Saturday, February 4, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Funny thing that happened at Walmart
After my wonderful uplifting experience with my 4th 5K at Veterans Memorial Park in Dawsonville, I decided to stop in at the local Walmart there on 400. I don't shop at Walmart often but there was something there that I needed to get (a personalized tag.) They have this machine that etches a tag for you on the spot. Anyway, after walking 3.16 miles and drinking water, I really had to go pee. I walked up to the bathrooms and saw a few carts parked right outside the entrances to the between the two bathrooms. I glanced to the right and saw a leopard print sweater in one of the shopping carts and headed around the cart into the bathroom. I kind of made a little turn and then straight ahead was the handicapped stall and it was occupied. I noticed through the little space in the door and the wall and thought wow, that is a really big and tall lady. I caught just the briefest of glances of the feet and hands. Now mind you I did not have my eye pressed up against the space staring, but I can quickly take in a lot of details in a matter of a second or two. Anyway, I went into my little stall and noticed that it did not lock and no darn purse hook. I kind of wedged and hooked my purse up on the top of the door to keep the door closed and my purse off the floor and sat down. I believe I may have cleared my throat in a lady like way. Sometimes after walking my throat is dry. Anyway, the person in the next stall was more noisy. I think some people can be completely silent as they go along in their daily activities and some just make more noise. I heard a couple of throat clears and maybe a grunt or 2. I thought to myself, wow she has a really deep voice. Anyway, I could tell she was going to be awhile. Well I finished up, and gathered my purse, opened the door to my little stall and stepped out into the main part of the bathroom and there stood an older gentleman with his back to me standing up at the urinal peeing! It hit me, I am in the MEN'S BATHROOM. Yes, I had walked into the men's bathroom!!! Oh my goodness. I am so glad that man did not see me. At least I don't think he did. I was not concerned with my embarrassment but with his. I am equally glad that me and the other stallee did not bump into each other. I quickly and as silently as I could walked out of the men's bathroom. I wanted to laugh out loud and tell someone. I almost went over to the tax lady in her little cubicle but she was on the phone. I had to tell someone, so I called my sister. She had not laughed in a while and really needed a good laugh. Glad I could help! Later on that day, while I was visiting my Aunt, I told her my bathroom story and she got a good laugh and it brought her blood pressure down. Glad I could help!
My Blessed 4th 5K Long but so worth reading...
On January 7th I participated in another 5K, but it was not just another 5K. Read on...
Well my 4th 5K was at Veterans Memorial Park in Dawsonville GA to support a ball team. It had just rained right before the race. I got there later than usual, and I really had to go potty. So I did and as I am walking to the start line, the horn blows to start. Well for me a few seconds is not going to matter too much anyway. My mood was a little down. I had not been walking regularly and was not prepared at all. The course was fairly easy. Not too many hills. It was just me. All the other 3 races, Stephanie, Jack, David, Cathy and Lexi (the whole gang) had been there. But not today. It was just me, and I knew I would be the last to finish. Don't get me wrong, I do not mind doing things alone. It really does not bother me. But I could really tell that my motivation was down, way down. After the first lap, I felt like quitting. I thought that if I kept on knowing my time was not going to improve from the last race, that I would be disappointed. I thought it was too hard and no one was there that I knew to see me quit. I did not quit. I kept going. I prayed and that helped. Mostly, I persevered and pushed through. On the last lap, I saw the clock timer and I was at 45 mins and apologized to Lowell that I would be holding everyone up. He said no problem and encouraged me on. Remembering what Steph had told me about the last mile or so. You kind of get that 2nd wind. The last 3/4 of the last leg of the race, I saw a couple of boys (probably all from the baseball team we were supporting) come up behind me. I spoke to them and they said that they were going to walk with me to the finish line! Then a few steps more boys, a few more steps, more boys joined in. They were chattering and talking and joking with each other. They are extremely impressive kids. There was no junk talk, no cursing, no bullying, no pushing, no shoving, no ugliness at all, only goodness and only good clean fun conversation between them. After a little while, I saw the volunteers come and start walking with me. And then Tyler came back around. I met her on the walk and it was her first 5K and it was her birthday. She doubled back after finishing the race and brought me a bottle of water. So, all along I thought I would cross the finish line all alone and leaving no doubts to the onlookers that I was the last one to finish, and my personal best time would not be a personal best. And the one that held up the annoucements at the end. But I was not alone. I had a whole baseball team and ladies behind me to cheer me on as I crossed that finish line with a personal best time no less!!! I was estatic. I was high fiving all the kids and thanking them and telling them how awesome they were. A couple of the smaller boys that I missed came up to me with their arms and hands up and we high fived. Thank you God for giving me that blessing. And thank you God for using my situation to bless those boys. I know how important it is for children of all ages to feel important, useful, giving, part of something. Sometimes I forget that when I let someone help me, you, God, are blessing them. I also met a dear person and we talked about our life's goals and what we are doing now. We had a long conversation. Meeting her was so awesome and encouraging. I told her I would pray for her and her endeavors and she told me she would pray for me. She thanked me for encouraging her! I compare both our situations and in normal secular circumstances, I would never think I could have helped or encouraged. But when God is involved even lowly me who still does not have it together can give my ideas, my prayers, my encouragement to another person. Again, God blessed me and blessed her just by us showing up at the same place. One of her son's was on the ball team and I was praising them and telling her how awesome those boys are. By accepting help, we are allowing a blessing and a joy and a wonderful experience to come in to someone else's life. Dear Lord, Please help me to remember that.
