Run, Julia, Run!

I have to memorialize this day because I may never see one like it again. It’s August now, which is supposed to be the hottest month of the year in NYC. But, the high today is 79. The sun is out; there are just enough puffy clouds in the sky, and the perfect breeze. I could not wait to get outside this morning and I can’t stop gushing about how magnificent a day it is and how grateful I am to be living in it.

To my surprise, and I’m sure, many of yours, I have become a runner. I’m not sure exactly when this title became appropriate for me. Maybe it was last Halloween when I ran 6 miles for the first time. Or it could have been when I got my first set of Under Armour gear to brave the winter months. It quite possibly might have been when I started training for a half marathon that I never got to do. I don’t really care when it happened; I just care about the fact that my legs move fast enough to do it, and that I actually enjoy it. Over the course of my short running history, I have gained a tremendous appreciation for the sport/discipline. For one thing, it’s free exercise. Seemed like the best alternative when I no longer could afford a gym membership. Now, I would never go back. I’m spoiled by the outdoors and cringe at the thought of jogging on moving rubber that takes me nowhere.

I live a mere 4 avenues from Central Park, a place that has become a sanctuary for me; I think of it fondly, like a friend. It sounds cheesy, but it’s true. I’m certain many New Yorkers feel the same way. It’s one of the few places to escape from the frantic noise and hustle of the City. You have to know just the right times to go, though, and the right areas to avoid if you want to steer clear of meandering, camera-happy tourists. Once you’ve got that down, the park becomes yours.

I’ve learned to appreciate the variety that the park has to offer. You can run around the entire park, which is 6 miles, or you can break it off into 5 or 4 miles, depending on your mood or whether you feel like you have the strength to take on the Great Hill. For a shorter, flatter loop, I head to the reservoir, which is 1 and half miles around. It’s completely manmade, but absolutely beautiful. The perfect time to run there is at sunset, when the sun is low enough to create a shadow of the buildings on the water.

Running has also provided an excellent outlet for fellowship. I often run with a running group started by women in my church. We run the reservoir on Monday nights and then head back to one of our apartments to cook dinner. The group has become more missional over time as we meet fellow runners in our workplaces.

Lately, the Lord has been urging me to get out and meet more New Yorkers. Working in ministry, I fear becoming too comfortable in my church community that I forget how to be a light of the world, a city on a hill. We’ve been going through the book of Colossians in our Worship Services and Community Groups, and discussing what it means to be subversive in our deteriorating society that easily lures us into pledging allegiance to the fleeting pleasures of the American Dream. As I’ve been praying about what it looks like to be subversive in my life in the City (which is interesting, considering I’m still trying to figure out who I am in this City), it all boils down to speed.

The speed of New York is 100 miles an hour, and it never lets up. It’s an “every man for himself” kind of world. I hate to say that over time I've become hardened to it. I find myself thinking, “Am I going to make it through the turnstile in time to get on the train if I help this woman carry her stroller down the subway steps?” and “this guy in front of me is walking so slow, doesn’t he know people are in a hurry?” I’m tired of being in such a hurry that I forget that I’m surrounded by people of all nationalities and languages, whom God has created in His image, and loves. The Lord has called me to be subversive by slowing down, by being an inch worm in a swarm of centipedes. I’m determined to get out and spend time with people, and there’s no better way that I can think of doing that, then to meet people in their sanctuary, Central Park.

There is a store a few blocks from my apartment called the Super Runner Store. Just walking into this place makes you feel super cool. They have a running club that meets on Saturday and Sunday mornings and if you run ten runs with them (and you don’t even have to finish with them), you get a free pair of running shoes of your choice. Talk about a deal! Although that’s a great perk, I knew it was also the way for me to meet some other runners. I finally mustered the courage to give it a shot this morning. I’d say about 15 people came. We ended up dispersing into a few groups depending on pace and distance. I ran with a group of 5, and had such a blast talking with them and hearing about what they do and where they’re from. The amazing uncharacteristic weather had us all in a peppy mood, so the 6 miles just flew by! When we finished, we agreed that we made a good little group and should run together more often, so we high-fived and traded email addresses. I was in such a good mood after that, and so overwhelmed by the gift of such an awesome day, that I felt like I could keep running forever. Well, I didn’t run forever, but I opted for 3 more miles. That means that this day makes history for another reason, I’ve never run that far before.

