Intercessory prayer!

Intercessory Prayer - What is it?
Intercessory prayer is prayer for others. An intercessor is one who takes the place of another or pleads another's case. One study Bible defines intercession as "holy, believing, persevering prayer whereby someone pleads with God on behalf of another or others who desperately need God's intervention."

I was having a conversation with a co-worker today about the power of prayer. She told me of a story she read today about 2,000 people praying for a miracle for ONE person. I had the idea that maybe if I posted this on my blog that after a week I would have 2,000 people praying for my sister.

So if you have stumbled across this site today, please pray for my sister Lynn.

She is actually doing pretty well these past few days. I think the chemo has left her body and as a result, she is eating better, walking better and feeling better. You know how when you feel good everything else seems to fall into place. Well I keep praying that everyday is a good day for her.

Mountain Biking Hurts.

My new mountain bike went on her maiden voyage this past weekend. I also got that whole crashing thing out of the way too. Today I am very sore and a bit bruised, but that won't shake me. I had the best time!

I'm not sure i'm even going to enjoy road/tri biking as much as this. The views are amazing in the woods and it's so much better than fighting angry drivers out on the roads. There's this whole "fear factor" involved in Mountain Bike too..I really think I'll be good at this and enjoy racing tri's next year. If I can get my crashing down to a minimum. Once on this trail was not bad I gather. My goal for a couple of years now has been to do an Xterra race and I'm really hoping I get that chance next year.

I'm still travelling back and forth to see my sister. I'm going back up tonight and bringing my father with me. Lynn has cancer in her liver, lungs and lymph nodes. I'd wish to always report something good here, but cancer is ugly and it doesn't wait for anything. I just need to try and spend as much time with her as she can tolerate. She is very frail, weak and tired, but I know she tries to keep her spirits up and tries to be strong. I am selfish and I have extreme hope that she will be around for her next birthday which is Nov. 28th. I pray non-stop for her, but I know this is God's will and I also know that this is not the end for her, only the beginning of an eternal life.

My new t-shirt for my upcoming races next year.

I want to be there!

...who wouldn't in my position?

I've been there before in 2007 to be exact, it was GRAND! I loved every minute, had a great time of it and hoped to be there someday. So next year, that's the goal get to Clearwater 70.3 Championships...it's out there, so I have to do it now..:-))

What's going on?

I don't "do" blogging very much lately. I guess I feel I have nothing to write about, or that no one needs to hear my "goings on". I write for myself mostly.. maybe just to look back and figure out things I did..boring maybe but what the hell. I guess I can't freely express myself, so I just write stuff here and there...mostly about nothing.

I was recently pretty sick and had to make two visits to the Dr. before I got on the right stuff. I had a low grade fever, coughing my head off, stuffed up sinuses, just overall sick. Saturday I had enough and made my way a second time to a Dr. I was then given a different antibiotic, a narcotic cough medicine (rocks!), and an inhaler. After those new antibiotics kicked in I have been feeling so much better every day. Today i'm a little stuffed up, but nothing bad at all.

I really have been depressed with the fact I couldn't go up and see my sister. She started chemo last Tuesday and was feeling pretty sick herself. If I had given her my illness, I think it probably would kill her right about now. I've had to stay away. I check in everyday with my mother though who is with my little sis all of the time. My mother mostly helps around her house with her kids and doing laundry, cooking and cleaning for them. My mom has been such a rock through all of this. She herself is a cancer survivor.

My mother knows what it's like to lose a younger sister, she lost hers to cancer as well as her father and now...her daughter. We don't know exactly how much time my sis has with us, just taking it day by day, month by month.. God willing, he will keep her around for us, her children and husband....but we are just being selfish I think. It's the way we are though, we are human. Tomorrow after work, I will head up to see them. It's been a couple of weeks now. I am healthy and miss everyone. My mother reports that the day before and yesterday my sis is feeling better, up and walking around and starting to eat. She is skin and bones..yet with the liver cancer her abdomen makes her look about 7 mths pregnant.

