Somewhere to give

Remember the black fly in Alanis' Chardonnay?  I don't really think any of this is irony or coincidence, but Ms. Morissette's words seem to pop up in my head and scream out of my mouth a lot lately.

It's been interesting.  It seems like since I started the "Somewhere to give" thing on this here blog, I have been attacked in every way possible...

I have never been so stressed about my job and what will happen with it

My long time friends have lost interest in keeping in touch

I have never stressed so much about the year to come

And for the most part I want to say that God has helped me handle what comes my way, but Saturday it all sort of piled up.

And then I had a completely unattractive freak out melt down just like Kstan said I would.  And my unreal husband had multitudes of patience with me...like I can't even imagine being able to be so patient and kind to someone who is being a complete freako.

Saturday D and I headed out for our long run.  And my knee wouldn't have it.

Do you understand that I have been running a lot of mileage since May and I have never, NEVER, had knee problems?  I've had breathing, cramping, gastro, toe, blue hands, foot cramp, migraine problems from running, but never knee problems.

When your knees don't really work, it's sort of hard to run.  Newsflash.

We pushed it up a big hill, and that's when I thought it might give.

I only made it 5.25 miles.

I have 7 weeks until I have to run 26.2 miles.

So, perhaps you see where a freak out would come in?

In looking at my running coach's recommended sports medicine website, I think they get me.  "There is no greater frustration than to have the desire and fortitude to perform, but not be able to because of pain or an injury".

I am frustrated.
I am anxious.  Anxious that I have to take time off of running with only 7 weeks to finish training.
I am mad.  Mad that I ever tried to train for a marathon.

I'm just being honest.  I think I can do that on my own blog?

And so, in honor of my pity party, we will give to others.

You guys have been FANTASTIC!  I have gotten donations to Lifehouse, I have heard about you people sponsoring kiddos through Compassion and other organizations.  I am so happy.

And so if you haven't found something that melts your heart, maybe one of these is for you.

OneHope sells wine.  The wine you choose determines which charity the money will go to from childrens hospitals to breast cancer to autism.  I happen to know for. a. fact. that a lot of my readers are wine drinkers.

The Houston Food Bank (or your local food bank) will take the cans of food you bought and never used, they'll take your time as a volunteer, and they will feed millions of people in the city.  I think the letter we got from our food bank said $1.34 can feed a person a meal on Christmas.  Scrounge up some change and help end hunger!

For my active readers- we worry so much about the details of our shoes- stability, arch support, flexibility, weight.  But there are millions of people who go without shoes every day.  More like 12 million, which is how many pair of shoes Soles 4 Souls has given away since 2005.  They will take your new or gently used (read those shoes you bought to run in and hated them after 3 runs) and donate them to people who don't normally get to wear shoes.

Casa de Esperanza de los Niños—the House of Hope for Children—is a safe place for children in crisis due to abuse, neglect or the effects of HIV.  As most of you know, kids are expensive.  They have a lot of needs, and the House of Hope for Children can use all of our help.  You can find a list of things that they need here from car seats to diapers.

You rock.