Bid Me Run...

“Bid me run, and I will strive with things impossible.”

― William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

There's a dawning realization that our son Alex will soon be completing his high school years at Troy Athens. Last Saturday's Athens Cross Country Year-End Banquet was Alex's last official Cross Country event and another milestone in his Senior year.

Alex's Cross Country career was marked by high points and low points. He certainly wasn't one of the fastest kids on the team, but he stuck with it - even after an injury that put an end to running during most of his Junior year. He made lots of friends and many great memories.

The good news is that Alex still likes running and I'm looking forward to him running with me during my future half-marathons. After all, we've both signed up to complete half-marathons in at least 25 states of the good old USA.

Thank yous go out to his Troy Athens High School Cross Country Coaches Michael Stallsmith and Shawn DuFresne.

Also thank yous to Alex's teammates and all of the Cross Country parents. Cross Country at Athens is truly a family affair.

I've embedded some photos below of Alex running Cross Country for Athens High School and from the 11/15/14 Cross Country banquet.

Alex's Freshmen Year

Alex's Senior Year

2014 Coaches Achievement Award Winner

Coach DuFresne, Alex, and Coach Stallsmith

Alex's Senior Poster

Smart Growth for Conservatives

UPDATE: When I was writing this around 11:30 last night I questioned whether or not it was worthy of an entire blog post. In other words, was the post providing new information or a perspective that the reader may not be aware of. For example, I’m a regular reader of I Run These Towns blog. Samantha Harkins, the blog author, usually writes about her preference for urban living (and her love of running).

Well, because I was born and raised in Lansing, MI, I guess I bring a somewhat different perspective. I actually prefer living in a more suburban or rural environment. Maybe that’s why I would rather run on a trail than on a city street. Maybe that’s why I like living here in Troy. But, can suburban communities learn something from their “big brothers?” Yes, for example by promoting a walkable community.

With that as my introduction, you can see the original post below.

Smart Growth for Conservatives? That sounds like a contradiction. Actually, I've come across several resources for Conservatives who believe that there are benefits to some forms of "smart growth." A related approach is described as “urbanizing the suburbs.”

Check out these links below that I've discovered:

• The American Conservative's New Urbanism


• Smart Growth for Conservatives


• The Great Suburbia Debate

Vote for the Other Guy

Tuesday, November 4, 2014 is election day. Over the past few days I've seen a sign on Wattles Road in Troy that encourages everyone to Vote Biblically. While I would agree with several of the "planks" in the platform of that group, I believe a better way to approach the election is to "vote for the other guy."

Yes I did post something similar two years ago, but it bears repeating.

I want to leave you with some quotes from Pastor Todd Wilken...

...I think that many Christians have unintentionally adopted a politics of self-interest. Their reasons for voting are more influenced by Voltaire, Adam Smith and Ayn Rand than by a Christian worldview or ethic. Perhaps you are one of these Christians. If you have adopted an every-man-for-himself, enlightened self-interest voting strategy, you most certainly are. I intend to show that these ideas have no place in the mind of a Christian voter...

Here's another quote from Wilken...

...It should go without saying that a Christian doesn’t vote for the same reason the unbeliever votes. A Christian doesn’t vote because it is his right. That’s why the unbeliever votes. For the Christian, his rights have nothing to do with it. A Christian doesn’t vote to get his way. That’s also why the unbeliever votes. For the Christian, getting his way has nothing to do with it. A Christian doesn’t vote to protect his own interests. That, again, is why the unbeliever votes. A Christian votes to serve his neighbor —period. This means that a Christian will sometimes vote for, and sometimes against his own interests, but a Christian will always for his neighbor’s interests. When the Christian enters the voting booth, the neighbor always comes first. In other words, the Christian doesn’t vote for himself; he votes for the other guy, his neighbor. The Christian doesn’t use his vote to serve himself; he uses votes to serve his neighbor...

These quotes come from an article by Pastor Wilken in the Winter 2012 Issues, Etc. Journal.