The Dr's continue to remove a lot of fluid from her lungs and around the liver. Tomorrow the Regional Director for Ontario's Look Good Feel Better campaign will be visiting with my sister. My cousin, Sherry Abbott is the Executive director for LGFB. She herself lost her mother to cancer (my aunt and my mothers sister). Sherry is a survivor of a rare form of Ovarian Cancer. Sherry reminded me that at the time, they had written her off and had only given her 3 months to live, she tells me that was exactly 241 months ago. Talk about an example of miracles. Sherry went on to be part of this amazing organization.

Aside from everything that's been going on, I have been missing my training. I have not been able to do anything being sick and all of that. I figure November will be here and it's a new month.

On November 7th, I will be travelling with a bunch of my cycling buddies to London's Velodrome. I will achieve my Track 1 & 2 certification..can't wait for that. I'll be going back up there the following weekend as well.

So October will go down as one of the worst months ever I think. On too a new month and hopefully it will be a better month..:-))

New hobby.

Yah....she's HAWT! Xterra here I come..:)

Colds suck..

Wish I had more to update on my sister. All I can say is that today she started her chemo. She will let me know how it's going later hopefully. I hope all goes well. She's in a hospital that's about 2hrs away and I have developed a bad cold and I can't go see her at all. That truly sucks. For her to get this nasty thing I have now would surely kill her. I have to wait and that's all I can do.

Don't waste a day.

I wish this post was bringing good news, but it's not. My sister has been given months now. She can only be offered some chemo to perhaps get a few more days/months. As you can imagine,this is tearing me up. The worst part though is that i'll miss her so much and I can't get her back once she's gone. I can only spend more time with her now that is so very important. I'm sorry for her children as they will grow up without their mother and their mother will miss out on so many things, like first boyfriends/girlfriends, heartbreaks, weddings, grandkids...all of it...The tears won't stop right now, I know I am grieving and maybe each day will come with more strength and understanding of this, or maybe I'll never understand.

I love my sister and need to be with her now.

Everyone live your life like it was your last day here...spend your time wisely. Love, embrace it...

There is always hope.

Adenocarcinoma. Wish I understood what all of that means. I now know this is what my sister is dealing with. She is resting in her home now surrounded by family. They are waiting for a call to get them to London hospital and see if they can help ..soon. Time is ticking away here and I just am so impatient and rightfully so. I just want this take care of, but I know it is not in my hands and my sister will do what is right for her, so we wait.

The Kids

(Eric my son, my niece and two nephews and my oldest son Ian)

Last night my sister and her husband sat their children down in the hospital and broke the news to them of my sisters health. I think they are okay ...for now. I went back up to visit her again and spend time talking. There were a lot of people coming in and out and most of my family members were there as well. It is nice to see everyone, just wish it was under better circumstances. Today my sister will go through many more testing and hopefully soon they will have answers, we could use some good news about now.

I told my sister that I want to stay at her house in her guest room and take care of the day to day duties with the help of my other sister and mother. I don't need to be here in this condo, I need to be with family.

I'm excited as this will give me a chance to better know my niece and nephews. Out of this tragedy a lot of good will happen ..I know this with all my heart.

New Report.

I wish I could report better news here on my sister. I have just found out that she now has a spot on her hip bone and esophagus, we are awaiting the pathology report still today.

Please pray for her...thank you for all the good wishes so far.

Just one phone call away from bringing us to our knees.

Monday night I was all packed up and ready to hit the pool in the a.m. I also was excited about starting my new Maple Leaf Cycling class.

I received an urgent email from my older sister to call my mother. My younger sister was in the hospital is all I knew. When I got on the phone with my mom, she just blurted out that my sister has cancer...I asked her what? What are you saying, what do you mean? Noo noo is all I could say. I burst into tears, I was in shock and my hands started shaking uncontrollably. She told me she had gone into the hospital for a bad cough and thought she might have pneumonia. The hospital did an xray and they found spots on her lung. They drained a pint of fluid off of her lungs. She also had a distended abdomen that had recently appeared, she was diagnosed with liver cancer and now a lump on her breast has been found.

