So there’s all kinds of speculation as to whether this shot is actually real or an allusion of special effects.

What fascinates me about it is that it COULD be real.

If I were the one trying to knock a bottle off someone’s head with my tennis serve, I might actually get the job done but only because I took out the person, not just the bottle.

But when Roger Federer, possibly the greatest tennis player who has ever lived, takes a shot like this there is room to believe it could be real.

That’s the power of excellence.

Excellence fascinates me because it’s the product of hard-work, dedication, discipline, devotion… the list could go on.

Excellence isn’t given. It’s earned.

Excellence isn’t a bonus.  It’s a reward.

Excellence is something we all aspire to, but rarely are we patient enough and committed enough to realize it.

What do you hope to be excellent at someday?

This week has been an “I can’t catch my breath” kind of week.  Good stuff…  just a very full schedule.

But my crazy week has a payoff.  I’ve been looking forward to this weekend for months!  Merlyn and I are headed to Cincinnati for the Western & Southern Tennis Open, part of the US Open Series.  I’m so excited!

Right now it looks like we have a good chance of seeing Federer, Nadal, Murray, & Djokovic.

I’m kind of giddy.

So, follow me on Twitter this weekend.  I’ll be sure to tell you all about it!

What is on the horizon that you are looking forward to?

Need I say more?

But I will…

Jes and I are having a blast getting away for a few days.

So far we’ve:

• Sat on the beach
• Read on the beach
• Shopped
• Eaten
• Sat on the beach
• Read on the beach
• Walked on the beach
• Shopped
• Eaten

Today we’ll:

• Run/walk on the beach
• Eat
• Lay on the beach
• Lay on our rafts on the water
• Read on the beach
• Eat
• Shop
• Eat again

Totally predictable & fabulous!

What are you doing this weekend?

Ahhhh, the 4th of July weekend!  I love this holiday!

It’s snuck up on me a little bit, but I’m seriously glad for a long weekend to relax and spend time with friends.

Here’s what’s on my mind today:

• Finally got to see Eclipse last night and I LOVED IT!  The directing, special effects and acting get a bit better with every movie, but honestly it really is a cheesy story in movie form (I can’t believe I just admitted that out loud – don’t tell Merlyn!).  If you haven’t read the books, you are missing layers of story that finish it out and make it seem less ridiculous.
• I’m keeping Lindsey‘s dog Molly for the weekend and she’s become my new best friend.  Follows me everywhere I go and does leaping circles every time I come home… makes me feel kind of loved
• I have a couple of writing projects I need to work on this weekend.  Need to break-away for some inspiration.
• We’ve confirmed our guest speaker for the July Cultivate Her event – will announce this on the Cultivate Her blog by Monday.  Very excited!
• Wimbledon is absolutely crazy this year.  Can’t believe Federer & Venus are out.  Anxious to see how it finishes!
• Hoping to tackle of chunk of John Ortberg’s The Me I Want to Be: Becoming God’s Best Version of You I’m loving this book!
• Tomatoes and green peppers are flowing from my little patio garden.  Divine!

Hope you have a wonderful and safe 4th of July weekend!

Anything exciting planned?

It’s been a good week.  Life feels very full and blessed.

Here’s some of the randomness on my mind and in my life right now.

• Have a great day planned with friends today.  Much needed time with people who speak truth and celebrate big.
• Excited that tomorrow is Serving Saturday at all of our campuses.  We’ll be continuing flood relief efforts.  Come out and join us!  We’re meeting at 8am at all of the campuses.
• I’m thoroughly enjoying some of the this summer’s Top 40 music.  Music always marks the seasons for me.  I’m lovin’ “Nothin’ On You” by B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars
• Thrilled that I could get the new iPhone4.  I know some of you are tired of hearing about it, but sometimes you gotta just enjoy the silly things in life.
• Started reading John Ortberg’s The Me I Want to Be.  This one is gonna be good for me.
• Had a great day at Cultivate Her Wednesday morning.  Really excited about some of the ideas and direction this ministry is taking.  Big news coming soon about the plans and opportunities for Cultivate Her!
• So excited that it’s Wimbledon time and can’t believe the Isner-Mahut match.  Isner wins with a 70-68 game set.  CRAZY!  Here’s the interview of the players after the match.  I can’t imagine how tired they were after playing the same match for three straight days.  That’s determination!

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Last Saturday I ran the 1/2 marathon here in Nashville.

I started strong.  I was ready to run.  I had a goal to beat my best time.  I was nervous, excited and goal-minded.

But about half way through the race I hit a wall and couldn’t recover.  I may have started too strong.  It could be because I hadn’t gotten good rest that week.  It may have just been a bad day… but, for whatever reason I wasn’t going to make my goal.

I wasn’t going to “win”.

My definition of winning for that day was meeting the goal I had set for myself.  But I didn’t make that goal… didn’t even come close.

I finished but I didn’t “win” and I felt pretty defeated because of it.

I think this happens a lot in life.