carry

carry me away
that I may disappear
even if just for a moment
into the blissful beauty of
the Things that are to come

give me a glimpse of the Surety
and let Him fix His eyes
even if just for a moment
on my broken heart
still mending its way to full

fill my lungs
that I may breathe easy
even if just for a moment
with the sweet Air that satisfies
from Your words exhaled

tell me one small secret
that only angels know
even if just for a moment
a tiny Mystery revealed
to add to the vast yet untold

clothe me in your Color
an indescribable shade of You
even if just for a moment
my temple arrayed
in this resplendent Love

then carry me back
that I may patiently endure
for I hope is just a moment
till time is complete
and Forever can begin

julia

west side extraveganza

today my girlfriends and i decided to seize every minute of the day off from work, so we ventured to the west side for an early 9am breakfast of bagels and coffee. h&h bagels, supposedly the "best bagels" in nyc. that's debatable.

for one thing, when i asked the cashier for an everything bagel with egg and cheese, she responded,

"we don't do dat."

so, i said, "ok. how about a cinnamon-raisin bagel with plain cream cheese?"

"you getcha own tub'a cream cheese from da fridge ova daya."

"alright, well may i just have it toasted then?"

"we don't do dat neitha."

just a bagel in a bag. best bagel in nyc.

after smuggling our bagels into starbucks (since h&h had no seating), we headed to the movie theatre on 68th and broadway for a matinee!!!! priced flick. only $6, what a steal. we decided on 27 dresses, which i was curious to see since i am a mere 20 dresses away from being Katherine Heigl.

with 9 of us there, we were thoroughly entertained by each other as much as the movie. i even teared up a little at the end. it definitely satisfied the hankering for a quality rom-com. in a nut-shell, it was how to lose a guy in ten days, never been kissed, the wedding planner, runaway bride, and my best friend's wedding, rolled up into one nice little package of chick-flickyness. hollywood recycling, as i like to call it.

after the movie, some of us decided we enjoyed the sunny 20 degree weather, so we meandered down broadway to see what else the west side had to offer us. i was wearing a hat with a small brim, to keep the biting wind out of my ears, as well as to hide my 3-day unwashed hair. i had it so low on my forehead, that my vision of things ahead of me was slightly inhibited. i realized the danger in this the instant i had a head-on collision with a random pole. the thung of my skull hitting metal caught the attention of my friends and they hit the ground laughing before i even had the chance to register what had happened. it was pure, unadulterated slapstick.

we must of been rolling on the filthy sidewalk with tears streaming down our eyes for at least a couple minutes, when we were interrupted by a man's voice behind us.

"everything alright here, ladies?"

we looked up to see a police officer cowering over us.

"is there a party going on here that you didn't invite me to?" he said.

no, we say, and explain to him that i just ran smack-dab into a pole.

"you're sh--ing me," he said.

"nope," i said as we picked ourselves up off the ground, "i'm sorry we didn't invite you to our party here, officer lopez, have a nice day."

there is one thing we all agreed on as we walked away, running into things, tripping, and falling down, is always funny.

i won't forget this MLK day, and i have the knot on my head to remind me.

$10 love

i am trying to get over the shock of a New Year, which includes, but is not limited to, writing '08 on my checks instead of '07.

in the last year i have worked 3 jobs, been unemployed for two months, and lived in two different places. adjusting to change is a gift of mine that did not exactly ask for. i emerged from 2007 with some thick skin and a multifarious resume. gosh, i had some rough times, and i still have nightmares about some of them. there were moments where i questioned my sanity, and tried to remember how i got here and why. up until september, the why part was still a bit blurry.

now, every day is a reminder why.

my roommates are a reminder why. one loves Jesus and the other can't stand to hear His name.

my rent is a reminder why. i would not pay that much for a tiny apartment if there wasn't a reason.

the homeless people on my street and the fact that i know their names are a reminder why.

my Church is a reminder why. it is an exemplification of love in a city of so many unloved.

i went back and read my blog entry from this time last year. not much has changed regarding my "new life resolution" to "make the best use of the time because the days are evil." i still desire to live life with this notion, however i feel like now, 365 days later, i actually know what it looks like.

A few weeks ago my Pastor gave a sermon on what it means to give more, not only during the holiday season, but in our daily lives. at the end of the service, i and the other deacons passed out ten dollar bills to every person in the congregation with the instruction to bless someone in our city. a blog was created for the purpose of sharing the stories.

as i read story after story, i was stirred by the ripple of love that is infiltrating the streets of new york. i'm still praying for the Lord to show me where to use my $10. maybe Sandra will be on her usual street corner this evening by the pizza place. maybe she'd like to share a coffee, reminisce about another year gone and what to do to make this year better...