I rushed to be with her at the hospital today. I don't know what to say, if anything, but just to pray and be by her side and drop everything if she needs me there. Tomorrow we will know more from the pathologists reports and treatments or anything else will be discussed. I don't think i'll sleep tonight, but just continue to pray and pray for good news. I don't know how all of this works, what sort of stage she might be in, what the prognosis could be..I feel so lost not knowing anything.

My younger sister has three children and her husband has been a rock and will continue to have to do so. I am bitter though at my sister internally of course. She did not get a mammogram for several years now. I am pleading with you now that if you have never gotten one, please schedule one and continue to do so. Please don't wait until it's too late.

It's painful how last week I made this post here I never knew I would need to draw on these words today, I never knew I would ever need to draw on them for a family member. Nothing really matters now to me, it's amazing how one phone call can bring you to your knees in an instant and devastate you.

Love your brothers and sisters and always let them know you care.

My sister and my mother.

My sister and one of her sons.

Pink...there's plenty more where those came from sis!

I will continue to post updates as I think it's good for people out there to know and if you pray, please pray for my sister "Lynn"....it is truly appreciated.

Maple Leaf Cycling Club

Well I attended the open house tonight and I have to say that I am thoroughly impressed with their off season program that I signed up and I also signed up on their team. The benefits will be great.

They have a program that happens every night of the week. Monday will be swimming, Tues/Thurs a functional strength training class and Wednesday nights theory classes on cycling from racing to fixing your bike. Friday night they will even have a yoga class. I'm going to busy through this winter and I couldn't be happier.

The classes start next Tuesday where they will give us testing and then in three months we will be retested to see how we have progressed.

http://www.loaringphysio.com/profile_larry.htm

One of the coaches gave a talk and I was very pleased and happy to see him, his name is Larry and he is simply and amazing coach/trainer. If nothing else, I am just super stoked about working with him. I know his work and he will be an amazing instructor for sure.

So come on out next week and see what it's about, all of the infomation is at the Maple Leaf Cycling Club.

Ironman 70.3 whoaaa

From www.ironman.com

The are now adding even more 70.3 events.

Lonestar 70.3 Galveston Texas - Taking place on April 25, 2010

Mooseman 70.3 Newfound, New Hampshire on June 6, 2010

Miami 70.3 Miami - October 30th, 2010

There are of course so many more added to their website, but they keeping coming up with these great locations. I of course NEED to go to Boulder, that would be amazing for sure.

Savageman!

Savage man.

I was just reading this event over at XTRI.com it looks and sounds like an amazing race.

Here are some of the things they had to say about it:

Things you should know about this event:

• Base elevation of event is 2,500ft.

• Bike course is very technical with over 5,900 ft of climbing and the same in descending.

• A 27 tooth cassette or compact cranks are recommended for the average athlete.

• You cannot be a timid athlete with a preference for flat easy bike and run courses. You will need to practice and define your bike handling skills. You don't need to be a pro, just know your limits and control your speed for the descents and ability to climb.

• You must have a personal need to mix fun, exhilaration, and pain together.

• Morning temperatures can be cool so dress warm.

• Afternoons can be warm.

• Ensure your bike is in good working order (this is serious!)

• Be prepared to feel emotions in order of magnitude above how other events make you feel.

I'm not sure why, but this sounds like a lot of fun to me. Maybe a lot of pain too, but fun. Anyone do this? Like it? Hate it? Reviews please..:-))

God's Garden

Today it became apparent to me that fall is here and as such I grabbed for the first time this season an over coat before I made my way out to work this a.m.

I listened to my ipod in my Edge on the way to work, not really caring about one thing or another, just listening to some great music.

