...I wouldn't have been one of the last people across the finish.
God doesn't want us to have pride because he WANTS to help us!  He wants to lend us a hand and if we get too much in control and overconfident he will be like any parent and let us learn our own lesson.    He is there to lend a hand and as his children we need to accept his help and realize there is nothing we can do in this life without him....lesson learned:)  

Summer Ideas!

Well, stay at home moms...our hardest three months is upon us.  The 2012-2013 school year has come to a close and not summer vacation is here!  If your children are like Silena she wants to be outside and not stuck inside like it's the middle of winter....so here are some of the ideas I came up with to keep her and the little one busy during the summer:

1. I bought a treasure chest type box from Wal-mart and am working on putting some fun activities in their that can only be played with on rainy days(art projects, crayons and markers, and new books).

2.  I also came up with a bunch of "rainy day" field trips that we could take that doesn't cost a lot of money and they are in an envelope.  If we decide that we need to take a field trip then we reach in their and pick one out without looking and it's a surprise!

3.  I also have another envelope with a bunch of fun big activities that we can do at home(build a tent and fake fire with smores, go play in the rain, hide and seek, game day, movie afternoon, etc.).  We would reach in their without looking again and it would be another surprise.

4.  The other thing I do with her, and I have done this since she was 2, is summer school.  I choose not to send her to summer school, but I do it with her at home.  I choose what is done and then I will also throw in some educational field trips as well.  A faith lesson is also included in this!

5.  The last thing I do is have a schedule.  I know not everybody likes a schedule but I think it helps kids not to get bored.  If their activities are switched and then it works different parts of the brain as well.

This won't work for everybody, but these are just some things I came up with...not only to help keep the kids stimulated, but it keeps me from getting bored as well:)  Happy Summer everyone!