As I was reflecting on a few projects that I’m in the middle of, I wondered why some of them don’t feel like “wins” to me.  I should feel a huge sense of accomplishment when some of these things get done, but what I’ve discovered is that if they took longer than I expected or turned out differently than I planned, I just feel like I’ve finished rather than I’ve won.

There’s a big difference for me between winning and finishing.

When I “win” I feel:

• accomplished
• strong
• competent
• successful
• ready to do more

When I just “finish” I feel:

• tired
• unmotivated
• emotionally spent
• hoping I never have to do that again

Winning vs. finishing is all about perspective.  It’s perspective on how and why I’m doing whatever I’m doing.  If I’m operating in my own strength with little reliance on God, I tend to find myself just “finishing” more often.  But when I recognize I can’t do it on my own… that I need God’s strength for the task ahead… when I trust in His guidance and His power, “wins” are a lot more common.

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Do you find yourself “winning” or just “finishing” most days?  Are you trusting in God’s strength or your own?

We did it!

Finished the race just before the storms hit.  Yea!

Here are some random musings and thoughts from the day:

• It was so much fun to have so many friends running the race this year including my beautiful sister!
• I missed Ashley… just not the same running without her.
• I started too fast.  I was so excited about my pace the first several miles, but I totally blew myself out.
• Ignorance is bliss.  I know the course too well after three years of running it.  I psych myself out thinking about the parts of the race I don’t enjoy.  Might be time to try a new 1/2 marathon somewhere else.
• I trained using the Galloway (run/walk) method this year.  Not sure I’m a believer.  I thought that I was pacing faster, but didn’t come close to beating my best time.
• My best 1/2 marathon was my first year (2008).  I think the energy, excitement and unknown carried me through.  I’m getting discouraged that I haven’t improved my time since then.
• I appreciate all the goodies that Publix gives away at the end of the race.
• The Powered by Hope team was amazing.  Wish I had met my fundraising goal, but thrilled that I was able to train with this group and run for New Hope Academy.
• It was awesome to have my dad and my husband there to see me cross the finish line!

Did you run in the Country Music Marathon?  What was the best part of the day for you?

Today’s Friday Fun is just a rundown of my week and my random thoughts… enjoy!

• I started my week off by joining the Faith Promise team for their staff retreat.  I had a blast with these guys.  Such a great team!
• In my musings this week I’ve determined that I’m not really a blogger… I’m a leader who happens to blog.  I wish I was a better blogger.  Got any tips for me?
• I’m convinced that local honey works for allergies.  I went two days without eating any and my allergies blew up!
• ONE WEEK until April’s Cultivate Her event! I announced our panel speakers who will be talking about the subject of confidence.  So excited!  Have you RSVP’d?
• My dad and his girlfriend are coming into town this weekend.  Dad and Merlyn are doing some golfing, the girls will do some shopping and they’ll all be able to watch Jes and I cross the finish line for the Country Music 1/2 Marathon!
• Speaking of the 1/2 Marathon… really praying it’s not a tornado infested, violent hail storm like they’re predicting tomorrow morning.
• Cleaning the house… always cleaning the house
• Really wish I had been able to go to Catalyst West this week… enjoyed all the tweets about it!
• Planning to post some updates about Faith, Hope & Love and the Bellevue Campus tomorrow – so exciting!

How’s your weekend shaping up?  Make sure you enjoy it!

Somewhere around mile 4 I start asking myself this question…

Why do I do this to myself?  I’m only a third of the way done.  I’ve already been running over 40 minutes and I still have a long way to go.

Today our Powered by Hope/Cross Point team ran 12 miles.

12 MILES!!

That’s the distance of my morning commute to work!

As I told you back when I started training this year, my past races have been purely for the sense of accomplishment, but this year I’m running to raise money for New Hope Academy, an outstanding school in Franklin, TN.

Would you consider supporting my goal?  You can access my fundraising page HERE.

Just some random stuff on my mind tonight…

• I’m really honored to have a featured interview at my friend Laura Anne’s blog.  You should go check out the other people she’s interviewed too – pretty cool stories!
• I hate peeling oranges, but I’m strongly opposed to cutting them therefore I have orange gunk under my nails right now.
• I keep thinking that I need to get my “to do” list done before I sit down to do some reading.  I can’t seem to get that “to do” list done with time to relax with a book.  Need to reprogram my head on this one.  I’ve got too many good books to read.
• Looking forward to seeing how our Cross Point peeps show up with items for Haiti tomorrow!
• Praying that our Visa issues get worked out for our trip to India.
• Wishing the laundry automatically folded itself…
• Excited that sweet Audrey entered the world this week.  She’s beautiful!
• I’ve spent several hours today working on my talk and materials for Cultivate Her which is this Friday.  Have you RSVP’d yet?
• Wishing that I was in Australia watching the Australian open!
• I committed to running with the 10 minute mile pace group for the 1/2 marathon training.  This should stretch me!  I would love your support for the race!

What’s your randomness this weekend?