When I got to work and proceeded to pull off my over coat, I felt something in the pocket, "oh" I thought, is this money. You know how from one season to another you leave things in the pockets of your jackets only till later do you discover that lost lip gloss, money, key..whatever..just secretly tucked away till next season when you pull that garment out of the closet. But this wasn't anything like that, no it was a gem.

I had attended one of my dear friends funeral. She had passed away to early from breast cancer and was determined to beat it, only till the end where it beat her....but not really. See, I want to believe that God needed her in his garden and she is no longer suffering.

Inside my pocket held that little reminder from her funeral: Inside the pamphlet read this...

God's Garden

God saw you getting tired when a cure was not to be, so he closed his arms around you and whispered "Come to Me." You did not deserve what you went through and so He gave you rest. God's garden must be beautiuful for He only takes the best. In time we saw you sinking; we watched you fade away; our hearts were almost broken, you fought so hard to stay. But when we saw you sleeping so peacefully free from pain, we could not wish you back to suffer that again. If you had spoken before you died, these words you'd have replied: "Weep not for me but courage take and love one another for my sake.

So, I won't be sad that another season..fall..is upon us. I will embrace it and be glad to be alive, this little gift came to me in my pocket today and I am reminded of just how short our lives here on this planet...go out and live in YOUR garden today!

No excuses!

A new command I give you: Love another John 13:34

Jesus did NOT say:

Love each other when your relationship is new and fresh.

Love each other when you are healthy.

Love each other only when you feel like it.

Love each other unless you get bored.

Love each other until something more important comes up.
Love each other until times get tough.

Love each other until you find someone better.

Love each other until your relationship ends.

No, He simply commands, Love each other..period. This means we are to keep on loving..when we are hurt, betrayed, tired, bored, sick or even...divorced.

Love has no caveats or condtions. Loving the lovable is easy, but it is not all we are called to do. Obedience inisists that we love in the face of dismay and disillusionment. Love intercedes for and supersedes all. How will you obey God and exhibit his love today?

______________

Being alone on a Friday night sure makes one think. I ran alone on my usual run, but this time it was different, I was smiling. I was at peace, I felt comforted. I'm alone and it's okay, because I know I'm really not all alone as I know He is with me and well..that's all I need. I always think that I need "someone" to make me happy, but it's only YOU that can make yourself happy.

Until you can be truly happy with yourself, why would anyone want to be with you, why would I want to be with anyone? I ask myself this often. I'm finally learning ...second by second, bit by bit, day by day, that this is the case. Being alone won't be so bad, as I know this won't always be the case, but for now..it's okay. I can be at peace with it tonight...

Back to cycling..

Before I forget, there is an open house for the Maple Leaf Cycling Club. I'm attending it as it sounds like a great program to get into.

I had another fantastic ride with the ESR's last night. We had close to 30 guys and 3 girls in total last night. We had some pretty fast riders and I could not keep up. My training has been sparse at best and I paid for it last night. I've noticed a great drop in my fitness and that concerns me. I gave up Ironman and all though I have a half marathon coming up soon, the Disney 1/2 & full coming up in January and the St. Croix 70.3 next May. Still I feel no motivation and no real structure or purpose in my training. I am struggling to keep myself busy and that's a challenge. Just trying to still figure things out day by day, but i'll get there..very soon.

After our ride, a few of these crazy fun guys decided we should go out for Thai...and it was great!

New Hobby

Goals

"Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination".

I recently did an Olympic triathlon and had a blast, was probably one of the hottest days for me this year but I enjoyed it immensly. Since then I have had no goals, no direction..just kind of plodding along making things up as I go along.

I know I have the Disney 1/2 and full Marathon in January, but nothing inbetween. So i'm out for a run the other night and I realize that I am totally the type of person that if there isn't some short term goal out there, the long term goal is too far and I get lost and forget and keep pushing off training for that race down the road. Basically what it comes down to with me is if I'm not doing something short term, I want to do

well...nothing. NOT GOOD!