Well my 4th 5K was at Veterans Memorial Park in Dawsonville GA to support a ball team. It had just rained right before the race. I got there later than usual, and I really had to go potty. So I did and as I am walking to the start line, the horn blows to start. Well for me a few seconds is not going to matter too much anyway. My mood was a little down. I had not been walking regularly and was not prepared at all. The course was fairly easy. Not too many hills. It was just me. All the other 3 races, Stephanie, Jack, David, Cathy and Lexi (the whole gang) had been there. But not today. It was just me, and I knew I would be the last to finish. Don't get me wrong, I do not mind doing things alone. It really does not bother me. But I could really tell that my motivation was down, way down. After the first lap, I felt like quitting. I thought that if I kept on knowing my time was not going to improve from the last race, that I would be disappointed. I thought it was too hard and no one was there that I knew to see me quit. I did not quit. I kept going. I prayed and that helped. Mostly, I persevered and pushed through. On the last lap, I saw the clock timer and I was at 45 mins and apologized to Lowell that I would be holding everyone up. He said no problem and encouraged me on. Remembering what Steph had told me about the last mile or so. You kind of get that 2nd wind. The last 3/4 of the last leg of the race, I saw a couple of boys (probably all from the baseball team we were supporting) come up behind me. I spoke to them and they said that they were going to walk with me to the finish line! Then a few steps more boys, a few more steps, more boys joined in. They were chattering and talking and joking with each other. They are extremely impressive kids. There was no junk talk, no cursing, no bullying, no pushing, no shoving, no ugliness at all, only goodness and only good clean fun conversation between them. After a little while, I saw the volunteers come and start walking with me. And then Tyler came back around. I met her on the walk and it was her first 5K and it was her birthday. She doubled back after finishing the race and brought me a bottle of water. So, all along I thought I would cross the finish line all alone and leaving no doubts to the onlookers that I was the last one to finish, and my personal best time would not be a personal best. And the one that held up the annoucements at the end. But I was not alone. I had a whole baseball team and ladies behind me to cheer me on as I crossed that finish line with a personal best time no less!!! I was estatic. I was high fiving all the kids and thanking them and telling them how awesome they were. A couple of the smaller boys that I missed came up to me with their arms and hands up and we high fived. Thank you God for giving me that blessing. And thank you God for using my situation to bless those boys. I know how important it is for children of all ages to feel important, useful, giving, part of something. Sometimes I forget that when I let someone help me, you, God, are blessing them. I also met a dear person and we talked about our life's goals and what we are doing now. We had a long conversation. Meeting her was so awesome and encouraging. I told her I would pray for her and her endeavors and she told me she would pray for me. She thanked me for encouraging her! I compare both our situations and in normal secular circumstances, I would never think I could have helped or encouraged. But when God is involved even lowly me who still does not have it together can give my ideas, my prayers, my encouragement to another person. Again, God blessed me and blessed her just by us showing up at the same place. One of her son's was on the ball team and I was praising them and telling her how awesome those boys are. By accepting help, we are allowing a blessing and a joy and a wonderful experience to come in to someone else's life. Dear Lord, Please help me to remember that.
3rd 5K
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