May 22 – “A walk and a book”

I guess it is finally official.  I have started exercising again.  I waited two weeks to say anything to see if I was really going to stick it out this time.  So far so good.  I’m just walking around the neighborhood right now.  Nothing earth-shattering.  No iron man triathalons or half-marathons or tough mudders anywhere in my near or not-so-near future.  No plans for even a 5-K.  Just started walking so it wouldn’t be so hard to get around when we get to youth camp in the mountains of Glorieta, New Mexico, the end of June.  OK.  I feel better, too.  Especially when I stop.  It feels really good to stop.  I suppose that means I’m not completely hooked yet.  I remember a time when I looked forward to running, not for the sake of the results, but for the rush of the run, itself.  Of course I was younger then.  Much younger.  Meanwhile, I will continue on.  A mile and half this week.  Two miles next week.  Then I revisit my plans and see if I will continue walking or try to add a stretch or two of jogging.  Trying not to be too over-zealous here.  These old, creaky bones can only take so much.

I began doing some research on whether and where to try to get my next book published.  It’s basically my blog entries and some photos from the year after Hurricane Ike hit.  Chronicles the day to day struggles we went through to get back in our house.  This would be the perfect time to publish it, too.  September will be the fifth anniversary of the storm.  It would be so much easier if I was some kind of celebrity superstar or discredited politician.  Not many people want to hear from a plain old dude who lives on an island near Texas.  That means self-publishing, and that, of course, takes money.  Looks like I’ll need in the neighborhood of $1500 for this one.  Maybe I’ll get some more weddings to do.  Maybe I’ll wait for the tenth anniversary.  Maybe I’ll leave the rights to my boys to fight over.  They can publish it on the 25^th anniversary. 

Psalms 91:4 says, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

Father, thank you for the days that seem just a little calmer than most.  Amen.