So on my run, I decided there must be something I can do that is close by and fits into my schedule. It popped into my head that the Detroit Marathon was coming up and they have a 1/2. So the very next morning I got on line and signed up. Can't wait, a new short term goal..yipeee

It's good to have GREAT friends!!!!

A note from my friend Sheila, very heart warming and touching to me..thanks BFF!

Hi, Shelley.

This is going to be a little emotional for me to write...I am already s

o grateful that you have agreed to be my Team Captain for Ultraman Canada, but more than that I am grateful that you are my friend.

I met you when I didn't know beans about Ironman or training or pretty much life for that matter, and while we didn't make an initial connection back in 2001, life conspired to keep bringing us together over the Internet and at various events through the years.

You were the person who told me to make my blog public, even though at the time, I was going through a bunch of life crap, and I wasn't sure it was the right thing to do. And then, my life crap continued, and I became more comfortable just letting it all hang out, which for me was the right thing to do. I think you were part of turning me into a Crackhead!

And I've been along for some of your life's rougher spots, and through it all, we have been one another's rock--checking each other in case we trip (which we still do), catching one another when we fall, and jumping up and down jubilantly when we are triumphing over our inner or outer demons! I know you

have never once not had time to listen to me when I've been going through something rough. I know I can be a challenging friend since I am pretty demonstrative when it comes to my feelings, so I truly appreciate that you don't just roll your eyes at me and think WTF half the time!

You have been along for the ride these last few years as I have made decisions to try and do some crazy stuff, and each time you told me I could do it, and I did. And you have never once questioned who I am or why I do what I do--you just accept it and encourage all the positive things in me. And you selflessly share in my successes, stick by me during my failures, and have always provided a shoulder for me to cry on.

I am deeply honored that you have agreed to do something so special for me, and I only hope that I am up to the challenge of returning the favor to you someday.

In thinking who I'd want along on my latest journey, there was never a doubt in my mind that I would want you there. I look forward to so many hours of laughing, supporting one another, feeling like complete and total crap, and yet continuing on because that's what we do.

You epitomize the definition of friend in so many ways. Mostly I look forward to you making m

e laugh over the course of 3 days of beating the crap out of myself. I've always had time to laugh during an Ironman and I don't think this will be any different. I am sure while I'm swimming you'll be yelling at me, "KEEP SWIMMING NEMO!" and I will try and not choke as I'm laughing underwater. While I'm biking I can imagine you telling me how fat my bike makes my ass look, and that if I hadn't eaten so many Cheetos I would be climbing faster! And while I'm running, well, just make sure I'm faster than a goddamn traffic cone!

The next year is going to be one helluva ride, isn't it? And I'm so happy that you will be joining me! But really, it's not so much happiness as gratitude, and knowing that you will cover all the bases and kick my ass.

You're truly the best, and I just wanted you to know that.

I think I'll have to buy one of these for the kayak out there on the Lake as I follow Sheila..:-))

I love you BITCHIE and I hope I can do you proud at Ultraman!!!!!!!!

Ultraman Canada!

I just found out that my good friend Sheila has been accepted into Ultraman Canada for 2010. I have accepted the position of Crew Captain for Sheila next year. I am so proud and honored to be a part of this for her. It's probably going to be one of the most epic adventures I'll be on. It will be a year of planning and coordinating efforts to ensure she has the very best journey and the ultimate finish of her life!

We are looking for sponsors and supporters and well anyone with some great experience on crewing and doing the race is welcomed. We are contacting former Ultraman people too, we will have a wealth of knowledge on all of this in the upcoming year and I am so open to the challenge, focus and fun we'll be having in the year to come. It is EPIC!!!!!!! Way to go CRACKHEAD!

Having fun!

Last night after work, I picked up my son and brought him over to my place where we proceeded to hang out at the pool at my place. My oldest son and his girlfriend came by later. I really like this area of town as it is in a desirable area and close to the lake. There are many golf courses near by and parks.

