Morning Walks in the Fog

I love to walk. I hate leaving for a walk, but I love to walk when I do make it out the door. I love how energized I am when I get home from a walk and how it makes me feel the rest of the day. Walking kept me sane when I wasn't sleeping at night. It was how I got ride of that groggy tingly feeling every morning. Once sleep returned, somehow I stopped walking every day and I missed it. My good friend, Tiffany, asked out of the blue about a month ago if I wanted to start running with her. Now, you have to know Tiffany and how much she hates anything related to exercise to really know how out of the blue it was. She was so serious about this though that she was even going to sign up for the class. Before the class started though she had to walk at least twice a week. She asked me to join her in this endeavor. Still not sure how I feel about this upcoming running class, but I am loving the walking.

She is the mother to three of my favorite girls, you've met them here on the blog before. They love my sweet boys and the boys love them. I bring them into this blog because the walking would not be possible without them. They come and hang out with the boys so that we can go walk. That's just the first wonderful thing about our morning walks.

The last couple of weeks we have been walking at 6:45, yes! 6:45!! I'm actually starting to love it and think it's the other wonderful thing about walking. This gets me up and out of bed at 6am. I get up, get dressed and read my Bible. The walking is the extra motivation I needed to get this done!

Surprisingly, then next wonderful thing (and I say "wonderful" loosely) is the fog and the cold. It has been sooooo cold and soooo foggy the last few weeks, but I'm loving it. There is something extra wonderful about the stillness and quietness of a crisp, cold and foggy morning. You are out before most others are which somehow, is energizing. This also brings the beauty of the sunrising. Now we don't pay attention to the sun rising, but somehow it is dark when we walk out the front door and the sun is shining by the time we walk back to that door.

Now, the icing on the cake to this walking is the time I get to spend with Tiffany. She is to me that wonderful, God-fearing friend that we all need! She truly is a gift from the Lord. I love that I get her all to myself for 40 or so minutes. We talk about everything. Our church and the exciting things that are going on. We make plans for the ministries we are involved in together. We talk about how we need to be praying for the church and those ministries. We share concerns about our family and even funny and embarrassing stories we wouldn't dare share with other people. I've had the blessing of knowing and serving with Tiffany for three years now. I know she is one of the reasons that God moved my family to Vacaville. He has used her to shape me in so many ways. He has used her to speak the truth to me and to kick me butt as is so often needed. I've told many people that between her and Molly (my cousin and best friend), I get away with NOTHING!!! She has also encouraged me and gotten me through so many days. As I was struggling with not sleeping, anxiety and depression she was always just a phone call away. She spoke God's Word to me, prayed with me and reminded me that I could do it. God would equip me to do what He had called me to. I am so thankful that God has allowed me to build this relationship with Tiffany and pray it is one that will continue for a lifetime!!

So, let's keep walking my friend and get these bodies into shape!! I mean, get healthy because that's the goal. but hey if we get all skinny in the meantime wouldn't that be awesome?!

So here's to walking early in the morning in the fog!!