Later I had to drive my son to umpire a baseball game and then I came back and decided to go for a run. There were tons of people out after 8 still running/walking/cycling. I love that this area is also more of a "healthier" nature.

Tomorrow night at the end of my street on the lake is this event "food and wine" festival. I'll be going to hang out there as most of my riding buddies will be there also. It's nice having these things close by that I can even walk too.

Looks like it will be a busy weekend of running/cycling/parties. I also have one Saturday night for a former co-worker who got married to an American and they are fianally having their wedding reception over here Saturday night...can't wait!

Goofy's Challenge

I am signed up and my training starts "today"! I'm going to run with my friend Sheila and her friend Brad. I'm not sure when we'll get down there, or how long we'll stay, but I know it will be a blast and something to look forward too. For Sheila the seasoned vet here, she knows it well and will advise me on how to attack this. I've done Triple T and I know how to be fatigued one day and get right back at it the next, however I've never run a 1/2 marathon to only run a full the very next day. I'm not sure how you train for this, but I have a couple of training plans to follow and we'll see how I make out with that. Any advice, you know i'm surely open too.

On another note, I am settling into my condo now and trying to spend as much time with my boys. Last night I took my youngest to a movie and we had a pretty good time. The movie was less than something I was impressed with, but I had no idea what it was about going into it. My son laughed, that's the main thing I guess. We also have been using the inground pool at the condo which is heated and saline, very nice!!!!!

I was getting lonely and depressed not knowing what to do day to day, but I'm slowly figuring this whole thing out and having my two boys is what makes it better every day. All though they don't live with me, they are very close and I will visit them everyday of course.

If I can figure out how the wireless works at my condo, life will also be good. For now I have access at work and that's about it. Speaking of work..off I go..:-)

I need something to do!

I am getting fat and lazy sitting around here doing nothing tri-related. Plans that I had made for the rest of the year aren't going to quite happen the way I thought, which i'm perfectly fine with. I am finding myself getting further removed from triathlon daily. I don't like it. I like to exercise, I like to have athletic goals, I like to be "out" there!

Tonight i'll try to ride with my same group and maybe that will spark me into doing something more. I have to give myself time though to get back into things, I have been through a ton of stress this past week/month/year. I am moved into my new place, it is an easy drive to work and really close to my kids and their father. We are trying to cope everyday. I am too hard on myself most days though. I'm a fighter though and those stressful things will pass as all things usually do in my life. With the support of my friends, I am getting through this and they are a God send to me and for this I am truly thankful.

I know for certain that I'm going to do the Goofy Challenge in January with my friend Sheila and her friend Brad. My son loves Brad as he's a golf pro, more on that later at some time. My son will come with me and we'll have a blast i'm hoping. Anyways, so there's the Goofy Challenge in Florida. Before that though, I need a goal too. I'm thinking the Longhorn 70.3 race in October. I loved that race, I loved Austin, it was fun and it gave me a goal to focus on. I like goals..oops I've said that already.

So, aside from that I have nothing..nada. Any ideas...ohhh..that don't cost a ton too...that's always good..:-))

Condo Living..

Monday I'm moving into a condo. Not sure how this suits me, but I will call it home for now. I'll be close to my boys and that's all that matters. I'm also very close to my bike shop, my favourite grocery places, restaurants, friends. Everything will be just fine I think. One things for certain, the drive to work and back won't be that bad. No more long drives on the highway. I can't wait to see how much time I save..:-)

I think i'm recovered enough from Ironman Lake Placid and now i'm heading back to the group rides tomorrow night...new bike in tow. My tri-bike is retired for now. Not even sure if i'll do another tri for the rest of this year, not sure I even care anymore. I'm not caring much about all things tri lately, just mostly "life" stuff. I have a lot to work on, that's for sure, so much more than triathlon..gasp, I can't believe I wrote that. For now, I'll bike when I want, swim and run when I feel like it...on my time, on my schedule.

This is the way I see it... My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny.